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`` Jihad Vs. Mcworld, Political Scientist Benjamin Barber

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In his article, Jihad vs. McWorld, political scientist Benjamin Barber thoroughly examines a paradox that has been transforming our planet. This world is being torn apart by differing political views, social views, and racial inequality. These problems are pinning societies and cultures against each other. Barber refers to this growing split between cultures and the tensions that have risen as Jihad. At the same time, the world is being unified by economic and ecological forces that mesmerize and demand uniformity, such as fast music, fast food, and fast computers. Barber refers to this homogeneous globalization and corporate control of the political process as McWorld. This McWorld is tied together by ecology, technology,…show more content…
For instance, German forests are being destroyed by the increase in carbon emissions in the air, and Indonesians are cutting down their lush jungle, thus reducing oxygen levels and effecting our planet’s oxygen balance. Resources also have a strong imperative aspect in the McWorld, where autarky has proved to be insufficient in the presence of our globalized economy. At the start, many other nations including the United States, believed that they could survive independently, however, as time continued, interdependence seemed inevitable. Barber believes that every nation has something that another nation needs. Additionally, the information-technology imperative has universalized our world greatly. To make technological progress, we must rely on an easy and regular flow and exchange of information. Barber also states that, “business, banking, and commerce, all depend on information flow and are facilitated by new communication technologies.” The hardware of technologies such as computers, television, satellite, and cable, all create a vastly informative communications network that can give every person on earth access to every other person. Barber further explains that the pursuit of such technologies tends to compel open borders because of the lack of restrictions within telephone wires, which penetrate any national border, and satellite footprints, which also have little respect for
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