【明報專訊】On 30 November 1982 Michael Jackson (米高積遜) released Thriller. Not only is it the best-selling album of all time by the most popular singer ever born, but it is also a classic example of Western culture. Its release is a typical case of cultural globalisation (文化全球化).

Michael Jackson - Life and achievements

Michael Jackson was born in 1958 in Indiana, the United States. As a child he performed with his brothers in a group called the Jackson 5 (Centre in the right picture). He began his solo career in 1971. Michael Jackson was one of the most popular singers in the 1980s, but his influence began to wane in the 1990s following accusations of child sexual abuses. He died of acute intoxication of anaesthetics (麻醉劑) and psychoactive drugs on 25 June 2009, when he was preparing for his concerts entitled "This Is It ".

Thriller is the most successful album by Michael Jackson. Featuring great hits like Billie Jean and Beat It, both of which were written by Jackson himself, the album has been extremely well received. Over 100 million copies of it have been sold worldwide. It broke all records in 1984 when it won eight Grammy Awards, including the Album of the Year award.

The debates over cultural globalisation

Michael Jackson was popular not only in the English-speaking world but also in places where English is not people's first language. This is also true with other American and English popular icons like Madonna, Lady Gaga and the Beatles. The global influence which artists enjoy, together with the dominance of other components of American and English styles of life such as television, films, fast food and technology, has been described as "cultural globalisation". There have been debates as to whether the phenomenon has marginalised local cultures.

Arguments for cultural globalisation

Some do not think cultural globalisation has endangered local cultures. Disneyland is an example frequently cited by them. Though it is part of American culture, Disneyland has had to made efforts in its glocalisation (全球在地化) to adapt itself to local customs. Furthermore, though Hong Kong-style tea restaurants (茶餐廳) have been threatened because American fast-food chains like McDonald's and KFC have remained popular in Hong Kong for decades, they are well liked by Hong Kong people.

Some think cultural globalisation is a boon. American TV drama series like X-Files (《X檔案》), Prison Break (《逃》) and Breaking Bad (《絕命毒師》) are popular worldwide for good reasons. Not only do they exhibit a high degree of originality and creativity, but their production is professional and meticulous (一絲不苟) too, putting Hong Kong TV dramas to shame. Hong Kong writer Chip Tsao (陶傑) argues that to admire Western culture is to admire excellence (崇優).

Arguments against cultural globalisation

Some argue against cultural globalisation, thinking it harms cultural diversity. For example, though Hong Kong-style tea restaurants have remained popular among Hong Kong people, bing sutt (冰室), their predecessors, are now almost extinct, and some are worried that Hong Kong-style tea restaurants may go the same way if they, unlike Western fast-food chains, can't afford sky-high rents. Some argue that Western movies and TV drama series are not necessarily better than Hong Kong productions. Hollywood blockbusters, for example, are often criticised for being formulaic (公式化). They are popular simply by virtue of the herd mentality (羊群效應). Critics also argue that, when popular Western culture occupies our whole attention, we may be unable to appreciate the fineness of our own culture.