Some argue that the increase in international business and cultural interactions might put their national identities at threat; however, others believe this is beneficial to their countries. This essay will examine both views and explain why I lean towards the latter.
On the one hand, international business is likely to undermine the importance of traditional values of a country. Take the F&B industry as an example, convenience stores and fast food franchises offer affordable and straightforward meals served inside commercial buildings for office workers. They no longer have to go out to have a quick meal on the street and this could result in the dying out of traditional street food which was once the symbol of a nation. Additionally, the local languages of minor communities have been under threat of being replaced by more spoken languages. Hard as the government tries to retain these local languages, their efforts seem to be in vain. Some countries have even switched to more spoken languages and they abandoned their identity as a result.
On the other hand, global cooperation greatly benefits the development of a country. Firstly, foreign businesses invest a lot of money in their target nations and as they grow, a great number of jobs will be created for local people. This does not only improve people’s living standards but it also enhances the overall economics of a whole country. In addition, the variety of other cultures can enrich and modernize that of a country. Cultural contact provides people with various music and food options when hanging out with friends and family. In some Asian countries, it used to be widely believed that women were always inferior to men and they should conform to men’s orders. Thanks to the exposure to Western culture, many of such outdated beliefs and prejudices are being removed.
In conclusion, although some say that business among countries and their cultural interaction can do harm to cultural identities, I believe that it is more advantageous and should be promoted.