Development of Cosmopolitanism - Essay Example

Joanna Kim 356:156:32 Nov.24.14 Paper 4-3 Dr. Heba Development of cosmopolitanism Currently, the world has become globalized, and the idea of cosmopolitanism cannot ignore the impulse to merge, cooperate and progress socially, politically and economically as a single unit. Humanity has commonalities, which are fundamental, and we have no option but to contain for the progress of the universe for the current generation and the coming generations. As such, we cannot afford to draw and maintain the imaginary boundaries that we create to constrain our relationships or association. These boundaries including boundaries between societies, cultures, states and nations are simply irrelevant and work against the common notion of strong relationships and understanding each other. Behaving is further quite serious in ensuring that cosmopolitanism increases despite the many challenges threatening to overcome the contemporary world population. Obviously, cosmopolitanism can be exemplified as the philosophy that all human ethnic groups belong to individual community that the base on common morality and individuals form relationships of mutual respect despite their conflicting political and religious beliefs. Kwame Appiah who authored, “Making Conversation” and “The Primacy of Practice” explores the issue of cosmopolitanism by first expressing that the world was initially intended to be a ‘cosmos’ and not a globe as many people call it today. He suggests various tools that individuals can use to create a cosmopolitan society in which various individuals from varying backgrounds. Localities come together and form mutual connections that would see the ‘cosmos’ progress and advance beyond the common national, political, or cultural boundaries. Similarly, in “The End of Race: Hawaii and the Mixing of peoples,” Steve Olson, explores the special effects of intermarriages on the Hawaiian community and the world. He argues the case of the Hawaiian community that was perceived as being isolated, but starts associating with the mainstream societies and within no time, the once isolated island becomes a cosmopolitan. Changing the prejudiced attitude, embracing information sharing, uniting and realizing as a solitary unit and developing the sense of global citizenship stand out as vital tools that can help in realization of cosmopolitanism that will ultimately foster global unity and harmony. Changing our attitude is an important tool that must utilize if cosmopolitanism is to succeed. Apparently, we tend to think as individuals and not as the world, and our reasoning is constraint by our political, social and economic status. The notion of thinking as a single unit is essential for the creation of a harmonious society that can effective accommodate the differences that are existing in the contemporary world. According to Appiah, “Reasoning- by which I mean the public act of exchanging stated justifications-comes in not when we are going on in the usual way, but when we are thinking about change” (p. 75-76). We think something is right simply because we think it is right and not because we have any concrete facts to support our reasoning. Apparently, the negative perceptions we hold about other people tend to be destructive and by all chances hinder the development of a cosmopolitan society. Similarly, Olson states, “…one of the most perverse dimensions of ethnic thinking is the “racialization” of culture – the tendency to think of another people as not just culturally but genetically distinct” (p. 336). People rarely think of others as being just like them and instead think of other as being totally different. In most cases, such thoughts are bigoted and undermine the associations that the world direly desires. Additionally, individuals tend to think of themselves as being better off and uniquely created a factor that often demoralizes the others and challenges the existence of any meaningful relationships. However, changing of this mentality does not involve rejecting emotional ties to patriotism, our neighbors or even the loved ones. While many people continue saluting the flag and singing national anthem that identifies them as citizens of a country, such patriotism should not conflict with cosmopolitanism; individuals must realize that they are indebted to their loved ones, the state and the global community. Americans, for instance, should stop thinking about themselves as being superior while considering other populations in other parts of the world as being second class citizens. However, having people think about their nation in a specific way is a constructive process that should not leave people as they were but this process of national identification must not subdivide the world but should rather work for the unification of the world. Indeed, the current mindset of thinking as being different from others must be eliminated, and individuals start reasoning and thinking of themselves as human beings with mutual commonalities for the cosmopolitanism to thrive. Additionally, communication, and possibly a global language should be implemented as an important tool of development for cosmopolitanism. Effective communication is fundamental in the existence of any meaningful social associations, which cannot disregard as far as cosmopolitanism and development of relationships driven by mutual respect and understanding take into consideration. Enhanced communication will enable us to understand and contain the differences that exist within us. Appiah states, “People are different, the cosmopolitan know, and there is much to learn from our differences…there are so many human possibilities worth exploring, we neither expect nor desire that every person or every society should converge on a single mode of life” (p. 69-70). Evidently, people are different but can learn from other cultures, other people’s way of thinking and their obligations in life by constantly exchanging information. While it might be hard for the world to embrace a single mode of life, developing a system of communication that will be universally acceptable will be of utter importance in bolstering the notion of cooperation. The importance of effective communication in creating cosmopolitanism cannot be underestimated and this came clear to me during the last summer holiday. After vising Goa in India, I could not find anyone who could help me locate simple directions and had a really frenetic time. India is part of the world and factually, as cosmopolitanism suggests, we should cooperate on every level and interact easily. However, without language, all this can only remain a “paper plan” just like the American dream. Additionally, Olson candidly elucidate the importance of communication when he outspokenly illustrated how the prejudices held by Europeans towards the Hawaiian could eliminate through effective communication that could have led to the realization of information sharing. According to Olson, it is necessary “ … to export principles of ethnic harmony to the mainland and the world” (p. 335), and this could only attain through effective communication. Language enables us to learn about other people’s cultures and ways of life. We end up recognizing them as the predispositions and obscenity previously stocked in our minds that become offloaded after gradually learning and embracing the reality. Eventually, humanity perceives itself, as a single race that shares so much and in effect has to cooperate and relate well. A cosmopolitan society is harmonious, and the rate of development in such a community is by no doubt high and the prominence of an operative language cannot underestimate in creating such a society. Moreover, uniting for the purpose of realizing for the common good and fostering a sense of understanding towards each other is an imperative tool that must employ in creating a cosmopolitan society. While it is true that we are different, we can still live together in a harmonious, cosmopolitan world if we learn to appreciate our differences and fight against any force that impends global unity. According to Appiah, “I want to be an Englishman but I want to understand other points of view” (p. 71). We should learn about people in different places of the world and specially take interest in their miscalculations, activities and style, as this will help us understand them and the differences will unite us as a family rather than dividing us as countries, states or populations. In additions, Olson considers the importance of intermarriages in creating unity and harmony in a society; critical factors that foster open-mindedness and social understanding when neighborhoods integrate and our differences become nonexistent. He states, “Children of different ethnicities continue to grow up together and marry, just as they did in the camps” (p. 339). Most of the differences that play a greater role in apportioning the world learn at a tender age and rarely weaken in an individual’s mind. When intermarriages occur, children will barely be allied to any specific ethnic group as they lack culture, will freely interact, feel like equines belonging to an amalgamated family, and communication among them will be high enabling the development of an integrated society that exists harmoniously. The American community is a good example of what intermarriages can do in transforming the society. The Mexican-Americans, whites and blacks are continually intermarrying and English has apparently become a language that is spoken by all Americans. The weary antagonism that was predominant in the 1970s is slowly melting away and being replaced by more cooperation and understanding. Children are an important component in driving this social change and should teach about unity, open-mindedness and understanding early in life. The explication and illustration suggest that indeed, uniting with the determination of fighting for the shared good and nurturing the sense of indulgent towards each other is imperative in the contemporary world where togetherness is necessary. The above elucidation candidly and comprehensively indicates that there exists a mutual relationship between human beings and sociologists strongly believe that we share common ancestors. Attaining cosmopolitanism has been the dream of many, but its attainment has often been hampered by social factors that create an overwrought existence. Cosmopolitanism can be attained by changing the perception of thinking of oneself as being superior to others, embracing a common language/means of communicating and uniting the world population to fight against the evil of disunity. With cosmopolitanism, the social and political challenges threatening to engrave the society will ultimately be contained. Read More