The westernization Of China

China has always been a planned economy where the government played a big role in deciding how the country should be controlled. But after the rise in foreign trade and investments, it has opened itself to international people, companies and communities. It's no surprise that China is starting to turn to Western ways of life in many aspects, which has its pros and cons, and in general, becoming a more diverse country.

There's visible evidence that media, advertisements, news and trends favor the West. The younger generation of Chinese people are more affected by this and plan on going abroad to continue their studies in a more Western society. Many locals also set a goal to learn to speak English, given the pressure of the rising number of foreigners living among us here. 

So what can be the issue? As we can see, companies play a big role in our personal choices and behavior in social environments, and can shape us into whatever they want us to be. But how is that possible if we are still making the final decisions? That is because the media knows how to persuade you, and because of this, we need to start taking it with a pinch of salt.

Nowadays, issues like racism and gender discrimination can have a direct effect on our successes in life. And they can victimize those who don't value their own cultures. There are certain things they do that go unnoticed. But what are they? You just need to look around and spot the evidence yourself. 

You'll notice that more Chinese are buying foreign brands like YSL instead of a local brand, sporting brunette hair, driving a GMC, and owning an iPhone instead of a Huawei. This might seem like a petty problem, however, it is an example of how much we're influenced by Western culture, no longer proud of the Oriental culture of China just because we don't see it in the media. 

What we have to acknowledge, as Chinese, is that if we cannot appreciate our own country's brands, traditions and appearances, media can't as well. And even though media is seen as a bad thing, it still exists and influences our lives.

 China can have a greater influence in the world if more Chinese people are confident in their own skin. There's nothing wrong with appreciating the West, or learning from it. But there's also nothing wrong with being authentic and traditional, and uninfluenced by the always changing international trends and so-called 'modern' lifestyles.

The original blog is at: http://blog.chinadaily.com.cn/blog-2092263-30147.html