Razib’s observation on the 2020 “BIPOC” era echoed my reflections on how capitalism now defines our hyper-globalized, multi-ethnic world. Growing up in the ’90s, when “coolness” mattered more than wealth, the shift to today’s influence-driven, materialistic culture feels profound. Social media and global digital spaces have accelerated this change, where capitalism acts as the only cohesive force in an era of fractured identities.
The transformation is multi-layered. Decolonization’s legacy, the Cold War’s end, technological advances, and globalization have created a world where multi-racial societies thrive, yet economic systems dominate. In the UK, immigration complicates old class hierarchies, and categories like “British Asian” are fragmented by religion, migration waves, and economic stratification. Social media amplifies these shifts by establishing Anglo-Western ideals as global standards of aspiration, blending diversity into an overarching capitalist framework.
Platforms like YouTube exemplify these dynamics. Channels such as T-Series and Sony TV reflect Global South audiences, but creators like MrBeast and PewDiePie dominate influence.
This asymmetry highlights the platform’s duality: leveraging massive Global South audiences while maintaining Global North cultural dominance. With China blocked by the Great Firewall, YouTube thrives in regions where English reigns as the lingua franca, benefiting creators with historical and economic advantages.
Wealth and inequality, subtle markers of privilege, underscore this reality. “Whiteness” retreats into elite spaces as capitalism homogenizes success, erasing local identities for global aspirations. Yet, these inequalities endure beneath a veneer of meritocracy.
Navigating this landscape requires balancing personal and global identities. Personally, I’ve oscillated between Anglo-American and Indian perspectives while keeping my Pakistaniat heritage in deep stasis—a reflection of broader global patterns. The continued dominance of English-speaking nations hinges on adapting to these emerging trends.
India’s role as the world’s largest democracy and English-speaking nation raises the ten trillion-dollar question: is it simply an exotic extension of Western capitalism or something distinct? As a rising power, Indians—economically aspirational and politically flexible—face pressures to align culturally while retaining complexity amid global homogenization.
The dominance of English-speaking nations sets the cultural tone, yet competing systems like China’s challenge the narrative. This era demands vigilance: inequity persists, anesthetized by technology that entrenches divisions rather than resolving them.
The luxury market, whether Ivy League schools or London real estate, thrives on limited supply meeting insatiable global demand. Meanwhile, the online world serves as an anodyne for those structurally unable to compete offline.
This isn’t dystopia. Rising living standards and connectivity coexist with increasing asymmetries. Technology shapes identity and relationships in unprecedented ways, from a teenager idolizing Taylor Swift as a “friend” to the global consolidation of wealth and influence. Capitalism’s dominance, underpinned by technology, reshapes the world invisibly, demanding we adapt, question, and remain critically aware.
Interesting, if you haven’t read it already, do read David Brooks article in the Atlantic.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/12/meritocracy-college-admissions-social-economic-segregation/680392/