Christopher Vogler The Writers Journey
Another of the clangers of standardized language and methods is that local differ
ences, the very things that add zest and spice to journeys to faraway places, will get
hammered into blandness by the machinery of mass production. Artists around the
world are on guard against "cultural imperialism," the aggressive export of Hollywood
storytelling techniques and the squeezing out of local accents. American values and
the cultural assumptions of Western society threaten to smother the unique flavors
of other cultures. M a n y observers have remarked that American culture is becoming
world culture, and what a loss it would be if the only flavorings available were sugar,
salt, mustard, and ketchup.
T h i s problem is much on the minds of European storytellers as many coun
tries with distinct cultures are drawn into a union. T h e y are striving to create sto
ries that are somewhat universal, that can travel beyond their national borders, for
annaabi.ee 
