Is the World Really Becoming a “Global Village”

chillibreeze writer — KPM Nair

Synopsis

This essay briefly addresses the question “Is the world really becoming a global village?” An attempt has been made to answer the question by discussing relevant issues such as how technology is breaking through geographical barriers and distance, integrating the entire world into a cohesive village. The author concludes that while some parts that of the world fit into the description of a global village, others cannot due to unequal development and inaccessibility to technology.

Introduction

The current developments in information technology and communication are really astounding. Over the last few years; there has been an explosion in the methods of communication. From the age of teleprinters, we have come to the age of, radios, TVs, fax machines, computers, the Internet, cell phones and cyberspace. In almost all parts of the world these fast track developments have had their impact.

The Globalization of News

The media has been greatly affected by technological advances. We can still read newspapers with yesterday’s news, but we now also have access to information about global events and news as and when they occur. When the Pope steps out on his balcony, we can see him just as clearly as the people milling around him. Distance has become a thing of the past. News travels as if we are all living together in one village. We saw the horrifying devastation in countries like Indonesia and Sri Lanka caused by the tsunami. As soon as Katrina happened the entire world knew of her arrival and the damage that followed.

So the world is really becoming a global village, especially in communication and the dissemination of information.

One of the main contributors to this metamorphosis is the Internet. People can chat and talk with each other as if they are physically present. The barriers of distance and culture are fast breaking down. People can exchange ideas, pictures, information, and so on, the miles separating them insignificant in the light of this powerful development. Gone are the days when we hardly knew about the cultures of people in far away countries. The Internet now provides information on anything to anyone who has access to a computer and a telephone.

The fast developing technology has enabled the media to communicate to people all over the world by reducing and/or eliminating the barrier of distance. Online shopping and banking are also helping the entire global community to have more cohesive and integrated approaches to these daily processes.

However, we should not forget the fact that access to a computer and other technology is still a far away dream for many people of the world especially in less developed countries of the world. Penetration into these areas is certainly taking place, but at a slow pace as the priority continues to remain on food, clothing and shelter.

Also, these technological advances have created the impression of a “global village”. However this has still not achieved a more humane behavior pattern across the globe. The hallmark of life in a village is the closeness and the resultant neighborliness, compassion and sympathy between the inhabitants. Technological advances have not achieved this so in this respect it may be too hasty to call the world a global village just as yet.

Even though the world is definitely shrinking in terms of accessibility of information and ease in communication, it is still alien and a far removed reality for many. Due to non uniform development of different communities and countries, the world is certainly not a global village as yet.

List of References.

1. Saffo, Paul. Welcome to a world of global villages. Paul Saffo.
http://www.saffo.com/essays/globalvillages.php

2. Mazrui, Ai A. Binghampton and the global village. 2000. Binghampton University. http://inside.binghamton.edu/millennium/mazrui.htm

3. Talbott, Steven L. Do we really want a global village. 1995. O’Reilly & Associates. http://www.praxagora.com/stevet/fdnc/ch09.html

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—About our writer:

Nair writes for chillibreeze.

Is the World Really Becoming a “Global Village”

Synopsis

Introduction

The Globalization of News

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