Globalization and Its Different Faces - Essay Example

Globalization and Its Different Faces School Globalization has different faces. There is political, social, cultural, and economic globalization and these concepts are changing how we as citizens of one country relate to other people from other countries. “The Hidden Face of Globalization” is a video documentary that shows the side of globalization that we rarely recognize – the faces of the people in underdeveloped countries who manufacture the goods that get to our stores and eventually into our homes and closets. Globalization should not be judged according to one face only. One should see the whole picture to get to know if globalization is truly beneficial or not. Globalization and Its Different Faces When you’ve only met someone for the first time, you might have a “first impression” with regards to him or her. Yet no one should make assumptions and judgments about a person because we humans have different “faces” – parts of our personality that we reveal very slowly in an atmosphere of confidence and only with the right people. Globalization also has faces just as we humans do. There are many sides and angles that we can explore and discover to know fully how our world works, Political globalization. The political environment of all countries in the world is affected by globalization and the process of globalization is also shaped by politics. Many provisions of trade and commerce are decided upon by the government of a particular country and in effect they also decide how “globalized” in terms of outside influence their country would be through legislation. Political equality and autonomy are also affected by globalization. International agencies and bodies can now pressure government to take political action and the “majority” can be swayed in favor of the minority stand because of foreign intervention. Social globalization. Our world is transforming into one mega nation through globalization. The fast pace of technological improvements had made it possible for people from one side of the globe to know that is happening to people on the other side of the globe in real time through the internet and the aid of major and local news networks. When a disaster hits a country, international aid almost always comes pouring in. and societal problems are brought to light and justice through social media sites. Globalization is changing how “society” works and even the definition of society itself. Cultural globalization. Globalization’s effect on culture is two pronged – one side believes that globalization could lead to the flourishing of culture which will lead to better understanding between and among different peoples; while others believe that globalization ill only result to cultural erosion or dilution. To a certain degree, both sides are right. The promotion of culture of many ethnicities is better facilitated now than ever before though the use of technologies such as the internet. However, cultural heritage is also lost because the standards of what is “in” with regards to clothes, behavior, norms, values, language, and cuisine among others are being affected by globalization. Many Orientals are fascinated by and choose to adapt western standards of living while many Westerners practice and promulgate oriental culture. This can create various cultural identities that are at its best mere interpretations of the parent culture, thus the erosion or dilution of the parent cultures. Economic globalization. This is the most noticeable facet of globalization. Economies of countries around the world are dependent upon each other to provide for basic needs. Yet, there is a certain divide that economic globalization creates and that is between the developed countries and the developing countries. Developed countries are more industrialized and are the centers of commerce. They also provide capital and they are more likely to have consumer mentality. Whereas developing countries are poor and they normally provide labor and raw materials for the developed countries. There is a stark difference in the quality of life of people in the developed countries compared to those from the developing countries. Human rights also become negated more in developing countries in the hopes of churning out cheap goods for the consumers of the developed countries. The economies of these countries will not stay afloat without the other but the gap should be less and not increasing as it is due to globalization. “The Hidden Face of Globalization” is a video documentary that shows the side of globalization that we rarely recognize – the faces of the people in underdeveloped countries who manufacture the goods that get to our stores and eventually into our homes and closets. They are generally abused and the compensation that they get from working their long and hard shifts is not even enough to get them and their families out of the level of misery into the poverty threshold. This is truly sad considering that we enjoy cheap yet good quality goods here in the US at the expense of the rights of people in poverty stricken countries. I am not in-favor of this practice and I hope that many more will open their eyes in response to the abuses that globalization brings. In my opinion, globalization brings great benefits if used and managed wisely, but if we let a few people benefit from it, then globalization will be a tool for inflicting greater abuses against our fellow men. Being interconnected and interdependent on other nations is a good thing because there are more opportunities to build each other up this way. I just hope that everyone, whether from a developed or developing country would choose to see all aspects of globalization and make personal commitments to using their influence to institute change in the current system. Globalization should not be judged according to one face only. One should see the whole picture to get to know if globalization is truly beneficial or not. References Danziger, J. D. (2013).Understanding the Political World.11th edition. Pearson. The National Labor Committee. (2008). Hidden Face of Globalization. Video Documentary. Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights (IGLHR). Read More