The Consequences of Globalization - Essay Example

The Consequences of Globalization

A worldwide bestselling book written about globalization and its consequences by an American columnist, journalist, and author, Thomas Loren Friedman, The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century is written for readers to be aware of how the world has become flat and the different effects the development has caused. Globalization has evidently changed and shaped the world today. People have seen the results and have greatly benefited from it. Globalization is perceiving the world as a place, in terms of trade and business, in which all competitors have the same level of opportunity for success.

Before the United States of America was the ultimate supreme ruler and countries like India were low-level underdeveloped nations. However, globalization has changed this. Although these countries cannot yet rise to the same level in terms of development, they are able to learn and understand better the culture and other aspects of development such as in technology and innovations of other countries. Communication has definitely increased in growth. People are now integrated into their thinking to improve and modernize their ways of doing things. Lower-level countries can now understand the good concepts of other countries and integrate them into their own country for development. Technology, especially computers, paved the way for the Internet, which has made communication so much faster.

Freidman, in his book, realizes that the world is flat when he visited several technology companies and call centers in India and also in China. Friedman is later told that the playing field right now has been leveled, a condition in which all companies and businesses have an equal chance of being successful and on top. Now, countries like India can participate in the competition for worldwide understanding and knowledge, flattening to the point where businesses, small or big, can collaborate and vie globally.

Globalization has caused several effects on the development of many areas in development and growth. In the military, it has flattened through the use of computer technology. Now, low-status officers and recruited men could gain access to different kinds of information through the Internet.

Education is also now available through the Internet. Online schooling is now possible. American people can be lectured, coached, and instructed online by Indian tutors. Information is spread throughout the world and is now continually flowing to even remote locations in several countries.

In terms of trade and commerce, advertising and sales can be done through television and the internet as well which is seen by more audiences in a cheaper and more low-cost way. Because of the flat world, there is an emergence and the beginning of worldwide production markets that have dramatically increased the development of international trade within the past five decades. In addition, in terms of economy, in my opinion, countries now have the same and equal opportunity to become the number one power in terms of wealth.  Before the United States was the main world power and it maintained a sturdy and rich economy. But because of globalization, China grew tremendously, competing with America, and it has been predicted that in twenty years' time with this kind of rate from China, it will have enough to rival the United States.

Communication with the social public has now effectively increased and grown. Tri media has now become cheaper and cheaper to the point where it has become affordable to everyone, enabling it to reach a larger audience faster and in a more affordable way.

Culture has also become influenced and has changed. Cultural diffusion, or the sharing and the spreading of ideas, the contact between cultural countries, the adoption of new cultures and practices, and technology have bloomed, flourished, and tremendously grown. Cultural diversity is now more apparent such as the emergence of international pop culture and trends.

With all this development and the rise of countless business enterprises and companies within the past decades because of globalization and the flattening of the world, negative effects have also started to come out, especially when it comes to the environment. Everyone is aware of the rise of environmental issues such as climate change, and pollution in the ocean, air, and in land.                                                        

In chapter 11, one of the rules Freidman gives is “When the world goes flat--and you are feeling flattened--reach for a shovel and dig inside yourself. Don’t try to build walls.” Because everyone now has an equal chance and opportunity for success, one should dig and look for something unique and different to be able to compete. The world undoubtedly will be increasingly aggressive and the fight for success more intense. Because of the flat Earth, the main quality one needs to have is an artistic imagination, thinking of new and ground-breaking ways to do things. Freidman believes and I agree that no matter what country you are from, as long as you are especially talented, with a very creative and artistic mind that can innovate and think of new ways of technology then you can go all the way to success.