This essay concerns ''chewing gum'' not as a commercial product, but what it contributes to another aspect of people's lives', specifically in the united states of America, i.e. popular culture. Like any other cultural aspect of American popular life, this part, too, is not a pure American cultural component.
While mostly produced by American factories today, it is the legacy of predecessor nations and civilizations, coming down to America. Ancient Greeks, ancient Mayas and North American Indians chewed gums of different natural sources, mostly mastiche (a Greek word meaning chewing) and chicle. Then early American settlers produced it from spruce trees, adopting the custom used by American Indians. In 1869, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna introduced Thomas Adams to chicle, and he, Thomas Adams was the first who designed to produce it in large scale for the sale. So he can be considered as the developer of chewing gum culture among the people.Today, American portion in the production of this material is greater then any other company in other countries (followed by UK in the second grade). It is mostly produced from petroleum and usually some flavor is added to it in order of absorbing more consumers and of some benefits, for example mint flavor will help a better nasal passage of air.
Regarding different aspects of body health of individuals, or the social, economic and psychological ones, policies have been taken to increase or decrease the effects. In schools for example it has been forbidden to chew gum, because most students don't take the difficulty of putting it into the trash, instead they stick it to the desks or on the walls, which follows the burden of cleansing it. In the military of the United States, chewing gums containing caffeine are delivered to the soldiers to keep them awake and conscious while fighting. Although a kind of confectionery, chewing gum doesn't solely impose dangers on the health conditions of body, but it can improve concentration, prevent dental decay if containing alcohol, and help in digestion of food. It can be a good replacement for smoking too. On the other hand, however, it has some deficiencies as well, like posing problems for the jaws, resulting in headaches, or decaying the teeth if chewed constantly.
While the impact and spread of the culture to other countries is not deniable, even quite testified in everybody's every-day life, chewing gum has introduced itself as an American practice of a cultural habit and has promoted the concept of ''Americanism'' in a domestic way. It can be seen in different movies like the famous American film, French Connection, and Chrlie and the Chocolate Factory or in the French movies, mostly looking down at American culture as naive and absurd, like the movies around the subject of the Second World War. It is also seen in the youth subculture again more originally among those in America. This doesn't mean that the exercise is restricted to any class or group or age. One can walk in the streets of that country and see the spread of it on children, and old ladies meanwhile.
In our own country of Iran, the impact of this habit is obvious among those who have already turned back from their long residence in the United States not mentioning the entrance of it as a commercial product, and the availability of it in the remotest latitudes.
Source: www.articledashboard.com
