Monday, September 11, 2006
Just finished typing it...
Just thought I'd put it in my blog,
it's my blog afterall. =Pp
HEEEEEEEEEE
One cannot live in the 21st century without having heard of the word “globalisation” or experienced the dramatic phenomena that s now sweeping across the globe. Technological advancements have diminished physical distances, turning the world really small, but does physical proximity equate to unity of the world order? It is my view that the distance between people has been reduced, and over time, people of different colour/ countries/ religions have come closer together due to a promotion of understanding, and erosion of traditional barriers have opened all of us up to new ways of rediscovering ourselves and other people. No doubt this emergence of a global culture have benefited the majority yet belittle a few others, it is still safe to say that the world has become more united as a smaller world is able to do so through the government, businesses and the individual.
In his best-selling book “The World Is Flat”, New York Times journalist claims that the 21st century is Globalisation 3.0, whereby the world has become truly “tiny”, so to speak. In contrast with Globalisation 1.0, when countries are just awakening to the presence of other countries, and 2.0, when multi-national companies do most of the “blending” job in bringing the world together by seeking least cost location sites for their factories, Globalisation 3.0 gives an unprecedented amount of power to the individual to access the world almost effortlessly. Throughout the book, the author argues that exemplars of a tiny (and flattened) world can be found everywhere – people in the US are wearing shoes made in China, UPS delivers packages to countries all over the world, Dell’s computer parts are manufactured independently in China, Taiwan, etc. and then assembled together in yet another country… All of these have illustrated the fact that the world has become smaller, and it will continue to become even more smaller, as communication technologies keep on improving and updating themselves.
With the emergence of budget airlines, the individual is also able to travel to another continent, quickly and cheaply. The Internet allows a global audience to communicate using a variety of tools such as emailing, forums, newsgroups, skype phone-dialing, video-conferencing, and so on. The true physical dimensions of the world may not have changed one bit, but it has become smaller to us, physical or geographical distances are no longer hindrances to international collaborations/ business operations/ personal enjoyments. “It is a small world afterall.”
However, physical proximity does not necessarily make people closer. Otherwise, there would not be as many conflicts in the Middle East as there are now. Even though any person is able to access news reports from all over the world instantly online, some people still shun automatically once they see a Muslim on the same transport as them. Even though most of the Muslim community condemn Saddam Hussein’s actions, there are still not a lack of people who eye them with suspicion, and treat them with distrust. The world is becoming increasingly divided even as our planes allow us to fly to the heart of a foreign country faster than ever before.
Apart from this, we have to understand that not everyone welcomes change, or the forthcoming of a global culture as a result of globalization. Imagine for a moment that you were raised with the belief that your race is the best race, your religion is the best religion in the whole world, and suddenly you see striking Westerners stepping onto your land like no man’s business. They wear better clothes, eat better, bring with them new ideas – ideas that you are not as good as you thought after all, or even inferior to them. That is what happened in Iraq. As their long-held beliefs and traditions withered in the face of modernity, its youths are becoming increasingly disillusioned. Due to poor government practices, they are unable to take part in the global race for capitalist economies and development, leaving them marginalized and separated from the rest of the world. Globalisation have distanced and pushed these people away. In their confusion they give their lives as suicide bombers, twisting the ideas of the “Holy War” so that the situation does not become so bizarre after all.
One of the greatest criticisms of globalization and few markets that made the world smaller today, is the fact that every human is assumed to be rational and driven by self-interest. It is a dubious concept and such a bleak outlook of humanity casts a shadow over users of the system ever becoming united and learning to love and understand one another.
Yet, we must not ignore the fact that our advancements in technology have allowed us to travel greater distances and reach the most remote corners of the Earth. With this comes a constant flux of interaction between locals and foreigners, and this helps to promote understanding amongst people. We can now watch Hollywood movies in Asia, and there are “Chinatown”s in America; when a person gets to experience another culture on an almost daily basis, he/ she is mediating in a subconscious dialogue with that culture and getting to understand and appreciate it. Also, improvements in transport have allowed world leaders to visit each another on a regular basis, attend conferences with the leaders of the world easily and learn first-hand about their neighbours and far away lands. There is a greater frequency of visits as they can be made easily, and this promotes understanding among nations. When at home, the politicians can then share with the population what is going on elsewhere, and urge them to accommodate differences. In this way, people are brought closer together because we can now live among one another. In fact there are global efforts to prevent global warming (Kyoto Protocol), the United Nations involves its member countries in sustainable development, etc. all of these allows countries to work together and in the process, promote harmony.
The fact that globalisation is bringing about a global trend/ culture that influences everyone gives rise to similarities that pulls people together. People of different ethnicities or backgrounds can have the same things to talk about, for example some interesting blog came across online and that can be accessed anywhere in the world.
With the breakdown of the Berlin Wall, and the decline of Communism, the world is truly freed. As more and more countries adopt the Laissez-Faire economy for growth, trade barriers are lifted, businesses can be easily conducted anywhere in the world and some international companies are in fact making use of this smaller world to outsource some of the operations. For instance, software programmers from Bangalore need no longer go all the way to America to discuss projects, they can do it at home with video-conferencing. Working with people from all over the world is so common these days. Since we devote quite a number of our time to work and we work with people from different countries more than ever currently, shouldn’t it be logical to follow that different people are now brought closer together than ever before? As the Chinese puts it, “time (you spent with others) nurtures and develops relationships.”
It is my conclusion that I agree with the statement to a lesser extent. The world has become smaller and closer on a global level. Even though there are those that chose to detach themselves from the world at large, fact remains that most of the world is engaging in international relations and operations, be it in politics, business, or for the individual. Essentially, all these has made the world closer.
(1261 words)
I wrote 1382 for Mid-Year leh...
OMGGG
i love reading!
the idiot's fool-proof way to improving your GP
READ!!! READ INTELLIGENT books, books that top AMAZON.
recommendation from the book lover:
THE WORLD IS FLAT is a must if you want to experience a really global view of things, albeit from the American perspective.
The World Is Flat is a must if you want to make sense of globalisation going on around you, without you knowing/ noticing.
It's kind of like,
definitely one of the must reads for this year or something.
'll definitely help like don't know what for dealing with diversity/ globalisation/ etc. questions.
What's more,
the language is actually really plain and easy to understand, full of well-illustrated examples you can use in your essays. ((=
ADD OILLLLLLLLLLLLLL everyone
24 days left till Promo
24 days till I SCORE my wOrTh HOHOHO
WORK HARD ej
nobody can will you to do this but you...
;rock YOU.
9:04 PM
