2 Globe or not 2 Globe? that is the question

As a global citizen, I embrace many aspects of globalization. But where should I draw the line? I agree, that the issues of worker rights, and gender equality, all need our attention. I do not agree, with how transnationals often take advantage of the developing countries. I am very happy to hear that many transnationals are in fact working towards treating more and more of such countries, with respect, and I hope to see the day where everyone can benefit from the advancements in technology. When everyone can access the information on the internet, no matter what language they speak. There is something to be said for globalization. Even though it has caused a lot of damage in the past, it is also bringing about change in the world, that not only mends the wounds it inflicted, but also the wounds that were already there, such as the separation of cultures, and exclusion of different people such as African Americans and women. We are all in this together, we all share "Spaceship Earth" and we need to take care of it, and each other. Globalization is helping us heal the wounds from past battles, and even though it was a factor in creating those wounds, it has benefited many and will hopefully continue to do so until everyone benefits from the long history of globalization. As a global citizen, I believe that globalization has a chance of helping the world and should be embraced, though there are a few facts that cannot be ignored. People groups were wiped out when Europeans and other large countries moved onto the land, the digital divide is still very large and excludes many from the benefits of technology, and there are still transnationals that take advantage of developing countries.
 

WHO is fighting for you?

The world health organization is combating sickness all over the world. WHO is also trying to improve living conditions for people, particularly women, in Africa and other developing countries around the world. Diseases like AIDS and HIV are having a very damaging affect on people and is so common that, it may become a dangerous threat if a cure is not found. As a global citizen, I hope to see more people take an interest in issues like disease and gender equality and also worker rights. I do not like how the developing countries are often taken advantage of because of the less strict rules. People need to stand up to transnationals and they have in the case of Shell, when it was benefiting from the war in Sudan. Over all, I believe that WHO has helped a great deal and I hope to see more progress in my lifetime.

The Men's Room

For a very long time, women have had next to no rights. A woman could not vote and was treated as more of a belonging. Gender equality is becoming more and more of an issue that is being fought for by many. Allowing women the same rights as men and, job positions, would greatly benefit everyone, partly, because women can be just as good, or even better, at some things then men. As a global citizen, I would say that nothing but good would come from gender equality and it should be embraced by society.

Human rights

Many people, countries, and organizations, are making a stand against human rights abuse. The number of those who abuse human rights is going down slowly, but surly, thanks to declarations such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Canadian Charter of Rights. Any country that does not abide by human rights codes, is subject to trade sanctions, which can greatly influence the government to smarten up. However, trade sanctions can be very hard on the people of the country, often subjecting the inhabitants to poverty, and starvation, because they can no longer sell their goods, or by goods that were imported. People suffer when their rights are abused, but the act of attempting to force a country to abide by those rights, can make the people suffer through a lot before the situation improves.

Live Long and Prosper. Topic numero uno

Live Long and Prosper

Globalization has quite the opposite effect, when it comes to promoting sustainable prosperity. So many people are displaced, cheated, put in highly dangerous situations, because of the globalizing world. Interdependence may be one benefit of globalization, but there are many people groups in the world who have no contact at all with other people. These secluded people, are not benefited in the least by globalization. They have no access to the internet or any of the technology that people take for granted. The idea that globalization contributes to sustainable prosperity for all people, is more of a bad joke. Few people could say that globalization was very helpful to the Aztecs, or the Dodos. Globalization contributes very little to sustainable prosperity for all people, trade, transportation, and communication, as three of the strongest forces of Globalization, are also three of the strongest opposing forces in this process.

The World Trade Organization is a strong supporter of globalization and trade. Many people believe that the WTO have raised and will continue to raise, the living standards all over the world. The WTO is very influential and even has the power to force other countries to change laws, in accordance to the WTO’s rules. Though it is a strong supporter of trade, the WTO has not forced rich countries to fully open their markets to products from developing countries. Child labour and workers’ rights, as well as health care and the environment are issues that have been relatively untouched by the WTO. Globalization still neglects many things that are vital, to the sustainable prosperity of everyone on the planet.

One of the major problems with the transportation aspect of globalization is the fact that many problems can arise from encounters between two or more people groups. When Europeans encountered the Beothuk, the Europeans immediately saw them as inferior. Being forced out of their homes, the Beothuk soon became very unhappy and began breaking the Europeans equipment in an effort to chase the intruders away. The Beothuk people did not expect to be hunted down and slain by the Europeans, in response to the broken equipment. Many people groups have been completely wiped out because of encounters between a powerful nation and a small tribe of indigenous people. Transportation has contributed much to the current trade in the modern world, but, it has also contributed to the deaths of many cultures.

Communication is a very useful tool, but it is not as helpful to some people as much as it is to others. The internet is mostly in English, which proves less then useless for those with a different language. There are sites in different languages, but there are far more languages in the world than there are on the internet. The digital divide, has caused a huge gap between the people with access to the internet and all its benefits, and the people who can either, not afford internet, or simply don’t speak the right language to be able to use it. Having vast amounts of information at one’s disposal is very useful, but it is still something that leaves many people out of the loop.

Trade often is one-sided in situations between developed and developing countries. Developing countries are often taken advantage of because of their less strict rules. Transnational companies often trade the workers from the home country for cheaper labourers from other countries. Ship breakers in Bangladesh are paid very little for a very dangerous job, that, in a developed country, would not only be safer, but also, it would be far higher pay. When the fur traders would trade with the First Nation people, they would trade beads and other things for furs. The people would get whisky, beads, guns, and other materials, but they suffered for the addiction that the traders brought with them. Trade plays a large part in globalization and shapes many people’s lives, but it can be dangerous if not treated properly.

Trade, transportation, and communication, are all large factors in the globalizing world, but sustainable prosperity is likely not something that will come from globalization. The world is divided by many forces and many, if not all of these forces are caused by globalization. Rather than uniting the world, globalization is dividing it. Those who cannot afford to play with the high rollers are left secluded, while the high rollers are looking for more dice to roll. Smaller countries are taken advantage of and the world transforms into a global turf war, being waged by the transnational mafias. As long as everyone is looking for power, sustainable prosperity is a distant mirage.