Complete and Creative

American TV in Sweden (2/3)

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Now, we discuss whether the cultural traffic between the United States and Sweden is one-way or two-way. After the two World Wars, the world became a much smaller place. Humans discovered that their activities were capable of destroying all life on earth. Countries banded together and international organizations were formed all for the purpose of maintaining life and peace.

It’s yellow, just like ‘The Simpsons.’

Organizations like the United Nations, the European Union, NATO, and ASEAN are all examples of different nation-states pulling together in an effort to better relations among themselves and for higher security and prosperity. In the process of this effort, what Daniel calls “culture bound” products must be exchanged somewhere along the line.

Since the Cold War, which might still be going on according to some opinions but that is of little consequence to the central topic here, there have been two major globalizing centers. One is Russia, and the other is the United States. Because at the time no other state was powerful enough to wield such cultural imperialism, these two became the world’s globalizing centers.

Many Swedes have told me that Sweden is often times criticized for being the 51st state of the United States, with American music playing in bars and stores, American films being shown at all major movie theaters, and American TV shows being some of the most popular among the young Swedish crowd.

On Wikipedia, in the article of “Americanization,” there is a sentence that reads, “In Sweden, there is a humourous expression stating that it is the most Americanized country in the world, and the USA is number two.” These are general points that serve to show that there is at least major one-way traffic from the United States to Sweden.

A long yet incomplete list of American TV shows said to be popular and even influential among Swedish people includes “The Simpsons,” “Family Guy,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Law & Order,” “CSI,” “Friends,” “Seinfeld,” “Sex in the City,” “Full House,” “7th Heaven,” and “The Cosby Show.” These TV shows can be grouped by the particular effect or relationship they have on or with the Swedish population: “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy” introduce Swedes to American humor; “Desperate Housewives” is a show about women with values that are not at all similar to those of traditional Swedish women, yet it fascinates Swedes, who love to watch the show; “Law & Order” and “CSI” paint a picture of law culture that exists in the United States, not Sweden, but many Swedes think otherwise; “Friends,” “Seinfeld,” and “Sex in the City” glamorize the New York city life and thereby encourages Swedish youth to stick to the cities; and finally “Full House,” “7th Heaven,” and “The Cosby Show” have moral lessons at the end of each episode, an aspect that Swedish TV shows lack.

to be continued…