Analysis on Globalization and the Public Cartographies of Vietnam Idol by Long Bui

Long Bui’s article of Globalization and the Public Cartographies of Vietnam Idol describes the impact of the Vietnam culture through globalization and how it impacts the Vietnam culture through the lens of Vietnam Idol. Although some people favor the idea of an Idol to empower the culture and the youth generation, the author contends on the rapid development of globalization and industrial revolution on Vietnam as being too fast and hurting the culture of the society, since some of the people are still maintaining their traditional lifestyles prior to the Vietnam war and are still processing from the conflict’s aftermath. This incident reminds me of the globalization of China after the Communist revolution, where some of the regions of China were either forced to integrate to the new regime, move, or be exiled. During the Vietnam war, many of the people who were against the North Vietnam’s policies either moved to America or still stayed and struggled from the lack of development due to irreparable war damages and casualties. The  inability for some to adopt or accept the victory or lifestyle of North Vietnam has left the country in a split between globalization and traditional lifestyles in order to survive. The author argues, “Idol demarcates youth as a key demographic while belying the increasing generational and income gap between younger and older generations in a rapidly industrializing country, indigenous/ethnic minorities occluded from this Vietnamese-specific- “National programing,” and gendered division of labor involved in organizing Viet Nam’s worker-citizens toward an export-oriented economy” (Bui 889). This statement explains the great divide between the cultures and differences within the class and the generation. There’s also an irony for why Vietnam would value western traditions since it is the west who have actually caused more harm to the country than help. Agent orange was spread throughout the jungles of Vietnam and the American troops who were removed from the region never came back to restore the families nor the environment. Today, there is a rift of people who still suffer from the aftermath of the war and people who are already attempting to globalize. There is an irony within the situation because the foreign powers that tried to destroy the country and left its people in ruins have indirectly aided the globalization progress in Vietnam. Also, only one fifth of the people have internet and could vote, so the talent show shows deprivations of the culture and the attempt to erase its past traditions to prove to the world its progress.