The world is becoming more and more interconnected. Globalization changes how people consume, work and live almost everywhere in the world. Globalization is the increasingly interconnected and interdependent nature of communication systems, economies, cultures and politics of contemporary societies. It has been a topic of controversy for at least two decades now. Supporters of globalization argue that it helps bring people of different cultures together through shared values. Supporters believe that with International non-government organizations (NGOs) spreading common values across the globe, we might even be able to solve national and ethnic conflicts peacefully. On the other hand, critics of globalization and global culture believe that it represents the Westernization of the rest of the world, causing some cultures to lose their identity, and thus resulting in cultural homogenization.
To me, the most apparent feature of globalization is multiculturalism: the idea that different cultures can coexist peacefully in a single shared space (for example a country or a city). Because we grew up in the 21st century, it might be easy to forget that there was a time when people of different cultures did not interact with each other; instead, countries such as Japan and China tried to isolate themselves from the rest of the world. In America today, especially in cities such as New York City, we can see the effects of globalization in our daily lives. Imagine taking a 10 minute walk in the city and introducing yourself to random people you see on the streets. Can you imagine the number of countries that those people represent? Perhaps we will find that out of the new people we met, no two are from the same country!
Of course, there are many other aspects of globalization, other than multiculturalism. Supporters claim than the expanding global marketplace promises the spread of wealth to more people. “Almost no human alive today lives with stuff only manufactured in their home country but a thousand years ago, only the richest of the rich could benefit from the Silk Road” (Green). As more products become available to more people, living standards are improved and lifestyles change. Modern information technology and mass media, such as radio, television, phones, and the internet are global standard; information is distributed worldwide, making it easier for people to keep themselves up to date with international news and keep in touch with family or friends on the other side of the globe. On the other hand, critics argue that the rapid spreading of cultural products of globalization (movies, cable tv, music, software, sports, fashion, fast food, etc) leads to homogenization/global sameness. However, globalization also provides more diversity within cultures.
America used to be called a “melting pot,” where an individual becomes a “standardized member of an organization who is able to cooperate better with others” (Magala). Today, a more accurate way to describe America would be metaphors such as “salad bowl” and “mosaic,” a mixture that still lets us preserve our diverse identities; it allows us to be more creative and because everyone stays their own person, we get more perspectives on things. Despite what critics argue, globalization have to be a melting pot in which cultures lose their identities. Globalization can and should mean “the ability to learn from each other; to exchange ideas, knowledge and practices while valuing and celebrating each other’s differences" (Brophy). I agree with Bill Hunter, Lehigh University’s representative to the United Nations and a major figure in globalization, that globalization should be compared to a salad bowl, where the ingredients/people retain their own textures and flavors (Brophy).
I believe that the pace of globalization will increase over time and this is not necessarily a bad thing. The interconnectedness and interdependence of countries has improved the quality of life for many people. I believe that people should not try to resist the influence of a global culture, because it will bring them many benefits they could only dream of in the past. Although they might want to preserve their cultural identity, sometimes change can represent improvement instead of destruction. In the end, globalization will bring more improvement than destruction.
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