Do you agree that globalization is more of a curse than a blessing?

Globalization generally refers to the uninhibited economic development across all countries
resulting from the removal of trade barriers or tariffs. It is the interconnectedness and the
interdependence of each nations as well as the integration of world politics, economies and cultures
(What is Globalization, 2016). With how globalization is defined, we could say that it aims for the
development of all nations around the world. However, even though it promotes and promises a lot of
advantages for each country, there are still negative effects in the process. According to Edusson (n.d.),
the positive effects of globalization are namely the eradication of poverty, increased employment,
enhanced education, technology, and foreign investments; the adverse effects, on the other hand,
includes the displacement of workers, terrorism, job insecurity, price instability, increased lifestyle
diseases and abandonment of culture. In terms on whether or not I agree with globalization being a
curse more than a blessing, I would say yes, however not fully.

Whether globalization is a fortunate occurrence or not adheres to the list of its positive and
negative effects that I’ve stated in the first paragraph. Opinions on whether it is a curse or a blessing
actually depends on which of the effects of globalization affected you or your country or to what your
priorities are as an individual. Considering our nation’s state as an example; the largest export from our
country is labor. Because of globalization, a lot of our citizens are able to improve their family’s financial
state due to finding a lot of job opportunities abroad. But the downside here is that they are forced to
part with their families for many years, which can result to divorces, remarrying, leaving destitute
children and etc. There are also a lot of seniors dying due to sickness because their children are not
earning enough to support their financial and emotional needs.

Another positive effect of globalization is that it helps make the transportation of technology and
information a lot easier. The exchange of ideas and transactions became more efficient and have greatly
helped people, especially from developing countries. On the contrary though, the disadvantage of this is
that half of the working population of these developing nations rely only on casual jobs in the industries
until the globalization was able to take root. There is now a reduced number of employment and
increased global need for skilled professionals. Furthermore, globalization causes available jobs to be
paid poorly due to lower labor costs. Hence, the gap between the rich and the poor widens as the rate
of unemployment and poverty keeps on growing.

Globalization surely has been the solution to improving the states of developing countries, yet at
the same time, it also became its stumbling block. The reason why I answered that I only partly agreed
to whether globalization is more of a curse than a blessing is generally because of the reason that it is
not the same case between every country. The developing nations are the ones who suffer a lot from
the disadvantageous effects of globalization, while the developed countries are the ones who enjoy and
reap more of its benefits. This is why in behalf of our country which suffers the negative situations I
have mentioned above and also prone to the risk of experiencing the increasing economic inequality, I
could say that I agree to globalization is more of a curse than a blessing.
Globalization & Technology

How far is technology a game-changer in the politics of globalisation?

The advancement of technology has played a great part in revolutionizing the ways of
communication and the face of media. Along with the technological evolution of our communication,
came the emergence of text messaging, mainstream media and social media platforms i.e. Facebook,
Twitter, and YouTube. According to Safranek (2012), the emergence of these efficient means of
disseminating information somehow made an impact in the politics of globalization. It has given a rise to
a reservoir of political energy that posits a new relationship between the new media technologies,
politics, and public life (Giroux, 2009). As such, it became a medium for people to discuss their stands or
coordinate fellow protesters and activists. The civil society groups, especially, are known to be
influenced by the digital technologies. However, despite the huge impact of social media to the society,
the fact that it doesn’t provide an immediate and effective solution when it comes to political changes
still stands. According to Etling (2012), the activities of social movements will gain influence only to the
extent that they are able to avoid the scrutiny and controls of the state. As Shirky (2012) mentioned, for
a person having political freedom, one should be society literate enough to be able to discuss the issues
that are being presented to the public.

Is technology often (mis)used as a vehicle to demonstrate one’s ideologies, garner global supports
and propel one’s career?
Yes, almost all people living right now can’t even bear to survive without technology. Too much
dependency on it influences us to drag its downsides out. In current times, technology-related stuff are
everything to us, especially social media. While social media itself isn’t harming anyone, the power that
it can give to people as means of influence tells us otherwise. It’s like a modern newspaper and a digital
library at the same time. Globally, we use technology to promote ourselves because it is easier. In most
cases, celebrities, politicians, and businessmen will do almost everything to stay at the good side of the
masses. Sometimes to do so, they spread false stories and sometimes at the expense of another. Since
fame is now easier to achieve, a lot of people also aspire to be famous. People often rant and state their
opinions about the world and shove off others that disagree. The different level of toxicity when the
simplicity of social media and technology is turned into something crass and distasteful just to satisfy
their own greed. Henceforth, the original goal from creating these technologies strayed and instead is
being misused to fit their own hidden agendas.
 REFERENCES

Birdsall, N. (1999). Globalization and the Developing Countries: The Inequality Risk. Retrieved from
https://carnegieendowment.org/1999/03/18/globalization-and-developing-countries-
inequality-risk-pub-38

Edusson. (n.d.). Positive and Negative Effects of Globalization. Retrieved from

https://edusson.com/blog/positive-and-negative-effects-of-globalization

Etling, B., Faris, R., & Palfrey, J. (2012). “Political Change in the Digital Age: The Fragility and Promise of
Online Organizing” SAIS Review 30.2 (2010): 37-49. ProQuest. Web.

Giroux, H. (2009). “The Iranian Uprisings and the Challenge of the New Media: Rethinking the Politics of
Representation.” Fast Capitalism 5.2. Web. 16 Feb. 2012.

Safranek, R. (2012). The Emerging Role of Social Media in Political and Regime Change. Retrieved from
http://www.databank.com.lb/docs/The%20Emerging%20Role%20of%20Social%20Media%20in
%20Political%20and%20Regime%20Change%20-2012.pdf

Shirky, C. (2012). "The Political Power of Social Media: Technology, the Public Sphere, and Political
Change." Foreign Affairs 90.1 (2011): 28-I. ProQuest. Web.

What is Globalization? - Definition, Effects & Examples. (2016). Retrieved from

https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-globalization-definition-effects-examples.html.