Perception and Influence

Western society is perceived by Turks in many ways. It seems as though the Turkish people like Western culture especially European and American clothing styles. So, what Turkish people see in magazines, and in other media is how they tend to see Westerners. I have seen several Burger Kings, McDonalds, and Starbucks which says they like certain Western foods and I also see many brands of clothing that are European or American like; Nike, Puma, Coach, Chanel, etc. These influences tend to penetrate the more affluent and/ or younger generations. With the huge under 30 years of age population and advances in technology, consumption of media is at an all time high. This high consumption equals high penetration equaling a greater acceptance of western culture. The 2007 graph titled Today Population Pyramid on the http://www.irantour.org/turkey/populationturkey.html website shows the high numbers of young people in Turkey.
There is an Islamic movement towards re-establishing traditional dress and culture in Turkey. It is everywhere and is continually growing in momentum. As this movement becomes more prevalent there may be a greater rejection towards European and American ideals and lifestyles and the democratic society.
Since Ataturk, Turkey has been a country of acceptance towards all religious sects. It is true that you can find a church, mosque and synagogue all on the same city block. It is very interesting how these various religions have been able to live peacefully for so long. I think the acceptance stems from the separation of the church and state at the rise of the new nation Turkey under Ataturk. He received resistance from many conservative influencers but was un-swayed. By separating these two cultural indicators, the country of Turkey has been able to flourish without prejudice to certain groups, providing less friction between the peoples of Turkey, thus providing a more accepting culture and society.
Turkey has provided many significant contributions to the world, including, yogurt, coffee, Turkish rugs, the tulips to Holland, the Turkish bath, and many more. These contributions pale in comparison to the extensive diverse history that the lands of Turkey provide in the history of the humankind. This history provides generations of people windows into the past that span thousands of years and include some of the most important human developments and events. Some of the developments would include, “The world's first known settlement, a Neolithic city at Çatalhöyük, dates back to 6.500 B.C. Being the heir to many centuries of cultures makes Turkey a paradise of information and cultural wealth. Hittites, Phrygians, Urartians, Lycians Ionians, Lydians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks and Ottomans have all made important contributions to the history of the area. Ancient sites and ruins scattered throughout the country give sufficient proof of each civilization's unique distinction.” (mymerhaba.com) There are many interesting museums, castles, palaces, mosques, churches, and historic hammams, many of which are unique to Turkey. These historic people, structures and everyday living attributes have been great influences on the rest of world. Many aspects of the Turkish history and culture can be seen in Europe, Asia and even in America.