Grumpy about Globalization?
How shall we usher in the new decade of 2020? With a plane shot down over Iran, a long-overdue end to a divisive trade war, and an outbreak of a virus that has already imprisoned gleeful children indoors for months? The reality is depressing. Yet, all these events are part of two burgeoning and hopeful phenomena that many students in STC do not fully understand - “globalization” and the rising prevalence of becoming a “global citizen”. For example, what even is the difference between the two terms? Should you be a global citizen?
Globalization is the interconnection of humanity. Although it has been taking place for millenia, the rate of its occurrence has skyrocketed in recent decades. Let’s examine it’s history briefly to gain a deeper appreciation.
Three million years ago, deep in the haze of human prehistory, was a period of time anthropologists now call the Paleolithic era. Back then, human networks were tiny islands, pockets of familiarity dispersed throughout remorseless lands, with each numbering in the mere hundreds or thousands. Over the next millennia, these networks gradually grew due to exploration, population expansion, and an increase in better communication, and transportation methods. This was the first leap in globalization.
“Veni, Vidi, Vici” (I came; I saw; I conquered) is an emblematic quote of Julius Caesar epitomizing the Roman empire’s insatiable spirit of conquest. It was exactly empires of this kind that played the next major role in globalization. Although the act of conquering implies one culture supplanting another, the great empires of Persia, China, and Rome further developed the extensive road, courier, and trade systems such as the Silk Road reaching other unconquered lands, facilitating the spread of religion, technology, and unfortunately, disease. Printing and gunpowder spread from East-Asia to Europe, but so did the Black Death. However, hitherto, the four great-continents of the world (Afro-Eurasia, Pacific, Americas, and Oceania) were still as if entirely different planets. The age of colonialism changed this with sailboats and smoking muskets. This age also saw industrial powerhouses increase imports of raw materials such as sugars and slaves and exports of products from new machinery to other countries, further enhancing the economic ties between countries.
Finally, nearly a century later, digital technology and various organizations further contributed to the most recent leap in globalization. TVs and news channels meant that a disaster hundreds of miles away could reach us in the blink of an eye, and governments are much easier held accountable for their actions. The United Nations was formed to prevent global conflicts from arising and intensifying; the WTO was created to resolve trade disputes. Soon after, containerization (shipping goods in a standardized system) meant the cost of transporting decreased and therefore stimulated economic connections even further. Around the same time, air travel became affordable and there were drastic increases in tourism. Fiber optic technology gave rise to the World Wide Web and social media allowed people from different backgrounds to share knowledge and experiences whenever and wherever they wished.
It was precisely from these cultural sharing and interactions that the notion of being a “global citizen” emerged. So, what is a “global citizen”?
Imagine a child the same age as you, in some Kenyan plain, under the blistering sun, with cracked lips and worn-out clothes, without proper shelter, but a miserable destiny ahead of him. Doesn’t this evoke a sense of commiseration? That’s what many people of the world felt when they saw such images, and this kind of feeling prompted them, as it should you, to realize that all humans deserve basic necessities of life. From then on, they strove to make the world a fairer and more sustainable place. This is what it meant to be a ‘global citizen’ - to have an awareness that all we humans on this globe are connected, an empathy with those suffering injustice and cruelty around the world, and a realization of the responsibility to make a difference for a better world. Global citizens recognize that everyone could be better off in the long run if we show care to each other - essentially the moral of A Christmas Carol on a global scale. Millions of people have joined in on being a global citizen ever since, but unfortunately, far from everyone.
Hong Kongers, in general, are renowned for their myopia. In fact, when surveyed about how much they understood any of the several recent influential international events in Asia, such as the buildup of nuclear weapons in Iran, the majority of local secondary school students could only answer a small fraction of the questions. 1 The same attitude would apply to many, if not most, students in Shatin College. Poor performance on occasional politics-related quizzes and unenthusiastic GTS classes together tell a sizable part of the story. Although certain clubs (MUN, Debate) do expose students to international events, only a small number of students actively participate and even those who do may not fully appreciate the significance of globalization, much less the power of becoming a global citizen.
There are several advantages to being a global citizen, not least of which is to develop qualities that would not only enrich our lives but also be of great use in the future. Part of being a global citizen involves having an acute sense of awareness of your place in the world and a deep feeling of connection with those around you. And this is inherently a profoundly fulfilling state of mind. In addition, through this feeling of connection, you become more curious and amazed about the world, and develop a sense of gratitude that would make you a more resilient person. It is also this gratitude that alleviates stress and anxiety. Another part of being a global citizen involves actively making the world a fairer and more sustainable place, not only fending off physical injustice but also ignorance. Thus we learn how to form critical judgments of the world and how to stand firmly for the under-privileged and wronged, improving our spirit of leadership. Finally, being a global citizen helps us develop loftier ambitions and smooth our journey in finding ourselves.
The exciting benefits of being a global citizen only truly shine under the light of globalization. Remember the first three examples at the very start of this article? The plane that was shot down accidentally over Iran is a perfect example of political globalization - a lack of awareness of political tension between countries could easily endanger our lives. The trade war is an example of economic globalization. Being aware of it and suggesting solutions can improve our livelihood. Moreover, being aware of global trends and situations in other countries can help uncover economic opportunities. For example, keeping a look out for the types of skills the world favors can help us to identify how to prepare ourselves academically. The recent Coronavirus reflects biological globalization. With the increase of exchanges of people, diseases can easily spread from country to country. Being aware of this can help us take earlier precautions before a trip. Finally, due to social globalization, our future career will almost certainly involve working with people from other cultures, and developing a global citizen mindset now can significantly smooth our work experience.
Some good ways of becoming a global citizen involve joining local organizations. For example, my friend Patrick started one non-profit organization called the Youth Health Focus group and it is an excellent platform for you to begin your journey. In the Youth Health Focus group, you will have the chance to donate bone marrow to those direly in need, learn and teach methods of solar protection and participate in anti-bullying (Link to website: https://youthhealthfocus.org). Further, cultural immersion tours and volunteer programs are also great opportunities. In fact, there will be at least one such tour organized by the environmental council this year - a trip to the beaches of Philippine islands to maintain mangroves. Look out for the sign up form.
To conclude: if you share the realization that all people are equal and connected, as well as an understanding that we should shoulder the responsibility of making the world a safer and more equal place, then you have started your journey of becoming a global citizen!
References:
1. 筆下風雲：目光短淺 只有本土
https://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/news/20161012/00184_005.html