Media and the Making of Civilization: Between the American Dream, Japan’s Renewal, and the Chinese Challenge

In our modern age, media is no longer just a tool to transmit news or narrate events. It has become the very thread through which civilizations are woven, shaping the identity of nations and how they see themselves—and how the world sees them. Media is not merely a reflection of reality, but a maker of it: an active force in shaping collective consciousness, directing public opinion, and even building grand narratives that sometimes rise above facts.

The soft power produced by cinema, television, journalism, and social platforms is no less important than the hard power of armies and economies. At times, it even surpasses them, granting legitimacy and acceptance—or, conversely, sowing suspicion and rejection.

I. The American Dream and the Making of Hegemony through Media

Since the early 20th century, the United States realized that media was not an ornament to politics, but its foundation. While Europe was still reeling from wars, America exported a new image to the world: a land of freedom and opportunity.

Hollywood and the creation of collective imagination

Hollywood’s rise was not only a cultural event but also a political project. Through cinema, America wove a universal dream: the poor boy who climbs to the top through hard work, freedom as an absolute value, and democracy as a shared human aspiration. Movies became the world’s window into the American way of life, gradually making U.S. popular culture a reference embraced by millions.

World War II and the Cold War

At this crucial moment, America used its media to portray itself as the savior from fascism and Nazism, then as the protector against communism. These were not just stories but entire discursive systems: films, newspapers, and broadcasts all reinforced the image of America as leader of the “free world.”

Global news networks – from local to planetary

With CNN’s rise during the Gulf War in 1991, the U.S. became the maestro orchestrating the rhythm of global news. It was not only about reporting events but reframing them to fit an American narrative. Hence the saying: “Whoever controls the news, controls the world.”

America’s hegemony became acceptable because it was wrapped in an attractive story. The “American Dream” was less a policy than a grand narrative—crafted by media and sold to the world.

II. Japan – From Defeated Enemy to Refined Model

If America used media to build a new hegemony, Japan used it to reinvent itself, even to be reborn as a new nation.

From enemy to friend

After WWII, Japan’s global image was tied to military violence and destruction. Instead of remaining captive to this past, Japan used media and culture to reshape its identity.

Soft power – pop culture and technology

Through anime and manga, Japan’s image shifted: no longer a nation of war, but a nation of creativity. Technology completed the picture—Japan became associated with precision, discipline, and world-changing inventions.

A refined people

Through media, tourism, and cultural exports, the Japanese became associated with politeness, taste, and openness. Within decades, Japan transformed from a symbol of devastation to a model of modernity and refinement.

Japan proved that media can not only polish an existing image but rewrite history and construct an entirely new identity.

III. China – A Rising Power with a Contested Image

While America built a dream and Japan rebuilt its identity, China faces the challenge of convincing the world with its narrative.

The attempt to craft a new story

China launched major outlets like CGTN to address the world in multiple languages, tying its massive “Belt and Road” initiative to a media campaign portraying it as a partner in development and cooperation.

Entrenched obstacles

Yet its global image remains marked by suspicion: a powerful nation, yes, but linked to censorship, authoritarianism, and fierce rivalry with the West. This makes it difficult for China’s narrative to gain the universal appeal America and Japan achieved.

Pop culture – a beginning not yet fulfilled

Though Chinese cinema and cultural products are increasingly entering global markets, they lack the widespread allure and dominance of Hollywood or Japanese anime and manga.

Thus, China is a growing economic and military power, but its soft power is still in formation. The paradox is clear: economies build influence, but media determines whether that influence is seen as a threat or an opportunity.

Lessons from the Three Experiences

The American case teaches us that hegemony cannot rest on power alone—it must be wrapped in a compelling narrative that makes power desirable.

The Japanese case teaches us that media can erase negative memories and craft a brand-new identity.

China, meanwhile, stands at a crossroads: it has the material tools but has yet to tell a story that transforms its rise into an attractive soft power.

In the end, history shows us: power that frightens will be resisted; power that convinces will be followed. The real question for China is not “How do we grow stronger?” but “How do we narrate ourselves to the world?” For those who let others write their story must accept that it will be told in someone else’s voice.