Analysis of Two Articles that Explore Globalization

We are currently impacted by global processes, of unprecedented magnitude. On the positive side, our world is characterized (and increasingly) by a rapid increase in trade, both of capital, goods and services, including information, ideas, technologies and cultural patterns. On the negative side, we experience processes enormous concentration of wealth and social marginalization, and a rapid enlargement of the gap between developed and underdeveloped countries in the world, while appear on the horizon an ecological crisis of global reach.

Modernization and cultural exchange is a grand aspect of life, especially in the twenty-first century. Without international trade, immigration, and exchange of language, the world would be highly divisive. Cross-cultural experiences have led to many technological and innovative ideas. Globalization has many positive outcomes; however, there exist many adverse effects of the process. Historically, cultures have been contained within their own territories, and nationalities were condemned to people groups and immediate areas. As transportation improved and inter-dependence rose, more conflicts and domination accompanied them. Columbus in the Caribbean, Cortes in Central America, Pizarro in South America, and various European nations in Africa are all examples of people groups being conquered for their “well-being” or to bring them “civilization.” Over the course of centuries, people formed cultures based on their commonalities. In present-day, the world is faced with new problems in respect to identity. Individuals find themselves in opposite corners of the world, unable to identify with their peers or even families. Essentially, their sense of belonging is eradicated, leaving them seemingly isolated, even if they find themselves in their birthplace. In the society of today, where one lives does not equivalate to “home.”

o Contemporary globalization is an on-going process of not just economic flows, but also cultural flows—the increasing flow of trade, finance, culture, ideas, and people brought about by the technology of communication and travel and by the worldwide spread of neoliberal capitalism… (7).

Richard Florida’s article “The World is Spiky: Globalization Has Changed the Economic Playing Field, But Hasn’t Leveled It,” is a response to New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman’s claim that globalization has caused the earth to become “flat.” Friedman argues that technology has made it possible to “innovate without having to emigrate” (Friedman, 590). Richard Florida argues that no matter how you measure it, economically, the world is far from flat- instead it consists of a select few tall peaks surrounded by small hills and valleys. Florida describes three types of cities: peaks, which are “cities that generate information... few in number, difficult to topple”; hills, which “manufacture the world’s established goods... they are prosperous but insecure”; and valleys, that have “little connection to the global economy and few immediate prospects”.

Some argue that globalization will, on the long term, bring all cultures as a unique Western, if not Americanized, culture, while others argue that some cultures will persist in order to keep their own essence and therefore avoid the homogenization of all cultures. Alongside pure tradition, global conflicts, contradictory political regimes and the diversity of economic systems, some cultures are bound to face issues when trying to fully fit in a global western culture, and that is why cultures are adaptable to one another, but with some limits that we will express in this essay.

The end of the Cold War brought about the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, paving the way for an unprecedented new paradigm – one characterised by the end of hostilities between the two dominant ideologies: Soviet communism and American liberal capitalism. This dominant new paradigm encouraged the homogenisation of ideas, in the form of exchanging ethos and values along former cultural, ideological and geographical divides. As such, this integration of world societies has earned the title ‘globalisation’, forcing the global community to appear so united as to warrant the metaphor of a global village. (Note: This paragraph pains me to read – I will eventually re-write it.)

In 1999, the city of Seattle was swarmed with violent protesters in order to disrupt the World Trade Organization conference. The protesters were a mix of many groups, but all of the groups shared on ideal, anti-globalization. The protesters viciously destroyed buildings, streets, and caused a huge disruption in the city’s atmosphere. Although there are many globalization protesters, there are individuals who support globalization.

1). Choose a current issue as it relates to any one topic we have covered over the course of the semester to explore cross-cultural variations in culture change as it relates to globalization. What is your issue? How does this issue relate to any one topic we have covered over the course of the semester?

The world we know today wouldn’t have been possible without globalization which is the ever-increasing interaction of people through economic and cultural exchange. We can use the internet to make online transactions to buy goods from overseas that ship across the water on large cargo ships or on airplanes. Vehicular transportation has caused us to be able to travel to any place in very little time. Cellphones have evolved all the way from the telegraph to allow us to make calls to neighboring countries. During the Age of Exploration, many European countries discovered parts of the world they have never existed throughout Asia and the Americas and with them they brought their influence, culture, and the desire to establish business by trade.

Just after reading the vibrant story of Samir Moussa about how globalization has affected his life, I feel myself deeply touched about the tremendous impact both positive and negative it can bring. My first impression upon reading about Samir’s story is viewing the world as a single place where one could travel and live wherever he wishes. For instance, Samir’s father is from Lebanon and his mother from Colombia, both are living in the United States. This shows how globalization has permitted one to interact with different cultures, values, and customs. “It had become evident that we had already become international beings that really only had the world to call home”, he says

Cultural individuality and distinctiveness is the pride of every nation. All communities rejoice in the richness and exoticness of their own cultural symbols, be it dressing, architecture, language or way-of-life. With the dawn of globalization, however, cultural variety and distinguishing characteristics are vanishing; giving rise to a monoculture common to all. While this may be a harbinger of unity and relatedness among all people of the world, it also damages the unique cultural identities they once took pride in. This paper discusses the effects of globalization on culture, along with its positive and negative effects. Since the effects of globalization on culture are non-exhaustive, it is attempted to incorporate a few of the most

Lastly, religions play an important role too by gathering people scattered across the globe under an identical cosmology, thus creating imagined communities (Anderson, 1983). Globalization, by connecting people through the media, also creates such a community: inhabitants of the world share the idea of a global community and an international identity. This is why we could define globalization as the compression of time and space (Harvey, 1983). Communications as well as people can travel at an ever increasing speed, thereby giving the impression that every corner of the world is at hand. The main thesis about globalization argues that it leads to a phenomenon of homogenization. My hypothesis however is that some cultures are so different and so deeply rooted in their environment that they can't simply be erased. They will be modified, influenced but not standardized under one unique model. This will lead to hybrid products, thereby proving the hypothesis of glocalization, introduced by

The United States prevails as an ever-evolving, unique amalgamation of people, cultures, and influences. Due to the growth of technology use in the world, globalization, the process of interaction and integration among people, is spreading rapidly ("What Is Globalization?”). Historically, people have often identified in a collective way in order to associate with a group, culture, or individual (Miladinovic). However, nowadays, this form of identification cannot be used as people are changing the way with they identify with others, due to the considerable influence of globalization. Though typically used as an economic term, globalization is characterized through a multitude of other factors as well. The onset of globalization has especially influenced culture and identity, most pivotally through industrialization. When smaller cultures are forced to urbanize as a result of globalization, people question modern culture and may even culturally re-evaluate their own culture. As a result, people often abandon their traditional cultures in favor of a conforming to homogeneous mainstream ‘American culture’. In turn with this, psychologically, people impacted by globalization become uncertain of their identity, not knowing which culture to claim: that of their ancestors or that of mainstream American culture. Consequently, people have started to distinguish themselves in a whole new way: through either self-made cultures or through the adoption of a blend of traditional and new

Globalisering word beskou as die proses waardeur besighede en organisasies internasionale invloed ontwikkel of op internasionale skaal begin werk (Oxford Dictionaries, 2014). Daar vind interaksie en integrasie tussen die mense, maatskappye en regerings van verskeie nasies plaas waar die proses van Globalisering deur internasionale handel, beleggings asook inligtingstegnologie gedryf word (What is Globalization?, 2016). Dis dus ‘n internasionale industriȅle en finansiȅle besigheidstruktuur (What is Globalization?, 2016). Globalisering word gesien as ‘n wȇreldwye onderlinge verbintenis wat as ‘n groot geleentheid, maar ook ‘n groot bedreiging beskou kan word, wat lei tot goeie samewerking, maar dit kan ook wrywing en konflik

Globalization and Culture mean different things to different people and the emerging generation will shape the future of both. There has been cultural implications are central to understanding human side of globalization in youth culture as a whole. Youth are important but the society does not realize this because they are paying attention to more the cultural side of the problem.