Globalization as a Path to Achieving Universal Peace

Globalization from a personal viewpoint involves the intertwining of different nations across the globe. This could be something as simple as sharing traditions and cultures, or something as complex as adopting another country’s form of government. I see international interaction as something to help our world prosper rather than a detriment to society. 

The book Crossing Borders by Harry Chernotsky defines globalization as the political, economic, social, and cultural flows across the international system, including a broad range of interactions, from trade and financial relationships to the integrated communication networks that have developed to facilitate those connections. Globalization takes place every day in all sorts of scenarios, so I am sure that without it, the world would crumble. Simply purchasing a shirt that was made in India would constitute globalization, and those who strongly oppose it have no idea how much it impacts everyday life. If they truly wish to get rid of it, I’d like to see how long they would last only interacting within their own country. 

Globalization also connects with technology, as National Geographic describes it. Their definition of globalization describes how trade and technology have made the world into a more connected and interdependent place. Great innovations such as the World Wide Web have allowed people to learn about news happening in other countries. Keeping up with different affairs across borders is important to stay informed about the world’s whereabouts, especially in times of distress or even war. It is also evident that globalization has made changes in the way we see things now, but not everyone is on the same page. One of the cons to globalization would be the narrowed viewpoints that some people have. 

This could lead to prejudices, discrimination, and harassment. There still exist too many people that voice their prejudices against one another, and that leads to social and often political unrest among citizens of any given country. Here in America, there are a lot of people still practicing racism against people of all ethnicities, and it does not help that many politicians are fueling this sort of hatred. 

Technology is one of the greatest advancements that has made globalization easier, but it also makes it easy for people to display their hatred online. Websites like Reddit allow users to post almost anonymously, and a lot of people take advantage of this feature to say racist remarks without any consequences. Although issues like these have resulted from globalization and technological advancements, I still think there is plenty of room to grow far away from this. Jim Crow laws were eliminated almost a century ago, and movements such as “Black Lives Matter” have been taking place to showcase how much more still needs to be done to achieve equality among all. I believe that we are on the right track to achieving universal peace, it just might take a while.