506Words

WorldCultures11
FinalExamProject
LydiaCiaffone

DearUnitedNationsSecretaryGeneralBanKiMoon,
Globalizationistheconnectionofdifferentpartsoftheworld.Globalizationresultsinthe
expansionofinternationalcultural,economic,andpoliticalactivities.Aspeople,ideas,
knowledge,andgoodsmovemoreeasilyaroundtheglobe,theexperiencesofpeople
aroundtheworldbecomemoresimilar.Thespreadofdifferentkindsofmusicisan
exampleofthis.Allpartsoftheworldlistentoandmakedifferentkindsofmusic.There
aretraditionbasedmusicandnewmusiclikerapandpop.AlsotheradioandTVarea
bigpartofthis.Peoplecallthisbeingmorewestorwesternizing.Backintheday
Europeandotherplacesoftheworldweresplitonthedecisionoftryingtobemorelike
thewestorkeeptheiroldtraditionsandlivealifethatmanybeforethemhavelived.
Eventually,Europemovedonandglobalizationwasahugepartofeveryoneslife.
Clothingstyleshavealsobecomemoreuniformasaresultofglobalization.National
andregionalcostumeshavebecomerarerasglobalizationhasincreased.Inmostparts
oftheworld,professionalssuchasbankerswearsuits,andjeansandTshirtsare
commonforyoungpeople.Therehasalsobeenanincreasingexchangeoffoods
acrosstheglobe.PeopleinEnglandeatIndiancurry,whilepeopleinPeruenjoy
Japanesesushi.Meanwhile,Americanfastfoodchainshavebecomecommon
throughouttheworld.McDonald'shasmorethan31,000restaurantsin118countries.
Andpeopleallacrosstheworldareeatingmoremeatandsugaryfoods,likethosesold
infastfoodrestaurants.Nowallofthosearepositiveeffectsofglobalization.NowIm
goingtopointoutsomeofthenegativeaspectsofglobalization.Globalizationoperates
mostlyintheinterestsoftherichestcountries,whichcontinuetodominateworldtrade
attheexpenseofdevelopingcountries.TheroleofLEDCsintheworldmarketismostly
toprovidetheNorthandWestwithcheaplaborandrawmaterials.Globalcommerceis
increasinglydominatedbytransnationalcorporationswhichseektomaximizeprofits
withoutregardforthedevelopmentneedsofindividualcountriesorthelocal
populations.Also,culturaluniquenessislostinfavorofhomogenizationanda
"universalculture"thatdrawsheavilyfromAmericanculture.Competitionamong
developingcountriestoattractforeigninvestmentleadstoa"racetothebottom"in
whichcountriesdangerouslylowerenvironmentalstandards.Ontheplusside,
globalizationspedupdramaticallyinthetwentiethcenturywiththeproliferationofair
travel,theexpansionoffreetrade,andthedawnoftheInformationAge.Milesof
fiberopticcablenowconnectthecontinents,allowingpeoplearoundtheworldto
communicateinstantlythroughtheborderlessWorldWideWeb.Ithinkthatsofaryou
aretrulytryingyourbestanddoingwhatyouthinkisbetterforthemajorityofthe
population.Ijustthinkthatyoushouldconsiderpovertyandthedevelopingnations.
Thankyoufortakingthetimeoutofyourdaytoreadmyletter.
Sincerely,
LydiaCiaffonE


WorkCited

BBCNews.BBC.Web.21Jan.2015.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/globalisation/globalisation_rev5.
shtml>.

"Globalization."NationalGeographicEducation.Web.21Jan.2015.
<http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/globalization/?ar_a=1
>.

"NegativeandPositiveEffectsofGlobalizationforDevelopingCountryBusiness
BoundlessOpenTextbook."Boundless.Web.21Jan.2015.
<https://www.boundless.com/users/235420/textbooks/businessfundamentals/internatio
nalbusinessfortheentrepreneur14/globalizationopportunitiesandthreatstodevelopi
ngcountrybusiness55/negativeandpositiveeffectsofglobalizationfordevelopingco
untrybusiness25315556/>.