‘Globalization is not something we can hold off or turn off… it is the economic equivalent of a force of nature – like wind or water’ – Bill Clinton
According to my professor, Zellyne Jennings-Craig, globalisation is the process involving increasing cross border flows goods, services, money, people, information, people and culture. The world, she said, is all interlinked – every country is interdependent on goods and services. This had a powerful effect on me as I ponder: am I a product of globalization?
I lived in Taiwan for eight years and during that time I didn’t realize, until now, that I was affected by globalization every day. My boss, Emily, was a Taiwanese aborigine who fondly told me of village’s culture, food, language and traditions. Her daughter, Esther, didn’t care much about her culture. She seemed more interested in the latest video games or the newest TV shows. I remember her eyes would widen as big as saucers when I told her about my beautiful island of Jamaica. She was also more interested in learning English than learning her own village native dialect. Her mother didn’t seem to mind though. “The world is changing ‘, she told me, “Esther must improve her English and know more about other countries in order to survive.”
I also remember living in Taiwan’s “paperless” society. Thanks to the ‘information super highway’ all transactions are done by computer. For millions of Taiwanese, paper money is a thing of the past. No longer solely used for online purchases, e-money, accessed via a smart card or mobile phone, has become a way of life for many consumers. It was also a way of life for me. If I left home without my smart card then my whole day was ruined. Every bit of information was stored on that card, including money for my bus ride, security pass for my workplace and money for food supplies. This reminded me of what Professor Jennings-Craig said ‘globalisation can be a civilizing force.’
As I reflected on my experiences in Taiwan, I’ve come to a deeper appreciation of globalization and its effects. Because of globalization, Taiwan has higher living standards, faster growth and new opportunities. And as a foreigner, it made my life there much easier and stress free. I agree wholeheartedly with Kofi Annan when he said “success in achieving sustained growth depends critically on expanding access to the opportunities of globalisation” (2001). That’s my wish for Jamaica and its people.
References:
Annan, Kofi (2001). Special address: Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
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