Is globalization good or bad?

If not for globalization I don't think I will be studying in DLSU and taking up International Studies. Globalization is a big part of our everday lives, from the clothes we wear, the food we consume, the public transportation we take, and the modes of communication we use. People nowadays could not dream a world where globalization does not exist. Globalization is a big chapter of the history of the world, it changes how the world turn. Globalization taught us how to be multi-cultural and this was achieve through, first, by loosening the economy and trade policies of states. Export products are much appreciated by states for they come in abundantly, readily and most of the times cheaply. Yes, globalization enable us to have cheap products and resources that we do not have. Globalization opens us to many possibilities and eventually towards "development".

On the other hand, many do accuse globalization for just being a new word for imperialism, capitalism, or even colonialism. Is it? I do not think so. It because states have that inate sovereignty thus ideas like imperialism and colonialism cannot exist because states cannot subject to this ideas without giving up their sovereignty. Globalization is very different. It is a choice given to a state. It is also being said that globalization is really an American phenomenon. I do not think so, given its name, I think globalization is a global phenomenon. It would not exist and continue this long if it is only limited to the West and its idea cannot be even embrace by the East. Its presence is proof enough that it is a phenomenon that is all over the world.

There was a talk a year before about the twilight of globalization and we also discussed that talk in our class. Most of us agreed that is not the twilight of globalization anymore because most of us believe that globalization is if not its highest point then nearly its highest point. Nowadays, I see that we are wrong. With the production of new technology and the rate of consumption that we do it is not hard to believe that it is just the dawn of globalization.

The biggest question with regard to globalization is if it is a good or bad thing? Who are the winners and lossers? Someone who is pro-globalization will probably say that everyone is a winner. Jobs for everyone and products for everyone. Economies go up and will go up. Third world states can use it for their advantages. Then someone who is anti-globalization might ask, at what cost? It is a question worth pondering upon. At what cost? These days we heavily feel the cost of globalization and it is the degradation of the environment. It is sad that for us to be wealthy we are willing to sacrifice our home. Maybe, movies like Avatar still have a point in saying that giving up everything for development is not worth it afterall.

So, is globalization good or bad? For me it is good but with the rate we are going, spoiling globalization like a brat rich kid, we need to set up limitations.

How do religious beliefs affect politics?

Seperation of religion and politics is said to be impossible, everyone is heavily affected by their beliefs towards their perceptions about politics. It is because religion was a part of our lives since ever. It is very hard to disregard religion and one's faith. Nowadays the relationship between the two is heavily felt here in our country because of the upcoming election. Candidates have platforms that include religion such as Aquino's. Kenneth Cauthen said that religious beliefs have moral and social implications and these can be reasons for the activities of citizens that have something to do with their religion and faith. A good example of this is a Catholic voting No agaisnt the legalization of abortion and divorce.

Religious beliefs can be used to create a cohesive bloc and this cohesive bloc can be used by politicians for their own gain. A good example is the bloc voting of Iglesia ni Cristo here in the Philippines, their leaders promote a candidate and they all vote for him. Politicians seek their side because they are big in numbers. Although, according to surveys bloc voting with regard to religious beliefs is not that successful because they do not really follow their leaders. Another example of disregarding religion for politics is in the United States when George W. Bush won. He is known to be a religious person and despite being conservative liberal America made him president. So, we really need to ask if religious beliefs can really affect politics.

It may be seen that religious beliefs is the source of the problem of wars, revolutions, or insurgencies like the one we have in Mindanao and the well-known Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is not generally known but those conflicts did not really rose because of differences in faith. Again, we see that religious beliefs are not really big factors in politics. Sometimes, it is used to justify an action or push an ideology. The role of religious beliefs in politics can be studied further but as we now it is not a big deal unlike in the past eras where people are governed by their gods, goddesses, and religious doctrines.

Religious beliefs can affect politics but not in a big scale that can change the ways of politics. More than religious beliefs other factors will be consider first like the state, economics, and even globalization.

What happens if we do not think in human terms?

As a student that is taking up International Studies I was acquainted with the term Realism since my first year. According to the lectures and books that I have read realists are state-centric, thus, they are only concerned with what is happening and what can happen to the state. Although, after following such a school of thought people learned that there can be others, thus, the birth of other schools of thought like Liberalism. Since then people became more and more concern with people rather than just the state. We are now living in a world where the main concern is humans. The government of each state are now thinking and acting having in mind the welfare and future of humans. One good example is the history of security studies where in the past the focus is very narrow wherein only the state is the main concern while nowadays it is becoming wide wherein human welfare is a big concern.

If we do not think in human terms man will suffer a lot. It is because to think in human terms is to have a care for everything that the human encounter, a great example of that is the environment. In our world nowadays globalization is the bond that keeps us united and dependent with each other. What if we do not think in human terms in the globalization process? If we do not I see our planet becoming a big dump site of trash and human living will become unbearable. When we do not think in human terms we will disregard our environment. The industrialization era is a great example for what can happen to us. That era brought us high buildings, faster transportation, and it might even be the dawn of globalization but at what expense? The expense is the destruction of forest and the very hot issue of global warming. It is not wrong to be progressive but as I see it the way we progress have a lot of consequences for us and the future generation.

We need to start bringing back the habit of thinking in human terms. These days there are a lot of activities and advocacies dedicated for saving what is left in our planet. It is a good start but those advocacies need more people and power to push trough their plan, they need countries like America and many others more. Although, sadly, such powerful countries are one of the hindrances why environmental advocacies are hard to push through. We should start caring for our environment now. In this era of globalization we do not see clearly but the thing that being hurt the most is the environment and so we need to help the environment.

- Danna Olaya, 10721002

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