How do we find out what's going on in the world?

Globalization enable us to get information about the world. It pave the way to better communication and spread of news. So, how do we find out what is going on in the world? According to Debbie Lisle, we must be curious first and then find ways to sastify our curiousity. Nowadays, our technology gives us a lot of option on how to sastify our curiousity from newspaper to internet. What we do not know is just a single click away. These media let us in and let us know what is going on not only in a limited place but all over the world. Media is giving us the power of knowledge and it is because of that that we are much hooked to it. Media, especially the telivision, is very accessible these days and we are very fortunate for that fact.

Media makes us realizes that abstract ideas can happen or what it looks like, like love or war. It is because of media that we understand the impact of things such as wars, economic recession, or globalization. Debbie Lisle used the word 'express'. Media expresses the things and events that are happening in the world. Most likely, we based our reactions and action on how the media expresses the things in our world. Media can also sway public opinion especially with issues such as human rights. They have the power to show another thing rather than what is really happening. They can affect emotions easily and can also promotes ideologies faster. We interpret those what we see and it might put us to disadvantage rather than help us. Therefore, we must be critical viewers.

We must be critical. One reason is because the media cannot help itself to be biased. It is their nature to be biased. With these we must also know from which side, framework, partiality, or concepts does the media have. It is also safe to take in many medias to see a pattern about a news or just to search a paper or channel that you would much prefer. Another reason to be critical is media can be easily influenced or even tampered with especially by powerful forces like the government. During the Marcos regime all forms of media cannot show or promote anti-government sentiments. In China every channel is regulated by their government and thus all news must be leaning towards them. We must be critical to question if what we see and hear are really the truths.

All in all, media is one of the factors of how we form our opinions towards global politics and globalization. A pro-globalization can show only the big skyscrapers and the money being generated from globalization and an anti-globalization can show only the destruction of the environment and quality of life in a factory, based on what the audience sees that is where he or she will form an opinion towards globalization. Media is that powerful. It already exercised its powers with issues like war when it can easily be used as a medium for propaganda and such. In the end it might be that media is the one consuming us rather than the idea of us consuming media. We must be aware of the medias flaws. We must be always critical.

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.

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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