jobalization

[jobalization]

How can we reform charities?

“If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.” This quote has always resonated with me because I heard it often growing up, but I didn’t fully grasp its meaning till recently.

One way people can be global citizens is by donating to charities and organizations. They believe that they are doing their part by donating $2 to feed one child or going on a one-week mission trip. This connects back to how the idea of global citizenship works when there’s someone who can help and someone who needs help. However, when we donate a sack of rice to a family in need or supply a family with a monthly allowance, we’re training them to depend on our donations. In addition, another problem is, when we donate money to provide a family with a sack of rice, if that rice isn’t locally sourced, we are putting local farmers at risk of losing their livelihood. If charities import all the rice that is donated instead of supporting local, they’re just making large cooperations richer and the poor poorer, which defeats the point of a charity.

Once a year, my high school used to take part in a rucksack challenge. Each class had to fill at least one bag with toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soap. We also included towels, socks, and other items we could add. Of course, our class would always aim for around 2 or 3 bags worth of goods. All the bags would then be collected and donated to migrant workers living in cramped houses and working in unsafe conditions. Many of these migrant workers were in construction, and their working conditions were not regulated. Although donating toiletries and other items would help reduce how much the migrant worker would have to spend that month/week and eases some financial burden, it does not help fix the root of their problem. It’s a band-aid solution. These workers still go home to an apartment that’s meant for 4 people yet it fits 10. They still risk their lives everyday doing construction work in 40ºC weather without wearing protective gear. Their passports gets taken by their employers to prevent them from leaving and searching for a new job. Our backpacks filled with items are not needed. What they need is legal assistance to help them get out of the situation they’re stuck in. Their freedom and safety has been taken away, and our donated backpacks are not going to help them. At the end of the day, we were only teenagers at that time, we lacked the voice and the power to make a real difference for those that are marginalized.

Going back to the quote from the beginning of this post, now that I’m more aware of worldly issues and how things work, I believe many charities should change the way they operate. Although it is still essential to donate money, food, and other necessities because they’re still needed, it is more important to educate the people. It is necessary to teach people how they can make a source of income, such as teaching needlework which is popular amongst tourists. When building a well for the local community, the locals can be educated on how the process is done; therefore, next time, they can do it themselves. We should allow the needy to grow and flourish because they are completely capable of it, we’re just limiting their potential because they become too reliant on the donations. 

By choosing to teach people how they can take care of themselves, you can fix their problem from its core, making your time, effort, and donation as global citizens more worthwhile and meaningful. By choosing to educate yourself first about how you can truly make a difference and exploring different options you can help out, you are fulling your responsibility of being a global citizen, instead of impulsively donating to a ‘good cause’ just to make yourself feel good.

[jobalization]

Global Culture = Western Culture

As we all know by now, we encounter elements of globalization in our everyday lives, which has been heightened over the past few years. Many critics perceive cultural globalization as Americanization, the spread, and dominance of Western culture worldwide. Arguably it can also be classified as cultural imperialism. Since I grew up abroad in multiple countries in Asia, I want to reflect on how much of my interaction with aspects of cultural globalization is “Americanized” and how dominant is the American culture in my life.

Firstly, I want to explore cultural globalization in pop culture. I grew up watching American TV shows, whether it’s Nickelodeon, Disney, or BBC kids. But my experience with television programs is unique to each country I’ve lived in. In the Philippines, I had a wide range of channels to choose from, which were up to date with the latest shows and episodes. However, when I moved to India, their Disney Channel contrasted what I was accustomed to. Firstly, instead of Disney Channel, their name was Disney Star India. They did not stream Wizards of Wavery Place, or That’s So Raven. Instead, they streamed their own shows, whether it’s an Indian adaption of an American show like Best of Luck Nikki or an original like Nack to the Groove. Whereas in the UAE, when I opened Disney Channel, although it displayed American shows like Liv and Maddie, the characters spoke Arabic, and I was surprised. Additionally, there are always Arabic subtitles in every channel, even in movies shown in the cinema. However, my experience in cultural globalization in pop culture is not limited to only Western shows and movies. Growing up, I also watched a lot of anime and K-drama, especially in the Philippines; the Kdramas they show is dubbed in Tagalog. All of the examples I mentioned are examples of glocalization; each country’s network took bits and pieces from the American, or Japanese or Korean culture and made it their own, adapted it, so their programs are a better fit for their audience.

Secondly, I want to see cultural globalization through the eyes of transnational companies. Many of the shops I buy from and restaurants I eat at originate from Western countries, such as Apple, Zara, Forever 21, Bershka, McDonald’s Chili’s, etc. I notice that I tend to gravitate towards these brands despite local brands. In my opinion, these brands tend to keep up better with the new fashion trends; in return, I feed into consumer culture and buy these items. Although Western companies seem to have dominated the market for the past years, the spread of non-western companies worldwide is on the rise. I observed the diffusion of Filipino fast-food chains, such as Jollibee and Bario Fiesta. Companies like Shein and Ali Express are getting more and more exposure. Unfortunately, it is also important to acknowledge how many transnational companies face ethical and human rights infringement issues. This is a criticism of global cultural convergence.  Many of their workers are overworked and underpaid. They outsource their labor to lower-income countries where demand for employment is high, and they take advantage of people that require work. For example, Foxconn, Apple’s primary manufacturer, faced criticisms in 2006 relating to their poor working conditioning, driving their workers to commit suicide by jumping off the roof. Consequently, Foxconn added nets to prevent any casualties, although there are some doubts about the quality of those nets. In 2010 it came to the attention that child labour was there as well in the company.

In my personal experience, there are many aspects of cultural globalization that are Americanized, and others may feel the same as well. But with the rise to power of other countries, there has also been an increase in the dissemination of other cultures, especially Asian cultures, with more and more Korean songs and shows breaking records and being put in the spotlight. There has also been a lot more advocacy for the mistreatment of workers for transnational companies leading to companies being held accountable.

[jobalization]

World Without Trade

Over the past decades, our world has experienced an increase in interconnectedness and interdependence between countries and their citizens through international trade, information, communication, and transport technology. Consequently, there has also been a rise in support for anti-globalism. This was illustrated with Britain’s decision to leave the European Union and in the 2017 US election with former US President Donald Trump. Therefore, I want to examine the potential effects caused by a country's decision to close all of its borders to trade and immigration by implementing protectionist policies. 

 Firstly, I want to tackle why we trade in the first place. We trade because of comparative advantage - this is when a country can produce a product more efficiently because they have specialized their labor force on a specific type of production. With this, a country can produce a range of goods or services efficiently and at a lower cost, resulting in lower prices for consumers.

 If a country closes off its borders to international trade and immigration, this means that any demands and supplies required by that country would need to be produced within its borders. This will be problematic due to many reasons: 

Firstly, each country has a carrying capacity which is dependent on the number of resources each country has. A country with abundant resources will have a higher carrying capacity and vice versa for a country with limited resources. If a government cannot support all of its citizens with the basic necessities of life, a potential outcome could be a rise in starvation or death rates. 

Secondly, a country may not have enough labor to employ people to produce the goods and services its citizens demand. A country would have to make its own cars, books, tables, sodas, and other day-to-day items. This would prove not only impossible, but also result in a rise in the cost of production for this product, causing an inevitable rise in their prices. Citizens would in turn be displeased by this as well as the lack of variety to choose from. They would have to adapt their lifestyle, limited only to products that can be produced. 

 Thirdly, though the demand for a particular product such as wheelchairs may be low, but it still needs to be produced- creating a surplus of this product. If we contrast this to if their borders were still open to international trade, it would be able to export this product to a country experiencing a deficit in it and even making a profit off it. 

 In my opinion, if a country were to close off its borders completely, it would cause an uproar and potentially, political instability. The official who might have initiated the idea in the first place may be overthrown. Those who might have supported the decision can realize its limitations. An individual might have been used to seeing a wide range of cereal brands but now is limited to choosing from 3. Others may have taken advantage of the prices of clothes, but now they have to pay double or even triple its price. However, I also believe that protectionism is necessary to a certain extent. For example, it is hard for smaller and local businesses to start up when they have to compete with multinational companies that sell their product at low prices. Therefore, the government needs to carefully decide the degree to which their borders are open to trade to protect and help such firms in order for them to grow and enter the market, especially ones who engage in a fresher field.

[jobalization]

Girl Meets World

I’ve always considered myself lucky growing up as a third-culture kid in multiple countries where I experienced other cultures, environments, and beliefs. Globalization has shaped my whole life due to the opportunity it has given my father to work overseas and migrate his family with him. 

With this said, having lived in 5 countries over the past 18 years made it difficult for me to have a place I call home. Despite traveling there every summer holiday, I haven’t considered my home country, the Philippines, home.  I don’t consider Bahrain the country I’ve lived longest in, and the country I’m currently in, my home either.  Yet, no matter where I am, my bed has always been my safe place; this is why I decided to use it for my commentary.  Starting with my bed, though I bought my sheets in Bahrain, I purchased them in Ikea, a Swedish brand. However, the bedsheets themselves are most probably manufactured in a different country. Through globalization, TNCs can manufacture and outsource in another country while selling their products in another country. TNCs allow people to purchase products that might not be available if it wasn’t for them; they also provide an experience for their customers and enable them to experience a different culture. 

Often, I find myself doing daily tasks on my bed, whether I’m eating, doing work, watching Netflix, or chatting with my friends. In the photo, you can see that I’m doing some readings for my political science class. Despite being over 10,000 km away from McMaster, I can still attend university as if I’m in Canada. This is made possible through globalization which aided advancement in technology and communications. Technology and communication is a significant aspect of my day to day life; it allows me to continue my higher education, stay up to date with the latest news and communicate with my friends and family worldwide. Technology has compressed the space between families living apart and allows them to keep in touch with one another and celebrate special occasions together regardless of being miles apart. 

Another way globalization has largely impacted day-to-day aspects of my life is with the food I consume. Bahrain is a relatively small country that is reliant on imports for fresh produce and other essential products. Whether it’s the fruits used to make my fresh juice or the ingredients for my sandwich, it is all dependent on trade and globalization. Without imports, the produce Bahrain produces will not suffice for the whole population.

To conclude, there are a lot of aspects in my everyday life shaped by globalization positively, a lot more than I can fit in 300 words. Although it is essential to acknowledge that not everyone has the same experience with globalization as me, many people have lost their jobs or are exploited. Should we continue to take advantage of these people at our expense and convenience?