Globalization

One world. United.

For as long as history can piece together, humans have been at violent odds with each other, in a neverending attempt to seize, control and gain power. By browbeating our differences to claim superiority over others, we shunned those who didn’t fit into the mold of expectations and subsequently degraded the value of lives. It was easier to demolish entire groups of people if we saw them as lesser. Differences were the opposite of celebrated. They were used to create dissonance between groups to identify inferiors which lead to subjugation. From land seizing and ruler allegiance, nationalistic customs confined by these border lines helped solidify cultural traditions that eventually came to identify specific groups of people.

Centuries followed with cultural traditions persisting in geographic vacuums making things slow to change without external influences that were on the other side of the dividing borders. As we progressed and modernized through the ages, advancing technological capabilities have helped bridge the cultural gaps between differing groups. These advancements have made our world smaller and more connected and while we may have been able to alleviate fear, confusion and misunderstandings by cultivating cultural tolerance through education and experience, globalization doesn’t come without implications as we begin to share the exact same influences around the world.

What is the price of telescoping our human experience?

Are we dissolving the unique fabrics of cultural identities when we begin to share the same patterned mindset? Globalization created the channels for us to have an exchange of ideas, technology and goods. When globalization is discussed in-depth, it’s usually from an economic perspective and embolden keywords usually swirl around open trade, economic growth and competitive marketplace. But, on a cultural level it has also increased human connections even in the most remote parts of the world. Information can be disseminated quickly, creating awareness and broadening perspectives with new ideas.

Subsequently, aiding in the removal of cultural barriers and the accompanying misunderstandings to promote cohesion with groups that would have otherwise been displaced, ultimately redefining humanity’s universal values as one culture.

Connectedness can align perspectives and identify shared values. These shared values can create camaraderie and champion progressive movement. Recent climate issues brought to the forefront by leaders of differing demographics from around the world have begun to push the boundaries on how we begin to deal with issues that affect us as a whole. Pushing cultural differences aside, with a common goal to survive the human race. But, on the flipside, as easily as we can share cultural influences does this ease of information infiltration threaten cultural identities by undermining the traditions that had evolved and were protected when we were more isolated from each other?

Cultural conservationists would argue that there is an “Americanization” of world cultures. Most noticeably and the simplest of examples is when you travel to almost any part of the world and can still find a Starbucks or McDonald’s. Or more innate, the digital cultural exchange, when you observe the local youth, under a stronghold of social media influences, emerge with identifiable patterns in their mannerisms, musical tastes and wardrobe inspirations to find that they resemble the youth back home. Whether that is seen for ultimately better or worse, is still left to be determined and debated from differing perspectives. But, from a high-level, for as much beneficial cultural outcomes of globalization, it is not without implications. The most obvious implications of globalization on culture are homogeneity. We risk losing thousands of years of cultural idiosyncrasies when we adapt to these new ways (influences) without conscious preservation of the old ways (traditions). To balance the global assimilation, we also need to ensure that these traditions are not lost.

Our differences make us unique and should be celebrated along with unity. By sharing ideals and spreading awareness we remove any cultural barriers of misunderstandings with the hope that this will lead to a more harmonious way of living together instead of separately. We can dispel any negative stereotypes and recognize that there are more ways than one to be and we can learn from each another. At the end of the day, globalization helps promote integration but we also need to protect traditional cultures to retain a diverse perspective to bring to the table. Formal groups and networks have been founded to protect cultural groups, especially those without representation. Activists within local cultures celebrate and practice traditions to keep them alive. But, as individuals we can live together by acknowledging our differences, asking questions and valuing that diversity is what makes us who we are.

Words: Isabella Kanjanapangka

Photography: Johan De Jager