Are we globalising ourselves out of community?

Does globalisation have a future, given US President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies and the rise of the far-right in Europe? According to US economist and political analyst Jeffrey Sachs, globalisation did not occur only in recent decades, but began as early as when humans started migrating out of Africa tens of thousands of years ago. Like it or not, globalisation will soldier on unfazed and is merely entering a new phase. As history has shown, its reach and character will evolve with the advance of technology and various national policies, affecting us both positively and negatively. The voyages of figures like Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama globalised travel and trading by sea while also giving rise to transoceanic empires, colonisation and the proliferation of slavery. The Industrial Revolution accelerated the world’s scientific discoveries and revolutionised modes of production while eventually bringing about our reliance on fossil fuels and the resulting environmental dangers. We are now living in the digital age of globalisation. People, goods and services are connected more than ever, and new ideas are ever at our fingertips. Governments and corporations collect big data, not just domestically, but internationally. Commodities are still manufactured in places where they can be made the most cheaply and sold in places where they can be sold the most profitably. Corporations are the new “empires”, with many publicly listed in multiple markets. Humanity has created more wealth than ever. Unfortunately, inequality and wealth gaps continue to grow. The late Pope Francis characterised this as “globalisation of indifference”, in which governments, corporations and individuals reap the benefits of globalisation while society, the poor and the environment have been neglected. According to Daniel G. Groody in Ethics in Action for Sustainable Development, we must consider a “globalisation without marginalisation”, meaning that as we recognise the positivity of connecting nations, systems and services across the globe, we should also consider, confront or avoid the social, political, economic and cultural problems that arise as a result. In terms of urban development and cultural exchanges, it pains me to see how globalisation has shattered local neighbourhoods and prevented genuine experiences. Why do we want to travel? Many of us leave the cities we live in to see something different, to visit architectural wonders or landmarks, to experience the unique taste of foreign delicacies, to come across people who are unlike ourselves and celebrate our differences. What sense does it make to get off a long-haul flight and have Starbucks coffee in Italy, an Auntie Anne’s pretzel in Germany or Chipotle tacos in Mexico? Imagine the journey of a refrigerator magnet made in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. A Hangzhou resident might travel to the other side of the planet just to buy one as a souvenir and bring it back to the same city where it was produced. This is the irony of globalisation. Years ago, I visited Havana and Santiago de Cuba. This was before then US president Barack Obama began normalising ties with Cuba in 2014. The lack of US fast-food chains or electronic ride-hailing services made those memories priceless; my friends and I navigated our own way through both cities, ordered food and haggled for goods, relying only on our embarrassing Spanish skills and locals’ broken English. During a three-month backpacking trip in Lima, Peru, I was craving Chinese food. A server at a restaurant recommended that I order lomo saltado – a Peruvian dish inspired by Chinese stir-fry beef, with onions, tomatoes and French fries. I thoroughly enjoyed the “chifa” fusion dish, made possible by globalisation, but not via an American franchised restaurant. Discoveries, such as learning how other cultures have adapted Chinese cuisine, are what make travelling fun. Sachs describes globalisation as “a series of scale-enlarging transformations”. In the book, Bullsh*t Comparisons, author Andrew Brooks laments how Mercado da Ribeira – Lisbon’s historic main market hall – was acquired and renamed Time Out Market in 2014. Other Time Out Markets have since surfaced in New York, Boston, Chicago, Montreal, Dubai and Cape Town, with more in the pipeline. Incrementally, globalisation is eroding local identities and chipping away at opportunities for cultural discovery. Brooks has pointed out that the living standards and property prices in city centres have become increasingly unaffordable. Residential properties can generate more income from Airbnb listings than they do from residents, and ground-floor retail spaces can make more by leasing to brands than by operating their legacy businesses. This has driven residents and small shops away from the urban core. The affluent often welcome gentrification as they can raise rents and prices to earn more. But this is exactly how wealth gaps widen between land and property owners at one end and marginalised communities on the other. This is also how we lose neighbourhoods and create the conditions for hatred and animosity between people. The anti-tourism movement in Europe is one example. Europeans have been protesting overtourism, which some of them blame for the erosion of quality of life and strain on housing and the environment. While globalisation is good for trade and the sharing of knowledge, unchecked development and capitalist commercialisation corrode our cultural and urban identities. Globalisation is here to stay, but if we care about authenticity, diversity, variety and the historic significance of what the world has to offer, we must rethink how we grow and develop in this new phase of globalisation. We need a sustainable model not only for markets, but for people, their heritage and the environment.

Are we globalising ourselves out of community?

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Globalisation is here to stay, but it doesn’t have to come at the expense of local identities, people's livelihoods and the environment

Globalisation is here to stay, but it doesn’t have to come at the expense of local identities, people's livelihoods and the environment