Blast from the past

Last week’s presentation by Amanda was very intriguing but what I found most interesting was the question: do you believe that third world countries and other non western countries want to be modern like the western world? Although Amanda and I briefly discussed this, I wanted to use this opportunity to properly state and hopefully clarify what I was trying to convey.
The dictionary definition of modernity is relating to recent development of advance style, technique or technology. For example modern art, technology or medicine. Latours defines modernity as being grounded in the past, yet also being accelerated in present time.
The dictionary definition of modernity is where my confusion occurred with the term “modernity”. I believe that some third world or non western countries do have some modern technology and are advance in some areas, maybe not as advanced as the Western world but they definitely have some. To say that non western countries want to be as modern as the western world is definitely an overstatement looking from a western perspective. I believe that there is a give and take aspect these non western world countries can take from the western world what they need to help enhance their country, but at the same time not lose the essence, cultural values and traditions of their country. In the western world, a lot of times when we advance ourselves we also lose ourselves. For example I believe that social networking has grown into a new popular culture that has erased some of the old culture. Although I understand the importance and advantages of social networking sites I believe it is becoming problematic here in the Western world more than any other place. Living in the Western world I can see how we can look at other non Western countries and ask “why wouldn’t they want to be as modernized as us?”, but at the same time I feel as though we lose some of our culture and I don’t think this is something that other non western world countries want.
Latours definition of modernity in a nutshell is something that I don’t believe that non western world countries are aspiring to achieve but something that is already happening. They are holding on to their traditions while advancing themselves in different aspects without losing their cultural values, heritage and traditions.