Globalization

Over the summer, we had to do a project about 10 world events related to certain topics.  Each topic focused on a major world issue or topic that could be focused down to almost all countries.  This allowed for lots of freedom in choosing articles to write about.  In class, we did an activity where we linked articles together in a chain based on the countries that it focuses on and the countries that it is related to.  For example, I found an article on Libya and the situation there.  The article also talked about how China may be selling weapons to the government forces in Libya, therefore the next article would have to do with China.

     I learned a lot about current world issues and about how countries interact with each other.  Much of the time, it is like a classroom of little kids.  They get in fights, they start throwing things, other kids get involved, some kid is in the corner trading his sandwich for some cookies he's not supposed to have, etc.  Honestly, it's really quite childish.  The problem is, there's no real world leader (that's not exactly a problem, I suppose) but that means that there's no way to settle arguments between countries other than war or the threat of war.  It's completely impractical to have a world leader (although there have been people who have tried and almost succeeded) but it leaves us relying on each other for support and to be honest to one another.  And yes, if everybody decides on something together, then so be it - but that rarely happens.

     Globalization and International conflict are topics that are so immensely huge that it would be impossible for even our whole grade to cover every issue.   And almost all of our exposure to such issues comes through television and the Internet through news sources.  So news stations have a lot of influence over what topics people are aware of and which ones they aren't.  It's especially interesting when countries try to contain information within their country like what happened/is happening in Egypt where they lost all outside communication except for the occasional Twitter post.  I'd like to write more about that issue regarding basic human rights and how much control is too much.