In general I think that globalization is a good thing for our future. Although I believe countries should continue to maintain their own identity and preserve their own culture, I see globalization as a process that could be beneficial to our world in the future.
Like Thomas Friedman, I understand the threats of globalization but I think by enabling individuals and corporations to reach around the world faster and cheaper we are only making our world stronger.
However, having said this I don't think that ideas should be standardized and that countries should be borderless. If this were to happen I believe that at least temporarily we would be in a state of chaos. I think one of the greatest things about our world is that we are all different and we pride ourselves on that. If we simply give in to ultimate globalization we will loose that and we will loose everything we have ever fought for socially and geographically.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Development Journalism
Although development journalism definitely promotes national media and highlights humanitarian issues I don't necessarily agree with development journalism. I think that the media should already be promoting these issues and focussing on creating a national identity of their own. If the media is not doing these things already then we have a different problem on our hands.
Although I think development journalism is a good means of counter balancing the thrust towards electronic colonialism I think that there is another means of promoting good values and helping traditional societies become democracies.
In essence the government needs to concentrate on their own issues and the media needs to do the same. If the media is not allowed to analyze or exercise their right as a watch dog due to governmental control then the media looses its purpose because more often then not a conflict of interest would prevent journalists from reporting on pertinent issues and this is unacceptable!
Although I think development journalism is a good means of counter balancing the thrust towards electronic colonialism I think that there is another means of promoting good values and helping traditional societies become democracies.
In essence the government needs to concentrate on their own issues and the media needs to do the same. If the media is not allowed to analyze or exercise their right as a watch dog due to governmental control then the media looses its purpose because more often then not a conflict of interest would prevent journalists from reporting on pertinent issues and this is unacceptable!
Friday, September 5, 2008
The Rise of Illiberal Democracy
In essence I don't think that all of our problems will be solved if and only if each civilization or each country enacts a democratic government. This relates back to the fact that there is no one ideal democracy, each country and each person within that country would have a different ideal.
I think the future of the world lies in our ability to accept different cultures and essentially different civilizations and learn to tolerate that everyone doesn't need to be JUST like the West. In fact if we the West can encourage liberalism and build relationships with current democratic countries we can show the world and lead by example. By simply invading other countries and forcing our values upon them we are creating friction and hatred through imperialism.
Although I believe the world would be a better place if each civilization adapted a constitutionally liberal government there is no way in my lifetime I would ever live to see that day. It would take many years, generations of good leaders, and perhaps many bloody wars. But more then that people would have to be willing. Because without that change will never come and some counties would stand their ground and insist on their old ways.
So really I guess what I'm discovering is that although I'd like to predict the future will be a better place, each person would have to evolve to become better people too.
I think the future of the world lies in our ability to accept different cultures and essentially different civilizations and learn to tolerate that everyone doesn't need to be JUST like the West. In fact if we the West can encourage liberalism and build relationships with current democratic countries we can show the world and lead by example. By simply invading other countries and forcing our values upon them we are creating friction and hatred through imperialism.
Although I believe the world would be a better place if each civilization adapted a constitutionally liberal government there is no way in my lifetime I would ever live to see that day. It would take many years, generations of good leaders, and perhaps many bloody wars. But more then that people would have to be willing. Because without that change will never come and some counties would stand their ground and insist on their old ways.
So really I guess what I'm discovering is that although I'd like to predict the future will be a better place, each person would have to evolve to become better people too.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
The Clash of Civilizations
Although this reading seems to be more irrational then the previous I however agreed more with Huntington then Fukuyama. I don't think that we have seen the end of history because the war of cultures seems inevitable.
I believe that in the coming years more conflicts will arise between groups in different civilizations (however hard it is to distinguish them) because whether we realize it or not our world is shrinking due to increased communication and technology thus forcing cultures to bump heads. I think more then anything this will lead to conflict because just like two tectonic plates rupturing and fighting for territory and power resulting in an earthquake, two cultures going head to head could create its own disaster. In today's day and age a war would be our metaphorical equivalent of an earthquake because it shakes the world and disrupts everything.
Over the years we have seen the West consistently intervene in other cultures to provide a universal democracy throughout the world however I think America is overstepping its boundaries literally. We need to be more accepting of other cultures and other civilizations if we want to avoid growing tensions and destroying one another.
I believe that in the coming years more conflicts will arise between groups in different civilizations (however hard it is to distinguish them) because whether we realize it or not our world is shrinking due to increased communication and technology thus forcing cultures to bump heads. I think more then anything this will lead to conflict because just like two tectonic plates rupturing and fighting for territory and power resulting in an earthquake, two cultures going head to head could create its own disaster. In today's day and age a war would be our metaphorical equivalent of an earthquake because it shakes the world and disrupts everything.
Over the years we have seen the West consistently intervene in other cultures to provide a universal democracy throughout the world however I think America is overstepping its boundaries literally. We need to be more accepting of other cultures and other civilizations if we want to avoid growing tensions and destroying one another.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The End of History?
After reading the in depth thoughts and remarks of Fukuyama I was nonetheless stunned. In the beginning I was prepared for a dull dry philosophical explanation that was completely radical and outrageous. However, I was surprised to find that maybe we have reached the end point of mankind's ideological evolution.
I must admit this all seems like a bizarre episode of the Twilight Zone because to me the title of his piece seemed to allude to the fact that the world was ending... but maybe thats true... maybe the world as some people once knew it kind of is?
Perhaps we have reached our final form of human government. The United States especially seems held bent on making sure that every other country implements a democracy. Maybe this form of government will be victorious and like the survival of the fittest kill off all other forms or notions of ruling.
I will agree outstanding transformations have occurred, however, at some-point he kind of lost me. And at that moment I began to wonder if we were all being idealists? I began to wonder what it actually took for a society to become successful? Was it by becoming liberal?
For now I am content not knowing because with only one day of class under my belt I'm sure its ok if I'm still puzzled.
I must admit this all seems like a bizarre episode of the Twilight Zone because to me the title of his piece seemed to allude to the fact that the world was ending... but maybe thats true... maybe the world as some people once knew it kind of is?
Perhaps we have reached our final form of human government. The United States especially seems held bent on making sure that every other country implements a democracy. Maybe this form of government will be victorious and like the survival of the fittest kill off all other forms or notions of ruling.
I will agree outstanding transformations have occurred, however, at some-point he kind of lost me. And at that moment I began to wonder if we were all being idealists? I began to wonder what it actually took for a society to become successful? Was it by becoming liberal?
For now I am content not knowing because with only one day of class under my belt I'm sure its ok if I'm still puzzled.
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