Western fast food is a mere fad: Sociologist

Western fast food is a mere fad: Sociologist

JAKARTA (JP): A sociologist has doused concerns expressed by
some people about the trend towards Western fast food, saying
that it is simply a fad and will not affect the national culture.

If Indonesians are turning to hamburgers or American fried
chicken, that doesn't necessarily mean they're Westernized,
according to Rusdi Muchtar, a staff researcher at the Indonesian
Institute of Sciences (LIPI).

The trend towards Western-style food is by no means an
indication of "cultural change", Rusdi said.

Instead, the newly-acquired eating habits reflect "a change in
lifestyle" for certain people, he was quoted as saying by the
Antara news agency.

"There is no need to worry about the penetration of foreign
cultures through foods," he said. "People are only trying
something novel."

Rusdi explained that urban dwellers are constantly flooded
with new information about Western lifestyle, most of it
accompanied by witty advertisements. However, imitation usually
goes no further than the surface because society already has
strongly-established values, Rusdi said. "When people imitate
foreign cultures, they usually imitate the appearance (of the
cultures), like hairstyle and fashion."

Rusdi even believed that, instead of feeling threatened by the
growing popularity of foreign food, local food producers should
learn from the foreign producers in developing and marketing food
specialties.

No less than President Soeharto attempted to appease local
food producers' concern about being out-competed by foreign food
products in Indonesia. During last year's celebration of World
Food Day, Soeharto said that the shift towards Western food such
as hamburgers and hot dogs is only because they are trendy.

However, the trend also means that the traditional Indonesian
food producers will have to improve the quality and the taste of
their products, Soeharto said. (swe)