The peculiarities of the Western culture in the early 21st century depend on the heritage of the 20th century with its orientation to the social, economic, scientific and technological progress.
The central values and ideas of the century are not connected with the issues of morality or ethics, but they are determined according to the definite financial benefits.
This period can be characterized by rejecting and breaking the social, economic, and cultural boundaries between the countries and stating the idea of globalization. The world without any boundaries and limits becomes the ideal of the century which is actively supported by the representatives of the Western culture.
The successful individual with a stable position in society is the ideal of a man of the 21st century. The developed principles of consumption are the main concepts of the era.
Thus, to analyze the characteristic features, ideas and values of the Western culture during the period of the early 21st century, it is necessary to pay attention to such key notions as globalization, success, money, consumption, and scientific and technological progress which influence the development of the social life, human relations, and art.
The concept of ‘globalism’ is one of the main characteristics of the period because of the fact it is possible to speak about all the trends of the century ‘globally’.
The world population is perceived by the Westerners as the ‘global community’ which tends to ‘globalization’ and tries to prevent the effects of ‘global warming’.
According to the peculiarities of the globalization processes, Westerners are inclined to unite the whole world, proclaiming the principles of the open trade, global environmental protection, and multiculturalism.
From this point, it is more important to be the part of the world than a citizen of the definite country. However, following the ideas of globalization does not mean rejecting the principles of individualism.
The representatives of the Western culture in the 21st century are inclined to express their individuality and leadership qualities, compete in order to achieve the career success and certain position within society.
Family values are changed with the desire to realize the personal potential and be successful. In this case, money becomes a special value for people who are often dependent of the phenomenon of consumption.
Thus, the Western society of the 21st century is characterized by dependence on purchasing goods to emphasize the status and success. These tendencies are also depicted in the pieces of literature, cinema, and music.
The scientific and technological progress of the century allows associating the period with such notions as genetic engineering, IT, and nanotechnology. These inventions made the revolution in defining the values of the society presenting a lot of controversial ethical questions.
Moreover, to survive under the impact of the society’s development based on the principles of competitiveness, Westerners use the philosophy of positive thinking and declare the principles of the personal freedom.
To conclude, it is important to focus on the fact that the values and central ideas of the Western culture in the early 21st century are based on the notions of success, money, leadership, consumption, and progress.
These ideas are connected with issues of globalization and multiculturalism affected by the visions of pluralism and democracy.
Furthermore, paying attention to culture and art, it is necessary to note that there are more books on the theory of success than any fiction in bookstores of the 21st century.