Globalization

As technology and innovation advance, our view of the vast world around us begins to shrink. Concepts and ideas are shared and created worldwide. It would be difficult to say whether globalization is positive or negative, because it depends on which sphere of the globe you are living, but for first world countries, like America, it is beneficial. In less developed nations that have not been industrialized, it may push them even further behind.

Technology is increased with the help of global markets and trade. With an open flow of ideas and innovations between countries, it is difficult to deny that advancements are not made with efficiency. Not only does globalizing have an affect on technology, but it has immeasurable affects on business, the economy, social structures, politics, culture, and more.

The negative effects of globalizing on culture are extremely important. Instead of basking in a world that is rich in diversity and admirable cultural differences, globalization creates uniformity resulting in the language, food, and traditions that were unique to different peoples fading out. If the world globalized entirely, there would be no need for travel or exploration because there would be nothing left that you could not see from where you are from. Leaving for a foreign place would be similar, if not the identical, as staying where you are.

Not all globalization is negative though. It has a positive effect on the labor market because the expanding of companies to different parts of the world creates jobs for the people that live in that area, which is highly desirable for places that have increasing unemployment rates. However, most Americans and other first world country citizens are unaware or careless to the conditions globalization has for the workers in poorer areas where we put our industries for cheap distribution of goods. Child labor, insanely long work days, little pay and poor work conditions are just a few of the unfair treatment examples for these people.

With companies spreading to different parts, there is more wealth being distributed around the world. Globalizing also creates a sort of mutual friendship between countries who depend on each other to thrive, making it difficult to believe that they would wage war against each other. That being said, one could argue that globalizing gives politics and military powers a sense of security.

Weighing the positive and negative effects of globalization makes it difficult to decipher whether it is for better or for worse, but the bottom line is that it does have effects.

Technology and the Way We Think

The American society today is one full of technology and easy access to information. In the past, it was difficult to share information, communicate with others, and travel over long distances. Most people were confined to one area for the majority of their lives and never sought travel outside of the known, not due to a lack of curiosity, but because doing so would prove to be a difficult task. Knowledge was limited to what could be learned from books, oral language, and personal experiences and making long distance trips was limited to ships and ground travel. Sources of knowledge and information and ways of travel have not been altered, just expanded. Along with the sources discussed, we now have cell phones, television, radio, airplanes, and the innovation that takes the cake, the internet. The internet has changed the way that we think because instead of having to search through multiple books and encyclopedias for answers to simple questions, we can go online and have access to infinite amounts of knowledge.  

Because of advances in technology, we now see the world on a more global scale. Communication between countries and even continents has become as easy as the push of a button. We have more access and understanding of world news and occurrences thanks to media coverage on television along with new stories in print and online. It is simple to get on a plane and travel to a foreign country. Personal experiences are not limited to small areas and the world is available for whoever wishes to see it. Television now also plays a role in the democratic aspect of American government, as Presidential campaigns and speeches are aired for the world to see in the months before the vote. This plays a huge role in the way Americans think of presidential candidates because we can actually see them through the way that they present themselves on television, although this may be negative for the candidates themselves because Americans are very judgmental and  image oriented, but the fact that we have that ability is a phenomenon in itself. Advancements in technology are wonderful opportunities for a long, easy, and information filled life. I personally could not picture my life without all of the modern day technology that I use on a daily basis, and I’m sure that most American people would agree with me. 

English Only

The United States government  has a history of racism and, although much less prominent today, it still exists. The Arizona laws that permit authorities to stop “immigrant looking” individuals and ask for proof of citizenship are prime examples. These laws were put in place by the government and backed by a Supreme Court ruling, just as slave ownership and segregation laws were in the past. By the time the federal government decides that Arizona’s immigration regulations are unconstitutional, the damage will already be done, just another repeat of history.

 

 

There have been multiple attempts by the US government to implement English only policies, in the fight to make English our national language. This not only singles out first generation immigrants from Mexico, but immigrants from anywhere in the world that speak a different language as well. It may be acceptable for other countries to have their own national language because the vast majority of their populations are native born, but here in America, “land of diversity”, it is an unfair, discriminatory, and racist suggestion, as we have immigrants from all over the world coming to live here.I can understand an English only policies being offered in classrooms and in the education system, because it would be impossible to meet each and every immigrant student’s needs, but in the nation as a whole it is unnecessary and racist against those who do not wish to learn the English language. Individuals from other country’s should be able to embrace their native culture, not be pushed into a new one. This is not the first time that America has tried to force conformity. When European explorers first arrived here they threw their culture and religion at the native people of this land. America still has a lot of work to do when it comes down to equal opportunity for all of man, regardless of race.

 

Music and Free Speech: A forever battle

Arguably the most influential part of history, music plays a role in most people’s lives on a day to day basis. There is power in music to create movements and change attitudes through lyrical expression. The Federal Communications Committee (FCC) was created by congress in 1934 to monitor the content of aired music and has continued to do so ever since.  With the emergence of commercialized radio and and the rock and roll genre in the 1950’s, musical censorship rose and became a prominent part of American history. The real reason behind all of this regulation is to drive good moral conduct in youth. The rock and roll genre exposed and celebrated a once hidden life of sex and drugs to America and the rest of the world for the very first time. The majority of the music produced in the 50’s and 60’s reflected attitudes that rejected authority, sought individualism, and investigated sex and drugs in a new light.

Leading into the 1980’s, the FCC regulated, fined, and, in some cases, banned music containing lyrics they found to be brazen and outrageous for the public. The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) was established in 1985, mostly by wives of important business and politicians who sought more censorship of music available to their children. Because of PMRC efforts, albums started to be labeled by the Recording Industry Association of America according to their content, and a “Parental Advisory” label appeared on works that contained distasteful or explicit lyrics. Albums also began to become available in “clean” and “explicit” versions. This is a system that is still in place today. 

 

 

It has been debated that such government regulations infringe on Americans’ first amendment right to free speech. What most fail to realize is that there are forms of speech that are not protected by the first amendment, obscenity being one of them.  Therefore, the argument that free speech is infringed upon by censorship of music is invalid. Artist’s are still able to create lyrics and express themselves in their music however they please because this is only regulated when the contents are aired. Original works are still available for those who wish to hear it. Music and free speech already go hand in hand. Government regulation only takes place for music seen in a negative or obscene light, and only when aired. 

A Word on Welfare

The question: To what extent should the government provide for the welfare of its citizens? The answer: EVERY extent. The responsibility of the government is to protect and serve its people, and until it has done everything possible to ensure the welfare of its citizens we cannot say that this duty has been performed in full, if at all.

Over the past century there has been plenty of change in government welfare programs. The early 20th century was a time where political powers in the U.S. felt a sense of pride in their society and the need to take care of it, especially within the state. This was the beginning of states accepting the responsibility for the social work of its people. Professions in social work and individual case studies were established, states passed laws creating “worker’s compensation,” expanded child welfare, the enactment of the Social Security Act in the 1930s, and an overall focus on social programs,  However, the boom in acts of government welfare did not last. The U.S. saw decline in the importance of social programs in the 1990s. The economy had taken off with new technological advances, and the welfare state was left with lower expectations in its people and a lack of generosity.  This attitude eventually led to the idea of the people taking advantage of much needed social programs.

We have come a long way from the beginning of the 20th century, but I cannot stress how much reform is still needed today. Health care is on its way because of Obamacare, the new universal health care plan, which, in my opinion, will be an advancement for our nation. The baby boomer generation has put our social security program in a hard place. There are far more people in that generation than there are younger workers to pay into their care, and the effects of that is yet to be seen, unless the government steps in further for more assistance. With the exception of that flaw, I do agree with the social security system we already have in place.

Where things can get touchy is the education, welfare, and prison systems. In education just recently, budget cuts have taken quite the toll on students and faculty alike. These are government ran institutions that cannot pay for new materials or enough teachers. It is not enough to just be sufficient when it comes to the education of our people because of the large impact it has on the future of our society as a whole. Reform in these systems is not only a suggestion, but it is absolutely vital to our survival, especially in competition with other nations.

The welfare system today is a complete joke. I have seen firsthand a number of people who will get denied for the assistance they need in place of someone who has been on the system for years. I think more extensive background checks and home checks should be performed for applicants, and I also think that there should be a cutoff period for capable workers on the system. As a working taxpayer, I see no need to pay for the food and living of people just as healthy and capable to work as I am for a number of years, and I would like to be able to help those who actually need it until they can get on their feet. That is what the welfare system is supposed to be for, not a means of living for a lifetime.

Prison systems in America are fantastic. In fact, their reform should include caring for them a little less. I am all for taking care of our prisoners, but it is a depressing sight when they have more opportunities and advantages handed to them than some of our lower class workers.  Government funding to prison systems seems almost better than it is to our schools.

The government has to play the biggest role in the welfare of our citizens. If it does not do so, then we should not have a government at all.

Media Hinders Social Independence!

Media has consistently had an impact on the views and actions of individuals throughout history. Take tobacco advertisements, for example. The people smoking cigarettes on those fliers look happier than a child at Disneyland, and some of them even portray doctors having a blast with their bundle of carcinogen containing fun!

The obvious reaction from society is the idea that smoking, no matter how damaging to one’s health, is entertaining and if a prestigious doctor is doing it, it MUST be alright. So they go out and purchase themselves a pack of cigarettes, something they would otherwise never even look at, simply because of the way the media presents it.

The false impression most people are under is that media only influences bad behavior. In some instances, conformity as a result of propaganda can have positive outcomes . In WWII, there was a vast amount of media directed at women to influence their behavior and attitudes in the area of work during wartime. The pressure to keep the US running while our soldiers were away left women in the factories, which proved to be imperative to the country’s survival. Becoming part of a bigger and better cause was more important than the feeling of being an independent person at that time and it was historically significant.

Modern media has more  power  than ever before. With huge advancements in technology, it can be accessed with the touch of a finger. I am partial to the idea of breaking down media’s roles into simplistic categories. Howard Owens does a better job at it than I ever could. With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the prime examples of the strength of media in recent time.

Politicians love the media. They use it to convey their ideas to voters in their election campaigns. TV shows, radio, commercials, and live debates are just a few ways that politicians attempt to sway the vote in their direction. In the 2012 election last year, there were heated debates over twitter and Facebook on President Obama and the smashing of his competitor Mitt Romney. Some tweets even reached news stations, where they could be shared with a large American audience on television. Whether this changed the outcome of anything or not can’t be said but the bottom line is that ideas were put out there. One is still allowed to have their own political views, but there are always biased pushing you in a certain direction.

Democracy has a hold on the media.  People vote on movie ratings, TV and internet censorship, radio censorship, and more. The power of the media is still stronger than it ever was in history, but democratic processes do have some control over what media can do.

Censorship in video games is always a heated subject. Yes, they are rated and you have to be a certain age to purchase games containing inappropriate material, but if we’re being honest with ourselves, these regulations are extremely easy to get around, and then children have access to violent games such as Mortal Kombat. There are countless studies on the correlation between video game violence, a form of media, and actual violence and depletion of morals by kids who play them. This is just another example of the force that is media and how independent thinking is hindered by its power.

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Hello everyone! My name is Michele Russ.

 

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