Blog1What Is Globalization？—YANG JIAQI

 What is Globalization? — The Closer the World Becomes, the More We Care About Who We Are

1. Summary

When we talk about globalization, the first thing that usually comes to mind is that the world is becoming more connected. People can travel more easily, information can spread around the world quickly, and different cultures can meet each other more often. However, I think globalization is more complicated than simply making the world “smaller.”

Globalization does not necessarily mean that everyone will think or live in the same way. Even though people from different countries are becoming closer, their cultures, habits, and ways of thinking can still be very different. In some cases, the more we communicate with other cultures, the more clearly we can notice our own differences.

So, for me, globalization is not only about connection. It is also about how people understand themselves in a world where they are constantly meeting people and cultures that are different from their own.

2. The Most Interesting Part

The most interesting thing about globalization, in my opinion, is this question: Why do we sometimes care more about “who we are” when the world becomes more globalized?

At first, I thought globalization would make cultures more similar. For example, people in many countries watch similar movies, listen to similar music, use the same social media, and buy products from the same international brands. It seems like the differences between countries are becoming smaller.

But at the same time, globalization can make people notice their own culture more. When we see how other people live, we may suddenly realize that some things we thought were “normal” are actually connected to our own culture. We start to compare our habits and values with those of other people.

In this sense, globalization is almost like a mirror. It brings us closer to other people, but at the same time, it can make us think more about our own identity.

3. Further Discussion

This makes me think about another question: If there were no globalization, would we understand our own culture better or worse?

Before meeting people from different backgrounds, we may not think much about what makes our culture special. Many things just feel natural because we grow up with them. But when we experience another culture, the differences become easier to see. Through comparison, we may understand ourselves better.

At the same time, globalization also has problems. Not every culture has the same influence. Some powerful cultures and global companies have much more influence than others. This means globalization can sometimes create more cultural similarity instead of simply creating equal cultural exchange.

Therefore, I don’t think globalization should be understood as something that is completely good or completely bad. It brings people closer together, but it also creates new questions about identity, difference, and power.

In the end, globalization makes the world closer, but I think the more interesting question is not whether we will all become similar. It is how we will understand our differences and ourselves in a world that is becoming increasingly connected.


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