5/4 Bui

Through the use of the Vietnamese TV Show, Vietnam Idol, Bui demonstrates how American culture and ideologies spread with mass media which leads to the idea that neoliberalism is needed globally to give a sense of personal freedom and choice. This a new form of colonialism as this “attempts to mobilize different levels of culture” by making less technologically developed countries seem as if they are living lesser than Americans. I could relate these ideas mentioned by Bui through my travels to the Philippines. Like Vietnam Idol, the Philippines has their “own” Philippine Idol TV show. But the Philippines goes beyond this TV show. The Philippines seems to adopt American ideologies and culture more and more as time goes by. Politically, America may not be present anymore, but many aspects of the Philippines has adopted American education, beauty, and attempt to continuously act “American.”  Beyond Idol, the Philippines has adopted Philippine Deal or No Deal, The Voice, Pilipinas Got Talent, and much more that I can not recall, but have seen increasingly as I grew up. Many millennials of the Philippines who I have met are always amazed by American products and our lifestyle, to the point where they devalue our Filipino culture. As a result, I can agree and conclude American colonialism is still alive and present in a more subtle way much like how racism is still prominent.