Global Communication / Globalization Essay

Tim Coughlin
Eng191
Global Communication / Globalization Essay

  

Global communication is the sharing of information and ideas with people and cultures from across the globe and as global communication gets easier our countries become more interconnected and interdependent. This interdependence or globalization has had some positive and negative social, political and economic impacts that have been witnessed in the past ten years.

                First, global communication and its globalizing effect have had positive social, political and economic impacts. An example of this is with the use of social media such as YouTube, Facebook, and Skype people can now experience other cultures without having to travel to those countries. They can also use these outlets to reach a larger group of people to coordinate disaster relief for events like the Indonesian tsunami. Globalization has also enabled governments to work together to accomplish common goals. It has also increased awareness of civil rights violations, enabling people from other countries to influence change. One example of this is the creation of the International Coalition for The Responsibility to Protect. This was endorsed by the United Nations to protect people from genocide and war crimes. Another advantage of globalization is that it enables businesses to expand into other markets lowering the costs of producing goods and opening up their products to a much larger customer base. Globalization also enables consumers to purchase goods at much lower costs than they may find it domestically, because the manufactures now have to compete on a global scale.

Although there are positives to the globalizing effect of global communication, there are some negative social, political and economic impacts that also need to be addressed. First, and possibly the most significant social impact of globalization, is that as our cultures become more interconnected and interdependent the differences between them become less evident. For example, in my interview with Sagar he described that in the cities of Nepal it is less common for hosts to give up their beds for visitors while in the less connected villages it is still a common practice. Globalization can lead to the exploitation of workers as companies outsource seeking the cheaper labor of developing nations. Second, as these companies expand they build more facilities, potentially decreasing the environmental conditions in these developing nations. Globalization can also lead to increased terrorism as incompatible political beliefs attempt to assimilate; look at 9-11-01 for instance. Finally, because the world economies are so interdependent the failing of one nation’s economy brings down another, and more recently in the USA globalized companies are leaving to avoid high taxes and labor costs causing unemployment rates to skyrocket. These two examples highlight globalization’s negative economic impact.

In conclusion, there are many positive aspects to global communication and its globalizing effect like the ability to exchange ideas, assist in emergencies, and to trade with people and cultures from across the globe. Global communication has negative aspects that if left uncontrolled could globalize the world to the point where nations lose their individualism that make them great on their own.

Works Cited

2005, Early February. "The Globalized World Responds to the Tsunami Disaster | Global Envision." Global Envision | The Confluence of Global Markets and Poverty Alleviation. Web. 09 Nov. 2011. <http://www.globalenvision.org/library/8/758>.

"Darfur and the 'responsibility to Protect'" OpenDemocracy. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. <http://www.opendemocracy.net/globalization-africa_democracy/darfur_responsibility_3897.jsp>.

"Did Financial Globalisation Make the US Crisis Worse? | Vox - Research-based Policy Analysis and Commentary from Leading Economists." Front Page | Vox. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. <http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/4206>.

Fisher, Sherry. "Globalization Hurts World's Poorest, Ethnic Studies Expert Tells Students - Novermber 3, 2003." The UConn Advance. Web. 12 Nov. 2011. <http://advance.uconn.edu/2003/031103/03110306.htm>.

Ghimire, Shakti. "Effect Of Globalization On Poverty." The SOP Offers Daily News and Radio Broadcasts Featuring Celebrity and Expert Interviews, U.S. News. Web. 11 Nov. 2011. <http://thesop.org/story/world/2006/12/06/effect-of-globalization-on-poverty.php>.

Sagar. Personal interview. 27 Oct. 2011.

"Terrorism and Globalization." GlocalEyeMuqtedar Khan. Web. 12 Nov. 2011. <http://www.glocaleye.org/terglo.htm>