Global Fusion Culture
1.Culture today: This is serious stuff. Today’s ‘Global Fusion Culture’ is a very important stage in the evolution of human life on planet earth. It is so damn important because never ever in the history, different people, countries, regions, continents have shared a Culture which looks quite ‘uniform’ throughout the world. ‘The Global Fusion Culture’.
2.Insecurity: The purists, protectionists, radicals, conservatives will all deny this and oppose it but ‘reality’ is no-one’s slave. It stands right in front of you-challenging.
3.Global Fusion Culture: Cultures are fusing with one another like never before. We have a world global culture where the eastern and western cultures have fused together. The intensity and level of influence on the native culture by the joining culture varies from countries to countries. It is one of the most beautiful things that have happened to the human evolution, cultures are ‘fusing’ not ‘dividing humanity’.
4.Visual effect: All metro cities of the world from Japan in the east to America in the west, the entire length of the globe, cities look so much similar. Skyline, architecture [modern glass and steel structures], infrastructure [streets, public transport, services], cars, buses, advertising all these strong elements that form the visual of a metro city are very similar. One can make out the difference only after taking a closer look at the people walking on the streets. People give away the identity of the region.
5.Different shades: Global fusion culture does vary from country to country, may be in local details and strong or weak cultural influences but by large if you take an overview it is the same universal culture that has spread all over now.
6.We are one: This period is probably as important for humanity as much as ‘renaissance’ period was. Future generations will know that better and present generation will be gone by then, without understanding they were a part of a great phase in human history. The world is slowly becoming one culture.
7.Easterner: If you are an easterner and you know a lot about your national heros and you don’t know much about the contributions of Greeks in philosophy, culture, democracy, politics, you are not a part of the global fusion culture. A lot of things in the global culture will find some connection with Greek philosophy and Greek’s pioneering studies in various fields.
8.Existentialists: Contribution of existentialist philosophers from Europe during pre and post world wars is immense. They actually showed us the way to look at things differently. Those world wars accelerated the human evolution and jolted us and we reviewed the way we ‘thought’ and the way we ‘saw the world’. Existentialists gave the power back to ‘you’ and to ‘your existence’.
9.Westerner: If you are a westerner and if you are ignorant of the great philosophers of the east mostly Persian, Indian and Chinese, then one’s knowledge of the world is only western and not truly global.
10. Late to the party: Human evolution is a lengthy and a slow process. We, humans are pretty late on this planet. One single life of a man is too short a time but his thoughts that help the process of evolution goes a long way and that is your real contribution and a bigger mark than the small life span spent on this earth. There is a fantastic analogy that encompasses our stay on the planet earth. “If the 4.5 billion year history of the earth were to be measured in proportion to one year, man would not appear until Dec. 31st, at 8:30 in the evening!”
11. We all go: It seems that we are the rulers of the world today but looking at the timeline it is clear that we are some of the very late arrivals here. Many species have come and gone before us. Looking at our higher place in the food chain, it certainly appears that, we will continue to survive and evolve. But there will be a time to go.
12. Two sides: Every individual of this culture is more guarded because he is more watched than the individuals from earlier generations. Technology has invaded your privacy. As a result of that, all individual’s two distinct sides, are more pronounced- the public side and the dark side. It’s not that earlier man did not have it but the distinction was vague. Smart people hide the dark side well while the assholes are poor in doing so. When a smart person dies, sometimes others can never say that they knew him completely. Because most of his real personality is hidden in the dark side. He leaves behind his public persona. However, many things later surface, after his death and a bit of the dark side is revealed. It is impossible to know anybody fully.
13. Knowledge revolution: Internet is the lifeline of knowledge, running through all cultures, countries and continents. It needs no permissions, no passport and no visa. It is solely responsible for the ‘Knowledge revolution’ it has brought along. It has strengthened the global culture. Like many other useful mediums for spread of knowledge, before internet, like books and TV, Internet too, is lately in danger of being used as a new tool for propaganda.
14. Philosophers online: Wonder how the great philosophers would have reacted to the phenomenon called the internet, if they were alive today? One thing is sure, after applauding the user they would have advised him to get his ass off that chair and visit real life too.
15. Importance of marketing: Marketing is becoming bigger than the products. This is a clear sign of our idiotic approach and things loosing sense of proportion.
16. Marketing is science: Make no mistake, marketing is science. Marketing creates miracles out of small things. There are great marketing success stories. How will you justify Coca Cola’s success all over the world?
17. On the other hand: Modern day, global fusion culture, ‘individuals’ are turning out to be lame, lethargic, ungraceful because of lack of challenges, in everyday life. Real challenges that involve injuries, death, like wars. The new lifestyle is easy, sedentary. Sloth is slowing their evolution. We should not forget, no matter what you do, either in a city or in a village or a desert, you are still a part of this vast nature and all the rules of the nature are applicable to you too. We need to exercise regularly, keep ourselves physically fit and take the challenges, mental and physical.
18. Global sport: Football is a huge brand ambassador of the global culture. No sport has brought together countries, continents and the world together like football has done. The religions are blamed for dividing the world while football has united the world. Rival countries participate in football tournaments, sportingly, without feeling much of bitterness towards rivals, which they would otherwise feel off the football grounds. It is a sport where you need highest level of stamina and fitness, that’s why football is an unofficial indicator of a country’s fitness level. Football truly supports nature’s rule of ‘Survival for the fittest.’ Here the meaning of the fittest is the skilled, athletic, agile and hungry for the goals. That is a fit footballer.
19. Pets are important and how? : “A part of your life remains untouched if you do not enjoy the company of pets.” Pets, be it a cat or a dog or any other pet, is no more just a companion now. In the global world it is your link in connecting you back to the nature and keeping you anchored to the nature while you are in constant danger of flying away from the roots and getting lost in the maze of brands, advertising and debts. A real man will keep a pet. And take care of the pet in the best possible way.
20. Traveling: Traveling and while doing so meeting people and studying their history is important. It is not for the ‘external effect’ or only for vacation, good times, entertainment but more for ‘self discovery’. It is more for the ‘internal effect’. Positioning yourself next to other cultures gives you a different perspective towards ‘you’ and ‘your people’. Traveling has no substitute like exposure by TV and books etc. It is a wholesome experience that can’t be replaced by other mediums. A well traveled person is better equipped to deal with the global culture.
21. Business and Trade: All truly giant business corporations are global companies. They are a part of this Global fusion phenomenon. No major corporate can grow by limiting their business to their region only. They must sell the products worldwide. It is this global business that funds the global fusion culture. The movement across the globe gives momentum to global fusion. Global fusion culture and global trading are inseparable. They feed each other. Growth of one means guaranteed growth for the other.
22. Growth in business: The word ‘Growth’ is music to everyone’s ears. ‘Growth’ employs people and ‘No Growth’ sacks them. Growth is required at any cost now, even at the cost of ethics and honesty. Growth’s ally Corruption used to meet him in the nights now they meet during the day- brazenly.
23. Global corruption: It’s not that corruption did not exist before. It was always there and likely to stay. Money has changed hands in this socially not acceptable yet universally present practice of corruption. In the global culture the quantum of that money is humongous. Countries are bribing countries, leave alone the individuals and corporations.
24. Global money: Only a small percentage of global money is currency rest is electronic money. The money does not exit, physically, the power of money exits big time though.
25. Role of ‘isms’: There is no single ‘ism’ in the Global culture. The best of all has fused together.
26. Fake global activists: There is always a danger of ‘fear mongers’, ‘publicity seekers’ taking advantage of a global situation, making it dramatically, disproportionately, big and scare the commoners. There are always many commercial interests involved in such false scares. Global warming, global fresh water shortage and global environment destruction are such issues, which anybody picks up and starts scaring the world. Infact work at micro or regional level on these matters is sensible and effective for the local communities than drumming the issue globally for an effect. People love attention, don’t they?
27. Brands and poor: All the shopping malls all over the world look the same. Most brands are common in these malls. The more importance brands will gain, the more poor will suffer. The poor will be compelled to aspire for the things which they can’t afford. Smart people do not chase brands.
28. Money: One interesting question you feel like asking the ‘radicals’ from any religion and it is, “Is there a new religion called money? Because we get to see some bitterest religious rivals collaborating for money.” This is reality and can be observed by anyone, when you see partnerships and alliances at the street level and at international level, and between different nations. Money is so very powerful that it brings together strange ideologies.
29. Religion: Any discussion on religion is fruitful only if it involves uniting people and friendships between religions.
30. Consultants and professionals: New breed of professionals are weak in ethics. When a professional becomes a businessman there are no ethics. There is a big difference between a professional and a businessman.
31. Mostly city now: Agreed the Global fusion culture is a mostly an urban phenomenon but don’t cities guide the rural populace always?
32. Florence: It is called the birthplace of ‘Renaissance’. One visit to Florence during a lifetime would be worth it. The construction of “Duomo” marks the beginning of Renaissance Architecture. Does it look magnificent? Sure it does. If Florence is the birthplace of renaissance, then can New York be called the birthplace of Global fusion culture?
33. Watch your back: Fusion or no fusion, smart guys watch their backs. Backstabbers are always around. They stab when you least expect it. New global culture is not a new heaven. Violence, crime, treachery, conspiracies, espionage are permanent features of human life. Along with love, compassion, and brotherhood.
34. British Magic: Can one actually thank the Great Britain enough? Especially the eastern countries? Agreed, as the rulers and colonizers they plundered the resources and wealth of those countries but what they offered in return was very very important too. There was a huge price many countries had to pay but to study what they earned in return is very interesting. British people were some of the better colonizers history has ever seen because they offered so much in return, they were less cruel, they did not believe in religious conversions, they did not believe in destroying local cultures, they promoted education, they developed infrastructure, developed armed forces, taught western constitution, judiciary, governance, the list is quite long and it deserves a book exclusively dedicated on these topics. British civility is the best civility you can see in the world and if you are learning from the best, obviously you get an advantage over those who learn from bad teachers. Many Indian Asians or people of Indian origin are doing extremely well in the USA, Canada and the UK and are considered one of the most educated and high earning groups of all immigrant groups there. Ofcouse hard work and talent matters but the English speaking skills and education worked too for the Indians, and it is mostly thanks to British people. Many Easterners, Asians are mixing with the global culture, quite easily because they have learnt the global language, which is undeniably English. Those people, cultures who resisted and continue to resist English language will make slower progress. English is the language of the world. It is the language of the global fusion culture.
35. Mandarin: The Chinese language is spoken by the most people in the world, more than English, yet China is promoting English for it’s own people. China wants the youth to learn and speak English. China knows English is the world language for international business, science, participation in the international community, and internet. That is pragmatism. That is smart thinking. There are more English speaking people in China today than in the USA. No wonder next Hollywood cowboy film will be set not in the southern USA but in the southern China.
36. Making of the world map: British people have drawn more lines on the global map than any other army. Most borders of the countries are drawn by them because they were the ‘rulers’ of those countries at that time. How much bloodshed they saved by doing so is difficult to calculate because there is no barometer to calculate number of deaths in potential catastrophes. The least assholes could learn form British people is 'detailing', which in other words is 'healthy sarcasm',also known as 'Brit sense of humor'.
37. Responsible advertising: Advertising is the back bone for generating revenues. What about the advertising that lies, misguides? Will it pay back the losses?
38. Think: Being an asshole is a luxury sometimes. Like on the lines of ‘ignorance is bliss’. But not very long.
39. Role of western culture: Brother, hypocrisy is powerful, ego plays mind games, pride can influence minds but brace up for this fact and accept this, Western culture is a huge huge part of the new global fusion culture. It may be a little difficult for the easterners to accept that. In reality, people who criticize, deny the larger role of the western culture seem very confused. They enjoy all the comforts and benefits of the western culture, yet they do not accept the contribution of the western culture. They would drive in a plush car, speak English, dress in western clothes, live in modern apartments, eat western food, all very western, yet criticize. Because it is all political, sometimes opposing western culture gets them followers, votes. They play with the insecure sentiments of the voters, the commoners, especially with commoner’s sentiment of pride, which resists assimilation. There is one more variety that will refuse to accept the contribution of the western society- the radicals. These people are alive ‘today’ but virtually live in the ‘medieval times’. A category least reasonable yet hugely impactful on masses. Rejection by a few does not change the reality.
40. Role of Europe: Europe has been the flag bearer in the evolution of humanity, headed by Greeks and Romans in the early times. Of course other eastern cultures have progressed all along but the point is Europe has lead the way, in human evolution. This is no comment on the depth and tremendous progress by other cultures. Every culture is unique. Every culture is special for it’s own people, for the world too. Western cultures and eastern cultures have been exchanging knowledge throughout the history. It’s not that they did not exchange knowledge before. The exchange of knowledge is highest now and the east has benefited the most now. How can we really not accept the role of western culture is shaping the global fusion culture the way it has shaped? Isn’t it simply evident and all around us?
41. Early spread of European culture: European culture is the dominant world culture across major continents. Of course, firstly throughout Europe including the vast Russia, then Americas, Australia, parts of Africa and parts of Asia are nothing but extensions of European culture. All these new branches have acquired new identities which are different from the parent version but let’s not make any mistake, it all came from Europe. European culture is dominant, it wields power but along with that it is most civilized, democratic and liberal. There can be a separate book on this subject only a mere thought in this book.
42. Humanity benefits: It would be wrong for easterners to feel sad for giving western civilization greater importance. Ultimately, they should think how the global human community is benefiting. It would be an error to think on the lines that westerners are superiors to easterners or Greeks are superior to other Europeans or Athenians are superior to other Greeks. The chain of comparisons will stop at the caveman. That is small thinking. Bigger thinking is humanity is sharing, benefiting, evolving and freeing itself in the global fusion world.
43. Global F word: Anything that survives is important. One thing that traveled long and wide is the F word in the global culture. If F word has survived the evolution it is going to stay. The F word is completely OK with smart people. Ask the President. However, assholes still sulk when they hear the usage. Ofcourse there are dos and don’ts. There are platforms and there are public spaces.
44. Just a phenomenon, with a silver lining: It’s not that the global fusion culture will end all the ills the world is facing. It is a just a very good unifier, the best, till date. Countries will fight, there will be wars and corruption will not end. Yes, sure the backwards will be introduced to logic, science and reason fast, that would help them liberate themselves. There will be ‘brother-from-another-mother’ community of guys from different countries thinking alike, forming and growing. Good and Evil remains till eternity.
45. Positive part of poverty: Poverty can teach one some invaluable lessons about living life, that the rich will never learn, unless they have great observation skills and imagination. Those who have grown from poor to rich have an advantage if they are smart. They learn lessons from poverty and enjoy the comforts of richness.
46. Think: What’s the point if the evolution of humanity does not help in poverty reduction and upliftment of the suppressed?
47. Irony of brands: Global culture can create some strange cross culture situations. When one country makes an international brand it wants to promote the same brand globally. When that brand or that name travels to another culture, sometimes it sounds extremely derogatory in the language of that culture, which could work completely against the brand. In such situations companies respect the regional sensibilities and change the brand names. For example, the big car manufacturer from Japan, Toyota had manufactured a car called MR2 but when the car travelled to France the company realized that the name MR2 sounded pretty close to French words “Est merdeux” which can be translated “it is shitty”. Looking at the business interests, Toyota changed the name of the car model in France to “MR”.
48. Sounds and meanings: Sounds of different words from one language can create comic situations in another language. “Mist” in English becomes "manure" in German, an “ape” becomes a "bee" in Italian, “pain” becomes "bread" in French, etc. In English “Gift” is present while in German “Gift” is poison. No wonder why a German will not be very thrilled when you say “I have got a gift for you.”
49. Dark history: History is fantastic. Like humans who have two distinct sides. History has two distinct sides. One side is the side of the victor and the other side is the side of the looser. The victor’s side will be full of glory, celebrations, victory while the loser’s side will be full of massacres, rapes, plundering and humiliation.
50. Recorded history: Most recorded History is state sponsored. It is written by the historians employed by the state and finds the view points of the victor only. It is important to see both the angles when you study history.
51. City and Rural divide: Transformation in rural folks is very difficult on two accounts. Firstly many of them try to copy city folks thinking the city guys are all smart. On the contrary the majority of city folks are shockingly stupid. At the same time the maximum smart people are found in the cities too. Rural folks have wrong role models of stupid city people not smart city people. Secondly, rural environment is extremely conservative and discourages any kind of individualistic thinking that clashes with the society’s beliefs and faiths. Hence liberation of the rural folks is double difficult.
52. Struggle for rural folks: Countries with maximum rural folks struggle to enter the space of global fusion culture. Countries with more westernized city population embrace global culture more easily.
53. Big heart: Cultures that colonized other regions have come forward and expressed regrets for the war crimes and loss of native cultures. It’s time to look ahead and make friends.
54. Mix bag: There are truly religious people in the global culture. There are religious people who are atheists inside, there are atheists who are not so sure and call themselves with different names. There are non conformists and there are so many sub divisions that did not exist earlier. Global fusion culture is witnessing all this.
55. False pride: Some people glorify their cities with unrealistic attributes. It is not about a city, it is about the individual that can be special. Very special.
56. Fewer inventions: The biggest of all inventions are not coming in contemporary times. Why? Are we stuck somewhere or all the most important stuff has been invented already? Then why there is no vaccine yet found to cure malaria? It is a dull time for inventions except the Information technology.
57. Think: Forget about the bigger indicators. Some smaller indicators tell volumes about your smartness. Your acceptance of global culture. Do you use toilet papers and floss? If yes, you have left the uncouth behaviors behind and turned civil, very civil.
58. Think: Societies that practice female foeticide are barbaric assholes. They are taking the evolution backwards. How do you expect to be a part of world culture if you are killing girls selectively? Your own? Pathetic. If that is not violence then what is violence?
59. Flyovers: The most obvious features of global cities are flyovers. The condition, cleanliness and aesthetics talk volumes on the character of that city. If they are ugly the residents are poor in the minds first. Economic status comes much later.
60. Think: Some people love vacations some don’t. Some are always on vacation.
61. Top to bottom: You are a citizen of the globe first and then a citizen of your country later. All the societies and formal education will always tell you this in the reverse order.
62. Mediterranean sea: May not be all the biggest happenings in the history but definitely some of the biggest stages of evolution in humanity happened on the coasts of this sea and percolated inwards to the main lands. The only place in the world where Europe, Africa and Asia meet.
63. Philosophers are optimistic: Philosophers may appear pessimistic because, apart from searching for wisdom, they talk and study the dark areas of human minds so as to discover and expose many dark myths the society has protected. People are not used to confronting those issues and they don’t find them pleasant. The warnings of philosophers deal with unpleasant subjects for assholes and obviously, philosophers are perceived as pessimistic. However, philosophy is everything positive and all about optimism because it accelerates evolution. With the questions, it brings changes that influence future. What can be more optimistic than something that betters your future? Smart guys understand this.
64. Misunderstood Philosophers: The misunderstood philosophers have been executed by the regimes or the societies throughout in the history because they are always ahead of the time they lived in, they are rebellious in nature, both virtues abhorred by the societies.
65. Philosophers on social networking sites: It would have been so much fun following the great philosophers on those sites. They would have aired completely new ideas now because nothing is permanent including some of their old ideas. They would have discarded some of their own thoughts.
66. Dawned on you: People from all corners of the world have realized that ‘advertising’ loves female nudity. And they do what they do because the consumers love nudity. It’s madness out there, they are selling paints, cements with semi clad nude girls on covers.
67. Breathing easy: Breath easy, you are not the only ‘odd one’ in the world. Most have just decided to keep mum.
68. Globally spreading: Porn, profanity, nudity, violence, gore, hatred, lust is travelling across all borders without any check and censorship. Children are at the risk of exposing themselves to this by accident or by choice and no one can do anything about it. This is screwing kid’s minds big time. Parents have no clue what is happening behind their backs.
69. Brick bats: Throwing brickbats is history, lynching by media is in.
70. Media: Media promotes what is politically correct and steers clear from the stuff that will land them in trouble.
71. Wrong Charity choice: Brother, only 10% percent of donated money reaches the needy, if you donate with some organized charities. There are exceptions too. If your guilt or tax benefits are making you donate, get your facts straight, if you want to help them get employment for them. Don’t doll out the money. Teach them to fish.
72. Food: The world provides enough food for all the people in the world. People stay hungry not only because of bad distribution, bad storage and wastage of food but mainly because of the ‘indifference’ of the people who are not hungry. The world talks about love and compassion but at ground level and at the mass level the world is ‘indifferent’ to all.
73. Wastage of food: 40% of food in the world is wasted. And humans call themselves smart? It is not that only developed countries waste food the underdeveloped waste too. The developed countries waste it at consumption level and the underdeveloped waste it at production, storage, corruption levels. Can global fusion culture do anything about it? Well at least it has brought the point to the fore. The disease of ‘indifference’ can’t be cured.
74. Irrelevant: “stressed’” spelled backwards is “desserts” and how does it matter? Assholes find irrelevant coincidences and keep searching meanings in it.
75. Bad: People can write so they write shit.
76. Global language: If English is the global language, it is your language, his language, her language, and it is our language.
77. Weekend: A fantastic weekend is when, you refuse a rich asshole’s offer and accept a poor smart man’s offer for a drink session and continue discussing humanity, life experiences instead of gourmet food, diamonds, and brands with an asshole. Music is a must though.
78. Greed and ideology: Difficult to distinguish which one is the favorite with radicals?
79. Nothingness and absurdity: There is everything and yet nothing in the present moment. Isn’t it pretty absurd?
80. Smart man’s motto: I fail, I get up, I try again.
