This relates directly to our discussions on the effect of globalization on culture. The burbclaves are clusters of people who are culturally homogenous; burbclaves also are sovereign. Within the gates of the community, no other force has authority other than the burbclave, which represents a drastic (and enforced) homogenization within certain geographic areas. I don't think this is a totally implausible representation of the cultural future. Gated communities already exist, with similar (though maybe not as overtly expressed/enforced) barriers to entry. Much like the burbclaves, gated communities exist in order for people to live and associate with those who are like them while keeping out 'undesirables'. Even outside of gated communities, regular communities are becoming more and more segregated and segemented as people continuously move about the United States in order to live around those who are like them. This is rooted in basic psychology: people like to associate with people who share similar views and live similar lives as they do. Not only are the burbclaves a logical progression of the current gated communities that exist, but are also a concept based on basic human psychology, taken to its logical (though perhaps extreme) conclusion.
I understand where you are coming from with the idea that people want to congregate towards those who are similar to them, which makes the burbclaves plausible. However, do you think that this might be too drastic for the future, given the fact that globalization is helping to increase our reliance/understanding of other cultures?
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting how you bring up human psychology as an explanation for burbclaves. I think it is true that people like to surround themselves with like minded people however there is a great push in our society for diversity and all the benefits it presents. How do you think diversity would be portrayed in these burbclaves? Or do you think it would just completely be eradicated?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Val and think it is interesting that you used human psychology and I see the point you are making about it. I think that de facto segregation exists all around us today and just because globalization may make other cultures more available does not mean people are receptive to these cultures. And also I would argue we are a lot less globalized than we think. You could also argue that globalization allows the western world to export its culture but it does not really happen in the reverse. For example the developing world isn't exporting and pushing its culture on to the US and if they did I don't think the people would be very receptive
ReplyDeleteI think, as has been mentioned, it will be hard to have burbclaves simply because of the drive in the US for diversity of all types, including race, geography, occupation, interests, socioeconomic status, etc. This diversity in thought and other things makes it hard to have a purely homogenous society because everyone is conditioned to react differently to certain situations. On the psychology aspect, just because someone may be wealthy does not mean they are likeminded with other wealthy people as well. I can't imagine a world where wealthy philanthropists will cage themselves in a gated community without going insane with all their money to be honest.
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