Globalisation BlogBook 2021

Chances and Challenges of Globalisation

- International communication
- International connection
- Cultural diversity
- Solidarity
- Transfer of information/knowledge
- Profit

- Transport & Traveling
- Digitization of work and school
- Appreciation and respect towards different cultures, but also appropriation of certain aspects of said culture
- Increasing competition between nations

- Global warming -> climate change
- Pollution
- Exploitation of developing countries due to cheap labour to maximize profit
- Poverty
- Waste disposal
- Electronic waste
- Political Control of global organisations by a few rich countries

Erika, Hannah, Nirjona, Jonas, Leonie

Positive

International communication

International connection

Cultural diversity

Solidarity

Transfer of information/knowledge

Profit

Negative

Global warming -> climate change

Pollution

Exploitation of developing countries due to cheap Labour to maximize profit (poverty)

Waste disposal

Electronic waste

Political Control of global organisations by a few Rich countries

Transport & Traveling

Digitization of work and school

Extend of appreciation and respect towards different cultures despite appropriation and popularity of certain aspects of said culture

Increasing competition between nations

Leonie, Erika, Jonas, Hannah, Nirjona

LEONIE'S BLOG

Globalisation? I think that there is no one out there who does not know what globalisation means. Globalisaton affects our everyday life. You can `find`Globalisation when you take a look at your clothes, food, social networks and so on..
You can find a lot of positive aspects and chances in connection with this topic. Like for example the fact that you can stay in contact or find new contacts because you can chat with people all over the world - it does not matter if those people live in an another country or even on a complete different continent. You can stay in touch. Distances are shrinking and all information is spreading faster than ever before.

People from around the world for example live in Germany and they bring their culture with them like for example food or music. Because of that it is possible for us to experience other cultures and learn new things about them. This is amazing and should continue in the future.
What should NOT be part of our future is global warming which brings me to the `dark`side of globalisation.
Because I want my readers to know about the good but also negative aspects linked with this topic I want to continue with Challenges.

I have the feeling that when it comes to global warming, a lot of people do not see it as a thing that will affect them in the nearer future because they are either dead or because they are for example in higher positions or rich. But global warming affects us all and we should do something to stop this problem.
Another fact that is interesting for me when taking a look at the negative side is poverty. The gap between the rich and poor people is rising and rising. Poor people often do not have any access to basic health care or food and clothes.
From my point of view I want everybody to know that they are part of the whole thing and that they can not talk their way out!

Leonie

Hey everyone,
I'm glad that you found your way to my little blog, and I hope that today's entry can give you some ideas to think a bit about your life.

I'm sure that globalisation, and all its different aspects are nothing new to you, but I feel like our pretty global way of living has become so normal to most of us, that we have stopped to reflect on it, and to wonder about its various facets.

I have taken the time to reflect a little bit on it, and I hope that you join me in that.

Globalisation, and especially the modern technology that has come with it has gifted us with many interesting opportunities to meet people all over the world and hear their thoughts on every imaginable topic (which is something that I'm endlessly grateful for, when I read your comments, and a little less grateful for when I open twitter).
We have gotten so much more diverse media, and have built many international networks that focus on international solidarity (think of the UN, UNICEF, UNESCO, green peace, the Nobel price, etc.)
Counties, and independent people help each other and form quiet a lovely solidarity in their lives, but unfortunately this isn't the only aspect of globalisation.

I'm sure that the working conditions in factories of big companies aren't news to you.
People simply shrug and go their merry way after the almost yearly building collapse in a Bangladeshi clothing factory happens.
No one really bothers to think about the people, when they can get whatever they want quickly, and especially cheap.

One could say that the main aspects of globalisation can be divided into two parts (this is a quiet simplified black and white way of thinking, but it is useful to make the issue a bit less complex when we try to think about it in this context)

One one hand we have the desire of profit, which is the root of all the exploitation, and on the other hand we have the sense of community I described earlier.
That leads me to today's big question: What force are we driven by?
Hunger for profit, or hunger for Community?

To get a result we have to answer this question two times: once for ourself, and once (this one is a bit trickier) for all of humanity.

Since I'm feeling quiet optimistic this morning I'd say, that community is the driving force of humanitiy, but looking at the world as it is right now, this doesn't seem to be the answer that is realistic.
So I'm asking myself this question once again, but this time for the people who have power.
There we have politicians and since I'm feeling optimistic I'd diagnose about 5/8 of them with a hunger for community, which is very generous.
But then we also have big companies (especially global players) who I'd shamelessly diagnose with 100% hunger for profit.

Since they do have qiete a lot of power (especially in the economy, and in bribing the politicians who happen to make labour laws) I cannot say that we are on a way to a globalisation led by the goal of being a great community without exploitation, but we, as individuals can strive for it, and support each other (and boycott nestle of course).

With that being said, I'm sending you lots of love <3

by Hannah <3

Hello there, internet people!

The concept of globalisation was made for all of us to enjoy and be beneficial.
It’s great that people all over the globe have the opportunity to share information, news and knowledge so that we’re always up to date. Isn’t it also just fascinating how we can increase our economic growth by partnering up with other nations? Organisations like the United Nations and the European Union help nations with a lower economic status to keep up!
Lower income people in countries like Germany and the US get to enjoy materialistic goods resulting in less societal exclusion for them.
We also get to eat, more or less authentic, ethnic food from all over the world and therefore get to know more cultures.

Erika

People who do not get to enjoy the privilege of living in industrial countries like we do, get exploited for our comfort.
The ressources and workforce of developing countries keep getting outsourced by global players for us to enjoy cheap goods (such as clothes) and energy.
Since we profit off those countries, the international gap between rich and poor widens even more resulting in more poverty.

Another widely overlooked problem of globalisation are obviously environmental consequences.
Traveling is easier and cheaper than it ever has been before, which was enabled due to globalisation. Ex- & Transport is one of the biggest factors for climate change, which is, again, caused by cheap production labour in order to maximize profit (We are noticing a pattern there, right?) and additionally results in a lot of waste and pollution.

Globalisation is too big of a topic to cover everything about it in one blogpost, but I hope you now have a more differentiated view on this whole topic.
What do you think of all of this? Make sure to let me know in the comments! I love spewing my thoughts online, but I love your reactions on my thoughts even more!

…. Right?

It caters to our needs perfectly, there cannot be anything bad about it, right?

WRONG.

If you would like to have a little bit more input, I will link you a YouTube video here about Fast Fashion (specifically SheIn), since I am personally really interested in sustainable fashion and consumption and this brand is everything going wrong with Global Marketing and Late Stage Globalisation in Fashion.
If you think fast fashion is bad, check out SHEIN - YouTube

Hate to burst your bubble but globalization has, arguably, more extensive negative than positive traits and we only get to enjoy the benefits of it because we are incredibly privileged.

by erika

And here is a speech about Climate Change I recorded, also on-topic, what a coincidence! :D
You can also check that one out if you want to.

Human rights for humans, right ?

G L O B A L I S A T I O N ?

Based on the lessons at school when we discussed and looked critically at globalisation, a lot of things came to my mind.

I was particularly struck by terrible working conditions, which are linked to human rights.

The poor become poorer, while the rich demand more wealth and power.

Education is one of the most effective ways to solve problems and make pople think.
I want to share my point of view through this contribution.

By Nirjona R.

A L L in ALL

www.savethechildren.de

www.unicef.de

www.plan.de

People want good (?), cheap clothes, for example. They are also aware of the poor working conditions under which the workers suffer like low wages, health issues and child labour.

My parents are both from Bangladesh, which led me to go there 2017. I saw the conditions under which young people at my age work. No safety clothes and no well-equipped space to work properly. Sometimes the work was done outside, which can pollute the air as well as the drinking water. In addition, laws which (should) apply to everyone in every country like human rights are violated.

As you can see, everything is interconnected : children go to work, parents have no money to pay for schools and spend it only on the necessities of life. Thus, many generations in developing countries are not well educated, a thing we take for granted.

I hope these little pieces of information could make you look at things differently. Maybe the next time you go shopping, you think about whether it is necessary or just a luxury that can cause unnecessary damage.

Nirjona R.