Globalization or imperialism?

Globalization can be understood as an interconnectivity and interdependency between nations throughout the world in not only in political and economic realms but all facets of life [1]. However, often globalization is controlled by mass communication which may cause an imbalance in the information shared, sometimes to levels that can only be regarded as imperialism [2]. Controlling the images and information distributed across the world can impact almost every facet of a countries life as Hardt has been written: "Today images determine this discourse of society with their presence (or availibility) across a range of media. They help construct reality and impose views or perspectives that conform to idealogical determined expectations.... In this case, images are the new vocabulary of a postmodern capitalist society, in which the individual is dazzled by the spectacle - and misled."

The media's control on information would be less of an issue if it was more balanced exchange between nations, but often times it is found that western ideas usurp and dominate over eastern ones, often because it is the western nations with greater power in the media. As Hardt mentions "Who speaks, where and when, and under what social or political constraints, have become importion questions, since an individual shouting into the wind or the specter of town-hall meetings are no match for sophisticated technologies of mass communications" [3]. Nations with limited technology are similar to the individual shouting in the wind, they cannot even be heard, and have no chance to argue against the beliefs they are bombarded with by mass communication from more technologically advanced nations.

Often when a country sends aid to another more developing country their beliefs are sent as well. This is mentioned in the work of Curran and Park: "Far from promoting self-sufficiency, the "modernization" of developing countries merely fosters dependency within a exploitative system of global economic relations. It promotes American capitalist values and interests, and erodes local culture in a process of global homogenization" [4]. Industrialization can be argued to be a worse system of living than more tribal systems. Pollution, stress, heavy workload, increased divide between the upper and lower classes, and more are all commonly known problems which are associated with industrialization. Many have argued that tribal life is less stressful and has less time laboring [5].

Globalization does however benefit many industrialized nations economically, and it seems obvious that it is here to stay as long as rapid communication through the internet, and relatively quick transit via flight is available, but society needs a dose of humility and sensitivity in order to prevent the subversion of alternative lifestyles.

[1]: Thussu, Daya Kishan: International Communication. Continuity and Change. London: Arnold, 2000, p. 76.

[2]: Hardt, Hanno. Myths for the Masses: an Essay on Mass Communication. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2004. Print. pg 10

[3]: Hardt, Hanno. Myths for the Masses: an Essay on Mass Communication. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2004. Print. pg 5

[4]: Curran, James and Myung-Jin Park. "De-Westernizing Media Studies". London: Routledge, 2000. pg. 5.

[5]: Minge-Klevana, Wanda. "Does Labor Time Decrease With Industrialization? A Survey of Time-Allocation Studies." Current Anthropology 21.3 (1980): 279. Print.