The French social theorist Jean-François Lyotard described contemporary culture in this way: "One listens to reggae,watches a Western,eats McDonald's food for lunch and local cuisine for dinner,wears Paris perfume in Tokyo and 'retro' clothes in Hong Kong." He was writing about postmodernism,but what concept can help explain this mishmash of activities?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cultural diffusion refers to the spread of cultural beliefs, practices, and products from one place or culture to another. Lyotard's description highlights the ways in which cultural products and practices from different regions and cultures are blended together, which suggests that cultural diffusion is the most appropriate concept to explain this mishmash of activities. While values, hegemony, and counterculture may also be relevant to understanding contemporary culture, they do not capture the idea of cultural blending and mixing as directly as the concept of cultural diffusion.

The French Social Theorist Jean-François Lyotard Described Contemporary Culture in This