The Role of "Elite Cosmopolitanism" in Promoting Globalization
The elite in every country, first and foremost, is defined by money. Your normal middle-class person cannot fathom the amount of money a member of the elite has. It is not just about the ability to buy whatever material goods or services without having to worry about budgeting to not run out of money. Instead, there is so much money in their bank accounts that they can buy up entire companies, start brand-new ones, and pay to make governments and laws work for them so that they can continue to retain and increase the amount of their wealth across multiple generations.
But while all elites use their money to ensure that they remain elite, when it comes to spending money for pleasure and recreation, individual members of the elite can be quite different. Some spend on visible luxury that normal people cannot afford, to signal their wealth and accompanying social status. Others, more concerned about their privacies, have more low-key hobbies, such as collecting fine paintings at homes unrevealed to the public. These hobbies allow the elites to signal who they are as a unique species, with more sophisticated interests.
Even in those sophisticated hobbies, a pattern emerges. Elites want to convey that they are more than just money and that they deserve the money they have. To do so, they want to signal intelligence and worldliness that corresponds to the international businesses and globetrotting work schedules they have. So many elites invest heavily in "perceived cosmopolitanism" for themselves and their posterity. Speaking good English is a must and more languages the better. A degree from a globally recognized university is highly desirable, but for those without, signs of traveling the world frequently will have to do.
So the elites, in the era of social media, post tidbits of their international travels online for the consumption of the general public. For the millions upon millions of middle-class folks jealous of and wanting the elite lifestyle, traveling frequently has become something to really spend their limited amount of money on. The result is that logging into Instagram today, one would be bombarded with elites and elites wannabes posting sceneries and food photos from across the world, with particular prizes given to undiscovered beauty of obscure places that most people have never been and cannot afford to go to.
But while people who strive to be elites in other countries are busy traveling the world, sharing their travels, and talking about the travels as if they are a part of social identity, it is rare to see such a phenomenon in some places, for instance, Japan. There certainly are plenty of TV shows that involve celebrities heading out to exotic locales to undertake adventure and do things people do not normally do in Japan, these shows are done without any expectation that people back home will find such experiences a point of envy. Indeed, with celebrities making a fool of themselves, people are put off doing any exotic travels for fear of embarrassing themselves.
Of course, elites in Japan also travel, take pictures, and try to show off to the general public. But unlike in other places, travels take place overwhelmingly in well-trodden, highly familiar surroundings that are proven to be relatively safe by many many past travelers. Pictures of Eiffel Tower, Macchu Picchu, and Sydney Opera House trump those of little towns in little-known countries that few others have ever been to. Instead of seeking out something special to oneself, people are more interested in the "me too" of traveling, creating shared experiences with friends who have all been to a particular place that is proven to be worthy.
The decision to only travel to famous places is a sign of a lack of cosmopolitanism. After all, traveling to a place that many others have been to packs no surprises. The act is a mundane conversation starter, not about the locale itself but as a way to strengthen friendships within one's little social circle. While people who go to little-known locales brag about their ability to "connect with the authentic," those who snap pictures in front of landmarks show little in terms of connection to local society through those snaps. Japan's moneyed celebrities, in that sense, do not strive to be cosmopolitan even as a facade for publicity.
It is little wonder, then, that many Japanese show little interest in a more global lifestyle. People here, as in any other place, look up to and emulate elites in their society. But when the elites are themselves too risk-averse and self-absorbed to even fake sustained interactions with foreign cultures to demonstrate cosmopolitanism. It is completely unsurprising, then, that normal people see the lack of their coming face-to-face with other cultures as undesirable. After all, if even the elites of the country find the idea of pushing themselves to embrace other lands despite having seemingly unlimited money to do so, why would normal people, with their limited budgets, burn cash on it?
But while all elites use their money to ensure that they remain elite, when it comes to spending money for pleasure and recreation, individual members of the elite can be quite different. Some spend on visible luxury that normal people cannot afford, to signal their wealth and accompanying social status. Others, more concerned about their privacies, have more low-key hobbies, such as collecting fine paintings at homes unrevealed to the public. These hobbies allow the elites to signal who they are as a unique species, with more sophisticated interests.
Even in those sophisticated hobbies, a pattern emerges. Elites want to convey that they are more than just money and that they deserve the money they have. To do so, they want to signal intelligence and worldliness that corresponds to the international businesses and globetrotting work schedules they have. So many elites invest heavily in "perceived cosmopolitanism" for themselves and their posterity. Speaking good English is a must and more languages the better. A degree from a globally recognized university is highly desirable, but for those without, signs of traveling the world frequently will have to do.
So the elites, in the era of social media, post tidbits of their international travels online for the consumption of the general public. For the millions upon millions of middle-class folks jealous of and wanting the elite lifestyle, traveling frequently has become something to really spend their limited amount of money on. The result is that logging into Instagram today, one would be bombarded with elites and elites wannabes posting sceneries and food photos from across the world, with particular prizes given to undiscovered beauty of obscure places that most people have never been and cannot afford to go to.
But while people who strive to be elites in other countries are busy traveling the world, sharing their travels, and talking about the travels as if they are a part of social identity, it is rare to see such a phenomenon in some places, for instance, Japan. There certainly are plenty of TV shows that involve celebrities heading out to exotic locales to undertake adventure and do things people do not normally do in Japan, these shows are done without any expectation that people back home will find such experiences a point of envy. Indeed, with celebrities making a fool of themselves, people are put off doing any exotic travels for fear of embarrassing themselves.
Of course, elites in Japan also travel, take pictures, and try to show off to the general public. But unlike in other places, travels take place overwhelmingly in well-trodden, highly familiar surroundings that are proven to be relatively safe by many many past travelers. Pictures of Eiffel Tower, Macchu Picchu, and Sydney Opera House trump those of little towns in little-known countries that few others have ever been to. Instead of seeking out something special to oneself, people are more interested in the "me too" of traveling, creating shared experiences with friends who have all been to a particular place that is proven to be worthy.
The decision to only travel to famous places is a sign of a lack of cosmopolitanism. After all, traveling to a place that many others have been to packs no surprises. The act is a mundane conversation starter, not about the locale itself but as a way to strengthen friendships within one's little social circle. While people who go to little-known locales brag about their ability to "connect with the authentic," those who snap pictures in front of landmarks show little in terms of connection to local society through those snaps. Japan's moneyed celebrities, in that sense, do not strive to be cosmopolitan even as a facade for publicity.
It is little wonder, then, that many Japanese show little interest in a more global lifestyle. People here, as in any other place, look up to and emulate elites in their society. But when the elites are themselves too risk-averse and self-absorbed to even fake sustained interactions with foreign cultures to demonstrate cosmopolitanism. It is completely unsurprising, then, that normal people see the lack of their coming face-to-face with other cultures as undesirable. After all, if even the elites of the country find the idea of pushing themselves to embrace other lands despite having seemingly unlimited money to do so, why would normal people, with their limited budgets, burn cash on it?
Comments
Post a Comment