When Culture Was
Brett Parry
Coaching Excellence for Professionals on the Global Stage. Founder at Cultural Mentor.
A few years back, I discovered various podcasts that played episodes of old radio shows. As far back as the 1930's and even well into the 1960's, they were a popular form of entertainment in the United States. These programs were broadcast on radio stations across the country, featured serialized stories and dramatic performances that captivated audiences. Families and friends would often gather around the radio to listen to their favorite programs together, creating a sense of community and shared enjoyment. While they may seem like a relic of the past, their influence can still be felt in American culture. One simple example is how they relied heavily on sound to create a sense of atmosphere and drama, and many of the techniques that were developed during this time continue to be used in modern media. From the tension and suspense of crime and horror stories, to the heartfelt emotions of family dramas, then on to the rollicking comedy and variety shows, they helped to shape the storytelling conventions that are still popular in television and film today.
As I continued to listen more and more, I was struck just how the narratives and stereotypes have clearly influenced current cultural norms that are being defended as "traditional" values by some parts of the US American culture. Women characters were left to simply be objectified or used as emotional props, leaving room for the male dominated storylines celebrating toughness, masculinity and authority. Similarly, the colonization and subjugation of native inhabitants rings loud through explicit vernacular references such as "savages" that are found sprinkled liberally throughout the narrative. They promoted the power and superiority of one identity over another. The scripts and settings may have changed from episode to episode, but the message, intentional or otherwise, was clear to see. Many of the themes and storylines that were popular then continue to resonate with audiences today.
From a cultural perspective, it is not a long stretch to imagine what some mean when they say "let's go back to a simpler time". It is what some see as an idealized existence where people knew their place and there was not a need to understand nuance or differences.
Your Workstyle Matters! Helping others Work Globally; Consultant for Cross-Border Effectiveness; International Market Development
2 年Nice essay Brett, and relevant to the global discussions of today. Both on the historical legacy of misogyny towards women and ethnic/ racial tension. On the latter, I think of the similarity or overlap between "sense of community" and the concept of a tribe (or tribalism). The world has always been tribal, and continues to be, but with technology allowing for instant awareness of things, and an acceleration of mass movements of people into and out of countries, what communities are comprised of now looks very different from generations past. As cities and countries evolve, there will be those struggling with change that have nostalgia for "simpler times" when communities were often the same tribe.