The "Victims" of the English language

"What's the world's most influential language?" It's an easy question, and it has been for centuries thanks to the fact that the world's most powerful nation went from being England to being the United States, both English-speaking countries. The first episode of The Story of English exemplifies the wide popularity of this language. It has become the means of communication between countries and is used for several purposes including sea-speak. When this was mentioned, I couldn't help but automatically connect it with this commercial -which hopefully doesn't actually occur in the real life:

Anyways, English is now not only a language spoken among different nations, but has also become a means of communication among a society. Africa and India, for example, use it as their "link language" (4:48), because it is a "neutral language" (5:00) that can connect them. It has become so important that now "English represents class" (0:05), as a teenage Hindu girl puts it in the video. 

However, it is not only in Africa and India that English is imperative in education. Look at me: I live in Colombia, but go to a school where I speak English all day and where I am taught by American teachers. So, if that doesn't show the power English presently has, I don't know what does. And English is certainly becoming a type of "class identifier." But there's no one to blame but ourselves. After all, it's not the Americans nor the British who are enforcing it amongst us: It is ourselves. If we think we are victims of the English language, then we have, in fact, willingly made ourselves its victims.

The Story of English (Episode 1):

Armstrong, Edward. "The Story of English episode 1 - An English Speaking World - Part 1/7." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27, Aug. 2009. Web. 11. Jan. 2013.

Armstrong, Edward. "The Story of English episode 1 - An English Speaking World - Part 2/7." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27, Aug. 2009. Web. 11. Jan. 2013.

Armstrong, Edward. "The Story of English episode 1 - An English Speaking World - Part 3/7." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27, Aug. 2009. Web. 11. Jan. 2013.

Armstrong, Edward. "The Story of English episode 1 - An English Speaking World - Part 4/7." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27, Aug. 2009. Web. 11. Jan. 2013.

Armstrong, Edward. "The Story of English episode 1 - An English Speaking World - Part 5/7." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27, Aug. 2009. Web. 11. Jan. 2013.

Armstrong, Edward. "The Story of English episode 1 - An English Speaking World - Part 6/7." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27, Aug. 2009. Web. 11. Jan. 2013.

Armstrong, Edward. "The Story of English episode 1 - An English Speaking World - Part 7/7." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27, Aug. 2009. Web. 11. Jan. 2013.