The Effect of American Street Culture

on Chinese College Students

Name: Yang Jia’nan

School: Xi’an International University

Phone Number: 18292813850

E-mail: 2508357048@qq.com

Table of Contents

Abstract

1. Introduction

1.1 The Motivation of the Thesis

1.2The Purpose of the Thesis

1.3The Significance of the Thesis

2. American Street Culture

2.1 The Brief Introduction About American Street Culture

2.2Features Reflected in American Street Culture

2.2.1 Individualism

2.2.2 Popularity

2.2.3Adventure and challenge

2.2.4Innovation

3. The impact of American Street Culture on Chinese College Students

3.1 The positive aspects

3.1.1Enriching the College Students’ Cultural Life

3.1.2Creating A Healthy and Lively, Positive Atmosphere of Campus Culture

3.1.3Stimulating Their Ability of Innovation, Enhancing Their Self-Confidence

3.2The Negative Aspects

3.2.1The Abating of Collectivism

3.2.2The Pursuing of Self-Enjoyment

3 .2.3The Causing of Psychological Illness of Students

4. The Rational Suggestions to Treating American Street Culture

4.1 Select the Essence and Discard the Dross of the American Street Culture

4.2 Integrating American Street Culture into Chinese Culture

4.3Cultivating a strong will

Reference

Abstract

The effect of American street culture on Chinese college students is

profound and deep and the paper has found its features and gives briefly

introduction of the effects. World outlook and the values of Chinese

college students are established in the tide of globalization and there is no

doubt that college students’ though have been affected by culture of all

over the world. Obviously, it has both positive and negative impacts.

What we should do is to hold the dialectic and comprehensive attitude

toward the effects.

1.1The Motivation of the Thesis

In the promotion of the reform and opening up and the globalization, China’s

development of economy and technology continues. At the same time, the influence

from all over the world on Chinese culture is enlarging, especially the impact on the

Chinese college students.

As everyone knows the most powerful nation in the world, America, has rich and

colorful cultural forms. Particularly the street culture which originates from America

for almost half a century ago now has become a trend in the world. Since American

street culture came into China, it has aroused the sympathy on Chinese college

students and it enriches the Chinese campus culture and promote the comprehensive

development of Chinese college students. At the same time, some of students have a

feeling of worship of American culture and the thought of westernization is popular

with Chinese college students.

1.2The Purpose of the Thesis

The purpose of this paper is to explore American street culture’s essence through

the diversity and to show its influence on Chinese college students, so that the paper

can help the Chinese students to take the street culture correctly. Briefly speaking, this

paper can help Chinese college students have a better understanding of American

street culture so that they can know how to deal with the influence of the street culture.

And select the essence and discard the dross of the American street culture. Only

Chinese students have a correct knowledge of American street culture, the two

countries’ people can understand each other in international communication about1

economy, technology, culture and so on.

1.3The Significance of the Thesis

Nowadays, American street culture with its features of fashion, avant-garde

fashion and guiding the trend, has been accepted by young people who shape their

own values gradually. This paper which studies the characteristics of American street

culture analyzes influence on Chinese college students and gives rational suggestions

for dealing with American street culture.

2.1The Brief Introduction to American Street Culture

Street Culture is a new culture from America, which is rich and contains lots of

elements, such as street-dancing, dress, graffiti, skateboard, hip-hop, street-ball,

bicycle stunt and so on. In other words, it is the combination of art, music and sport.

Originally, street culture was used as a carrier by African-American to convey their

dissatisfaction with the social gap between rich and poor, their satire of political and

social life and their defiance for so-called authority and mainstream. Now it is used

for expressing the abilities of young people.

2.2Features Reflected in American Street Culture

2.2.1 Individualism

Individualism is the core of American values which mainly embodies three

aspects, individual freedom, unconventionality and hero worship. People respect their

personal space, emphasize the individual rights and personal struggles and attach

great importance to the self-control and self-development. They also oppose to the

authority and any illegal forms control on personal force, especially opposing the state

control over person unnecessarily. In American street culture, skateboard,

street-dancing and street-ball can best reflect the individualism. In America, young

people do not like conformism, but they always try to present themselves in different

ways and try to do things that are such special and difficult as street-dancing,

skateboard and so on. They do things just for themselves.

2.2.2Popularity

The American street culture has extensive admirers most of whom are ordinary

people and a significant number of college students pursue them. The American street

culture has unrestricted access to ordinary people and it has no requirement for people

of taking part in the sports. Also sports are not limited by the space and almost do not

have rules requirement, so they become a trend of fashion. In colleges and universities,

in spare time, students have not so many entertainments, however, when American

sports came into Chinese campus, they attract students who are addicted in the sports

and quickly have many admirers.

2.2.3Adventure and challenge

An old English proverb, in America, says that nothing ventured, nothing gained.

In other words, coward can never be success. So young people like to adventure and

try to challenge authorities and great difficult things. The movement of street-dancing,

street-ball and skateboard looks like casual and simple but the various parts of the

coordinated action is difficult to play. Without training for a long time, players are

unable to complete the exaggerated movements, passionate performances and unable

to infect their audiences.

2.2.4Innovation

Students like to do different things and want to express themselves in different

ways. So innovation is the nature of students. At this time, the street sports need

players to innovate, so it becomes popular. The movements of sports do not have a

strict regulation which provides players more room to create and imagine their own

actions. As long as the performance is fluent, can express the theme and achieve the

desired effect which means the program is a success. In a way, it aspires the

innovation of college students.

3. The impact of American Street Culture on Chinese College Students

3.1.1Enriching the college students’ cultural life

The spread of American street culture in China has enriched the cultural life of

college students and gives college students infinite vitality in their sports enthusiasm.

Sports are not only a way to stay healthy, but also give a person with a great deal of

help on physical and mental. First they can help you improve you stamina. As is

known to all of us, the most precious spirit about sports is perseverance which can

help us face difficulties and hardships in the future and benefit our personalities and

characters. Secondly, the sports which make introverts easy to get along with can

increase the communications among people, also strengthen the communication,

which makes hearts closer and easier to create a healthy life. In the end, a good health

is the key of revolution.

3.1.2Creating a Healthy and Lively, Positive Atmosphere of Campus Culture

Extracurricular activities which are the important form of the quality education

for students have positive impact to students that combines recreation, health care,

intellection and practice. In colleges and universities, street-dancing, street-ball and

skateboarding can be seen in the spring festival party, New Year’s evening party,

culture and art festival, the weekend party, various fitness clubs and almost

everywhere. Every time when such programs are performed with strong rhythm and

dynamic Hip-Hop music, there will be a wild scream and absolutely warm

atmospheres from audiences because players’ performances are amazing and aspiring.

When they perform, they are addicted in the sports as if they are entertaining at their

own world. The free style and rapidly changing body movements convey their

youthful passion and absolutely release themselves. It is the free and passionate

elements that attract the uncomplicated and passionate college students.

3.1.3Stimulating Their Ability of Innovation, Enhancing Their Self-Confidence

Street-dancing, street-ball and skateboarding are not like other sports that need

prescriptive stage which can be played anywhere and anytime. Expressing oneself

freely is a feature of the street sports because players accumulate a lot of body

language when they practice. Moreover, players show their abilities and individualism

through the action of innovation. So, for players, having more free thought meaning

having rich creativity, if they have rich creativity, they can have more amazing

actions than others. They also need to corporate with others when they perform.

Thereof, the competition, freedom and corporation are united together and, to a

certain degree, help players cultivate their organized and management ability, social

ability and creativity. And also help them realize their self-worth and exert their

potential ability.

As a result, it not only stimulates the students’ ability of innovation, but also

strengthens the self-confidence of students.

3.2The Negative Aspects

The spread of American street culture in China affects college students’ view of

the world, the outlook on life and values, especially the advent of the individualism

which has extensive and profound influence on Chinese college students. Of course,

there are some positive impacts such as the strengthening of the creativity,

independence and so on. But its negative aspects should not be ignored, in contrast,

should be paid much attentions.

3.2.1The Abating of Collectivism

With the augmentation of the college students’ self-consciousness, their sense of

self-independence is enlarged which lead to their ignoring the collectivism. They

believe that the pursuing of personal interests, emphasizing self-awareness and

self-independence are what they should do. Under the effect of individualism, some

students put personal interests above the collective interests, sometimes they even

pursue the personal rights at the expense of collective interests. This is the reason why

Chinese college students’ collectivism abates.

3.2.2The Pursuing of Self-Enjoyment

Individualism is the mainstream ideology of the capitalist society, also it is the

marked feature of American street culture. It reflects the capitalist society’s features

such as the struggling of power, weak sense of responsibilities and the pursuit of

material enjoyment. The wide spread of American street culture and its profound

influence make the change of Chinese college students’ ideas. They consider people

to live is to seek the material enjoyments, personal satisfaction and personal interests.

Students also believe that life is too short and they should enjoy themselves which

make them indulge in a variety of recreation activities and evade the responsibilities.

Actually, the effect of American street culture on Chinese college students is not

ideological culture, but a lot of unconscious culture such as music, sports and arts.

The paper finds there are many roller skating clubs in college campus and the dressing

style of students has changed gradually. They begin to wear cool and loose shorts,

skateboard shoes and some T-shirts with English characters which are popular among

students. Such phenomenon is force to have a kind of cultural meanings and becomes

the symbol of an ideal lifestyle. For, example, American street culture stretches out a

serious of brands such as Nike, New Balance, Converse and so on, which become the

symbol of youth and lively campus culture. According to some students, wearing such

brands, they will be close to the high-end culture and their qualities will be different.

Actually, this is a kind of values distorted and foreign culture is embellished by

domestic college students. What have been mentioned above causes the students

blindly purse famous brands and indulge themselves in self-enjoyment. As said, such

phenomenon bearing the American street culture has strong cultural implication

which can affect students’ ideas gradually.

3.2.3The Causing of Psychological Illness of Students

The American street artists often perform in public place and ignore the

existence of the law and regulations which hinder the social orders. For instance,

graffiti that is used to release oneself is one of the American street culture. In order to

express their ideas and though, some youths pick up spray paints scrawling on the

wall and overlook the environment problems. Once hunted by polices, they would

take up things running away at once. In domestic students’ opinions, they will not do

things like that. However, out of curiosity, a lot of students imitate American youths

who are regarded idols by domestic students, but under the effect of Chinese

traditional culture, they cannot release themselves completely. Also it is hard for them

to open their mind facing up foreign culture. Such ambivalent ideas cause the

psychological illness on students.

4. Suggestions for Treating American Street Culture

World outlook and the values of the contemporary Chinese college students are

established in the situation of globalization and there is no doubt that contemporary

intellectuals and college students’ though have been affected by culture of all over the

world. Obviously, it has both positive and negative impacts. What we should do is to

hold the dialectic and comprehensive attitude toward the effect.

4.1 Select the Essence and Discard the Dross of the American Street Culture

The American street culture is the product of the historical development of

capitalism which inevitably contains a great deal of rotten culture, but there also have

much excellent culture. So, a dialectical attitude should be taken toward American

street culture. That is to say we should critically absorb the essence of American street

culture and discard the dross such as the extremely individualism, self-enjoyment and

so on. At the same time, digesting and assimilating the essence of American street

culture are most important part.

4.2 Integrating American Street Culture into Chinese Culture

In terms of culture, it is important to learn and communicate with other countries’

culture, especially in the world of globalization and information. When we learn and

understand our owner culture, we also need to study other culture which is vital way

to keep our head clear in the process of globalization. Therefore, we should learn the

essence of American street culture and combine it with Chinese culture. It is a good

way to follow the world trend and promote our owner development.

4.3Cultivating a strong will

Strong will means a person’s decisiveness, persistence, self-control, bravery and

independent spirit which can be reflected in the process of overcoming difficulties and

also be cultivated in the process of overcoming difficulties. If students have a strong

will, they can shape their good characteristics such as persistence and determination

and college students can supply the quality into their daily study, life and work, so

they can face the negative effects of American street culture confidently and not be

affected by them because they have a strong will.

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