Long Bui on Vietnam Idol

My initial interest in this article came from the author's hilarious name sounding out as "long boy". As I read further I had some thoughts however about Vietnamese culture. Some concerns brought up by the author include: the show is nothing but a rip off of American Idol, the show is inherently flawed in that it's inaccessible to the bulk of the Vietnamese population, and the show cheapens the Vietnamese cultural identity by blending it in with global culture. Personally, I don't see any problems with in these "concerns". With the high level of broadcasting in the world, shows and ideas are constantly blending and building off of one another; not to mention that part of the Idol franchise's gimmick is how global it is. Next, it is unfortunate that many people in Vietnam don't have access to media to view the show. However, that shouldn't stop those that do from enjoying a televised element of national unity. In addition, the show may even encourage the disconnected peoples to acquire means of participating in a phenomena that could become a national tradition. Just because the show isn't widespread now shouldn't mean it should never be. Finally, I don't believe that the show is draining the culture out of Vietnam and Americanizing it insomuch as it is allowing Vietnamese people to both connect with one another from afar and introduce elements of their culture into the global culture. People that share national belonging share a culture, so it makes sense to me that a broader culture should exist for inhabitants sharing a planet. And, just as much as local culture may differ from national culture while still coexisting within it, a global culture should reflect elements of all of the world's nations, while allowing those nations freedom to have cultural aspects that are just theirs. I see this show as a way to empower Vietnam to leave more of a mark in the culture of the world.