Globalisation

This was a General Paper essay which I got a 35/50 for it.It was surprising because I did it in a rush and I had thought it was slipshod work for my expectations.

Despite the connectivity that modern technology has given us, people are now more isolated than they have ever been. Do you agree?

The rapid advancement and spread of technology in the world is an effect of globalization which has resulted in forging a sense of interconnectedness and increasing accessibility between people and countries. However, ironically, people now appear to be more distant from each other and less interdependent as compared to the past.

Technological advancements do not benefit everyone in the world as the benefits do not reach the rural areas in some countries. For example in Africa, when asked about the most serious problem in their country, an overwhelming margin of 92% identified HIV/Aids as their most serious problem. This clearly shows that developments in the medical fields like medical treatments and equipment do not reach these areas and many people in Africa are still suffering and dying from Aids. This leaves them cut off from the rest of the world as people in more developed countries are becoming better off while these people are left in poor health and living conditions. In addition, even though Nokia Siemens Networks is working with mobile-phone service providers in Africa to provide rural villages with low-cost communication services, most of these service providers in Africa are reluctant to expand their services to rural areas, claiming that it was to costly. Moreover, in areas where there are mobile networks, the prices of mobile services are high and hence many people are unable to afford them. Thus we see that people in rural villages do not benefit from the gains from modern technology and hence, millions of them remain unconnected from the rest of the world.

The new modes of communication limit social interaction and affect interpersonal skills. These modes of communication include mobile phones, email and instant messaging, all arising from increased globalization. Statistics have shown that 4 out of 5 households in Singapore have internet access and 8 out of 10 Singaporeans own a mobile phone or a PDA. Although this may seem to increase interconnectivity between people, it actually isolates them instead because most people find it more convenient to communicate through these means, especially with the increasingly hectic lifestyles people lead which makes it difficult for people to meet up with each other. As such, people become so accustomed to such communication means that relationships become superficial and impersonal. Also, with all these modern means of communication such as email and web cameras, many people find it more worthwhile to run their businesses from home and most of their discussions with other potential partners may be done via instant messaging or email. This would also limit communication. In Singapore, 60% of teenagers felt that it was easier to communicate with people through instant messaging or text messages as they felt that it reduces any possible awkward silences between face-to-face conversations. However, it would then limit interaction between people as people are confined to the comforts of their home or offices and this could result in difficulty in expressing oneself eloquently. This would then cause them to be lacking in self-confidence would further discourage them from participating in social activities and hence, distant themselves from others.

In the service sector, attempts to increase the level of convenience for consumers only serve to reduce interaction between people and the public. We see more Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and AXS machines, not only in urban areas but also in our neighborhoods. There is also Internet Banking services by banks like DBS and other customer services. Moreover, there are increasing number of shopping websites springing up on the internet such as eBay, Amazon and the emergence of ‘shopping blogs’. Although all these may make things more convenient for consumers, in addition to limiting opportunities for interaction between people, it also reduces people to the confines of their homes or area and hence, they become unwilling to step out of their comfort zone as these services are within easy reach. This could result in isolation arising from the preference to stay within their area and hence, could prevent them from frequenting the urban areas.

However although technology has resulted in the hindrance of social interaction, we should still acknowledge that it has provided people with the means to remain connected with each other, especially their friends and family who are overseas. Means of communication such as email, web-cameras and long-distance call services serves to help them to keep in touch with each other. This would then prevent friends and families from being completely separated and cut off from each other even though they might be spread out across the world.

People may also argue that technology in the form of the mass media has also enables information to be rapidly disseminated, allowing quick and easy accessibility to information and news. This allows people to stay connected to and not be left in ignorance of world affairs. For example, news networks such as the BBC and the New York Times have set up websites to put up their news reports. News is also rapidly transmitted via satellites and hence, news from countries as far away as America can reach us in Asia and vice versa in a shorter amount of time. As such, this increased accessibility brought about by modern technology helps to bridge the distance between nations and people, enabling them to be able to be more concerned and interested in the affairs of other nations other than their own.

In conclusion, globalization has brought about convenience and accessibility in communication which promotes interconnectedness between people, however, we cannot avoid the fact that people now are still isolated and disconnected from others and the rest of the world, especially those in the rural parts of the world. Even in developed countries, the accessibility brought about by modern technology has increased convenience and thus kept people confined to their own comfort zones and reduce their movements to urban areas where there is the highest level of interaction between people. Therefore, ironic as it sounds, people are now less dependent on each other due to increased connectivity brought about by modern technology.