globalisation and your argument is really stupid
like most 'academic' wannabe know-it-alls, i enjoy engaging in banter about issues. however, i tend to enjoy it most when talking with people who actually know what the heck is going on and i most definitely switch off when said banter turns into an argument where i have to defend myself to people.
saturday night / sunday morning i had the pleasure of taking part in a conversation with someone who had just decided she was feverently opposed to globalisation mainly because it wasn't 'pretty'. in short, her hometown wasn't what it was when she was 9. it had increased, building and construction was abounding and johannesburg no longer 'represented africa' because, according to her, we live in africa because we like open spaces. i hated to break it to her, but urban sprawl is a reality because, keep this on the downlow, but jo'burg is a CITY and cities generally have places. apparently globalisation is bad because her home town is less 'pretty'
growth will happen whether people want it to or not and, if it bothers you, then adopt a cause and do something (keyword) constructive like starting a call for more parks or protected areas. demanding that people stop movement towards growth is not a solution to anything. tom and i both find fake tuscan architecture visually affronting, but the fact is, it is cheap and provides more housing - we dont have to buy it and live in one, but if more people can, i really dont think it matters much how pretty we find it!
posted by sarah @ 12:22 AM
10 Comments:
Oh my gas! Those fake Tuscan things are hideous! Jokingly, I have to say that they definitely make me feel opposed to globalisation if that's what everything will look like!
The greek cafe owner on my childhood neighbourhood corner was a crook and a sheister. I for one am glad for the generic 7/11's popping up with their 'standards of service' and their lack of grumpy greeks :D
Has anyone watched gummie bears recently? Did it seem as appealing as it did when you were 9? OF COURSE NOT! Things change when you grow up, and while globalisation is a big part of how that change occurs, nothing will be the same as your mis-spent youth regardless.
...
... I still enjoy the gummie bears though :p
My dad is greek and owned a cafe. He is not a crook or a sheister. Neither was he grumpy. The closing of his cafe was not due to the generic 7/11's.
BUT these 7/11's and petrol station shops are generally also owned by greeks. However, they are also not grumpy because they now make more money.
YAY 4 stereotypes.
like, i think that, like, globalisation totally rocks cos like, it brought McDonalds to our shores...
like, oh my gawd.
Come now Mary, I never said ALL greeks were crooks and sheisters, that's just mean :p Just old Costa and his sawn off hockey stick which he used to chase the kids outta his establishment.
That bastard! }:(
There is something about such truly inane conversations that leaves one feeling a little more pessimistic about people in general. I am glad though that you were able to chat to her about the inevitability and the necessity of globalization.
But I think I see her point: Cities, buildings and even people are losing their distinctiveness and charm, which is a huge shame. When I was younger we used to have a holiday house in Aston Bay (a tiny little village near J-Bay), and it was so amazing and charming, and I have magical memories from there. Compare that to Umhlanga. It may be growing rapidly and loads of fun, but no one could ever describe it as charming or magical.
I do agree about Tuscan architecture :)
Overheard in Rosebank:
"Tuscan is Soooo 5 years ago! Its french provincial now, daaahling! :P"
It's interesting that the things that we value and make us comfortable are also the things that we hate and cause us pain. Example: cars. We love them but they cause a lot of damage. Same with globalization.
If you feel like a real geek and have three hours to kill check out the movie "The Corporation" This is a 3 hour documentary about the power and evil that is found in many of our largest companies. They actually do a psychological analysis on companies and ask the question, "who is calling the shots? Who is making the moral decisions in companies and who is taking on the responsibilities of these actions and decisions?"
It is very thought provoking. At least in the next conversation you will have more ammo. Three hours of ammo in fact. Don't worry, it is in three parts so you can watch a little at a time. You can also download it.
Also, check out "An Inconvenient Truth" It is a lecture by the former Vice President of the US Al Gore. It is a really good documentary about global warming. Very good.
My dad's name is Kostas!!! But he's more into judo than hockey!
Hehehehehe!
Just kidding, arguing for arguments sake!
But seriously, globalisation probably helped Tolstoy's grumpy Costa become rich.
Last I heard he died of lung cancer (he smoked too much.) :p
Protesting globalisation is so futile though, for the simple reason that nothing short of global nuclear war will ever be powerful enough to wipe it out. It's un unstoppable force because of the development and progress this modern world has seen. I can guarantee you that Mao or Stalin would never had allowed for such free-market shindiggery!
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