As languages and local cultures are swept away by the market-driven monoculture, Seabrook looks at the threat to cultural diversity and integrity all around the globe, including in western societies.

The hurtling speed of the global market knows no cultural boundaries. Languages, customs, rituals, and myths are swept aside with the global market's promise of security and prosperity. Is this promise false? Is the survival of pockets of local culture true resistance, or does it mean that cultural identities are being turned into commodities? Harnessing moving personal testimonies, this is a wide-ranging and sensitive exploration of the battleground between local and global.