Friday, January 18, 2013


Globalization: A Ploy?

I still can’t fully embrace the fact that we are in 2013. It feels, for some reason, like a date from another world. Regardless, we’re in that inevitable year, 2013, and it is known that, the number 13 is synonymous with bad luck. Yet, this is not what worries me about entering into the realm of the New Year. What does is that every year drags us further into the complex web of globalization. I bet you’re wondering, “Why so hating? It’s really all about the process of international integration arising from the interchange of world views, products, ideas, and other aspects of culture, right? At least that’s what Wikipedia says?” Well, for once, Wikipedia is mistaken!

What really made me shed light on this issue is a realization that was gradually instilled within me since I first relocated to Cairo earlier last year. Where I previously used to reside was Dubai which is a VERY globalized place with demographics more multicultural than New York City and people from all over the world uniting. I always cherished being in such a society considering myself a person who sees things from an authentic perspective thanks to that. As immodest as admitting it is, I was consistently ahead of the curve there. Upon moving here, I suddenly found myself surrounded by a society where everyone was much more aware of the surroundings, the international political scene, the economic conditions and etcetera, even though the educational resources were much less than in the former. I was simply mediocre.

This is when I finally realized the consequences of globalization and noticed a negative correlation between it and intellectuality. The former simply eradicates the latter. This is MOST noticeable in the younger generation. Even though I was in one of the best schools, the students there were all slaves to modernism, stereotypes and were simply conformed to a box. They were either music lovers or athletes or conforming to another identity, which is simply a limitation. Of course, students were mostly consistently making sure they’re not highly knowledgeable or academically top notch just to avoid everyone’s least favourite label, ‘nerd’! Here are a couple of questions you should ask yourself… Who instilled these thoughts within said teens? Why are they following such trends? Isn’t it television? The media? Yes, basically, it’s globalization!



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