DOES GLOBALIZATION KILL ETHOS AND DIVERSITY? medieval times, starting in northern France, the Low were synthetic products of American, Asian, and ers,manuscripts, and scientific ideas gave birth aint. Countries, and Italy. The mobility of scholars Polynesian styles the renaissance and its artistic glories. The develop- ment of the United States. another formative event THE MINERVA MODEL tence to trade and resource mobili ory in Western history and cultural history owes its exis- ross-cultural contact often mobilizes the fruitful- ness of an ethos before disrupting or destroying It is impossible to look at culture without notic it. We see a common pattern. The initial meeting of ing the importance of trade. For instance, Jamaican cultures produces a creative explosion, as individuals music did not take off until African-American trade materials, technologies, and ideas. Often the rhythm and blues music was imported. Jamaican materially wealthier culture provides financial sup migrant sugar workers were exposed to r&b dur- port for the creations of the poorer culture, while the ng their trips to the americar South in the late 1940s. and In this scenario, a burst For a while we have the best of both they brought back a taste for the of creative flowering worlds from a cultural point of view music. In the 1950s, Jamaican Over time, however, the larger or listeners picked up rhythm and precedes the decline of wealthier culture upsets the balance blues broadcasts from New of forces that ruled in the smaller or Orleans and miami radio. louis a culture and an ethos. poorer culture. The poorer culture Jordan, Fats Domino, and Even when two(or begins to direct its outputs towards Chuck Berry were especially the tastes of the richer culture popular in Jamaica. Jamaicans more)cultures do not Communication with the outside ended to prefer loping, less hur- railing ethos less ried rhythms, rather than the prove compatible in the distinct. The smaller culture "forgets Delta Blues of Howlin'Wolf and long run, they may pro- ntow to make the high-quality goods Muddy Waters; this continues it once specialized in, and we observe to be reflected in reggae music. duce remarkable short- cultural decline The Jamaican ska tunes of the early 1960s, the first break run gains from trade I refer to this as the minerva through for Jamaican music, model.“ Minerva” refers to Hegels reveal strong influences from Alternatively, it may be statement that"The owl of Minerva doo-wop, swing, crooners, and flies only at dusk, "by which he the softer forms of rhythm and said that cultural booms meant that philosophic understand blues. Sam Cooke and Nat King contain the seeds of their ing comes in civilizations that have Cole remain beloved in Jamaica already reached their peak. I rein to this day. The early ska styl own destruction terpret the metaphor to refer to cul- then blossomed into reggae tural brilliance instead which in this dancehall, and other musical forms, commonly sell context occurs just when a particular culture is starting its decline. In this scenario, a burst ing to wealthier American and British customers. of creative flowering precedes the decline of a culture The culture of the Hawaiian islands. rather than and an ethos. Even when two(or more) cultures withering immediately with foreign contact, blos do not prove compatible in the long run, they may somed in the late nineteenth and early twentiet produce remarkable short-run gains from trade centuries. The combination of pacific. American Alternatively, it may be said that cultural booms con- Japanese, and Chinese influences created a fertile tain the seeds of their own destruction creative environment. In music, Hawaian perform ers have been seminal influences behind the devel The Minerva model applies best when gains opment of country-and-western, pedal-steel guitar. from trade are based on a cultural imbalance. for blues, jazz, and fingerpicking guitar styles, as well as instance. American Indian arts and crafts flourished modern "lounge"music. In each case the Hawaiians until shortly before their (temporary) collapse early innovated within established Western forms, or relied in the twentieth century. The most accomplished arts of the Plains Indians used crayons, pencils, clothes, partly on Western inspiration. The Hawaiian stee h yarns, mirrors, bells, brass tacks, and glass beads, litar, for instance, was actually invented by a Cze metals, bright paint pigments, papers, dyed-wool all drawn from European culture. The woodsplint- part of the nineteenth century and in the early part basketry technique of many Indian tribes appears of the twentieth. Like hawaiian music. these works to have been European in origin, probably Swedish. The kachina dolls of the Hopi flowered in the nine-18 Fall 2003 PHI KAPPA PHI FORUM/Vol. 83, No. 4 19 medieval times, starting in northern France, the Low Countries, and Italy. The mobility of scholars, paint￾ers, manuscripts, and scientific ideas gave birth to the Renaissance and its artistic glories. The develop￾ment of the United States, another formative event in Western history and cultural history, owes its exis￾tence to trade and resource mobility. It is impossible to look at culture without notic￾ing the importance of trade. For instance, Jamaican music did not take off until African-American rhythm and blues music was imported. Jamaican migrant sugar workers were exposed to R&B dur￾ing their trips to the American South in the late 1940s, and they brought back a taste for the music. In the 1950s, Jamaican listeners picked up rhythm and blues broadcasts from New Orleans and Miami radio. Louis Jordan, Fats Domino, and Chuck Berry were especially popular in Jamaica. (Jamaicans tended to prefer loping, less hur￾ried rhythms, rather than the Delta Blues of Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters; this continues to be reflected in reggae music.) The Jamaican ska tunes of the early 1960s, the first break￾through for Jamaican music, reveal strong influences from doo-wop, swing, crooners, and the softer forms of rhythm and blues. Sam Cooke and Nat King Cole remain beloved in Jamaica to this day. The early ska style then blossomed into reggae, dancehall, and other musical forms, commonly sell￾ing to wealthier American and British customers. The culture of the Hawaiian islands, rather than withering immediately with foreign contact, blos￾somed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The combination of Pacific, American, Japanese, and Chinese influences created a fertile creative environment. In music, Hawaiian perform￾ers have been seminal influences behind the devel￾opment of country-and-western, pedal-steel guitar, blues, jazz, and fingerpicking guitar styles, as well as modern “lounge” music. In each case the Hawaiians innovated within established Western forms, or relied partly on Western inspiration. The Hawaiian steel guitar, for instance, was actually invented by a Czech immigrant living in California. Hawaii also pro￾duced many superb handwoven quilts in the latter part of the nineteenth century and in the early part of the twentieth. Like Hawaiian music, these works were synthetic products of American, Asian, and Polynesian styles. THE MINERVA MODEL Cross-cultural contact often mobilizes the fruitful￾ness of an ethos before disrupting or destroying it. We see a common pattern. The initial meeting of cultures produces a creative explosion, as individuals trade materials, technologies, and ideas. Often the materially wealthier culture provides financial sup￾port for the creations of the poorer culture, while the native ethos remains largely intact. For a while we have the best of both worlds from a cultural point of view. Over time, however, the larger or wealthier culture upsets the balance of forces that ruled in the smaller or poorer culture. The poorer culture begins to direct its outputs towards the tastes of the richer culture. Communication with the outside world makes the prevailing ethos less distinct. The smaller culture “forgets” how to make the high-quality goods it once specialized in, and we observe cultural decline. I refer to this as the Minerva model. “Minerva” refers to Hegel’s statement that “The owl of Minerva flies only at dusk,” by which he meant that philosophic understand￾ing comes in civilizations that have already reached their peak. I rein￾terpret the metaphor to refer to cul￾tural brilliance instead, which in this context occurs just when a particular culture is starting its decline. In this scenario, a burst of creative flowering precedes the decline of a culture and an ethos. Even when two (or more) cultures do not prove compatible in the long run, they may produce remarkable short-run gains from trade. Alternatively, it may be said that cultural booms con￾tain the seeds of their own destruction. The Minerva model applies best when gains from trade are based on a cultural imbalance. For instance, American Indian arts and crafts flourished until shortly before their (temporary) collapse early in the twentieth century. The most accomplished arts of the Plains Indians used crayons, pencils, clothes, metals, bright paint pigments, papers, dyed-wool yarns, mirrors, bells, brass tacks, and glass beads, all drawn from European culture. The woodsplint￾basketry technique of many Indian tribes appears to have been European in origin, probably Swedish. The kachina dolls of the Hopi flowered in the nine￾DOES GLOBALIZATION KILL ETHOS AND DIVERSITY? In this scenario, a burst of creative flowering precedes the decline of a culture and an ethos. Even when two (or more) cultures do not prove compatible in the long run, they may pro￾duce remarkable short￾run gains from trade. Alternatively, it may be said that cultural booms contain the seeds of their own destruction