Globilization, a Complicated Word / Fernando Dámaso

Globalization, like a natural process of mankind’s development, is making strides and establishing itself across the geography of the planet, including in countries both large and small, powerful or weak, rich and poor. The word is new but the phenomenon is not: it has been building almost from the beginning of intelligent life on Earth. Its beginnings date back to the early tools produced by homo sapiens to survive in a hostile environment, and their constant adaptation, making your mind and skills flourish. Its background is the domination of fire, the working of stone, smelting of metals, the transition from a backward society to a more advanced one, the development of trade, the industrial revolution, automation, informatics and so on, until the arrival of everything that amazes us every day in our present existence. It is the unstoppable march of man towards the satisfaction of his growing needs and happiness. It is only possible in a world of freedom and democracy, and is alien to any kind of totalitarian regimes.

In it, some have and continue to progress quickly and others slowly crawl like slugs unconcerned about time. But we all, consciously or not, move inexorably toward the same goal, whether or not we temporarility mistake the route. Globalization is, therefore, a reality. It can be accepted, as the intelligent and responsible do, or rejected, as the deluded do, or even fought against, as the irresponsible do.

Given an objective reality that is not subject to our individual desires, the only option is, first, to study it deeply, and once it is understood, to seek ways and methods to connect to it and get the most out of it. To this we should devote the time available and not organize acts of rejection, burning little signs and flags to the beat of street music, accompanied by alcohol — and why not? — of one or another drug.

Like it or not today’s world is globalized. Just take a look at our own lives to prove it: we eat food of all kinds produced in many countries, wear clothing and footwear also of multiple origins, we heal with internationally produced medicines, we are transported in vehicles of various brands and countries, electrical and electronic equipment come to us from all corners of the globe, and so on endlessly. But not only that, but in producing these products, dissimilar materials are brought from multiple regions and in many cases, their component parts are produced in different countries and assembled in others. That is, the reality of the production, trade and information has broken national boundaries and has made ​​the world a global village, where have both some kind of participation and shared responsibility and mutual dependence, including even for the crises.

Before an event of this magnitude, the result of human development and not from any the desire or Machiavellian plot of any empire, which is not the reason, to refuse to admit it and bury one’s head in the ground, like ostriches, so as not to see, is nonsense.

What’s more, to claim now raise the banner of sovereignty, independence and the homeland, is an epochal blur, since it corresponds to earlier times, when nation states were formed and consolidated nation states and not the current era, when we remove borders, create unions, create a single currency, laws, etc., as is the case with the European Union, just to mention one of the most important.

Those who use these symbols to mobilize the masses against globalization, should remember the futile efforts of the feudal lords to defend their coats of arms to the forces of the new symbols of nations in training, the consolidation of the feudal state and the subsequent introduction of capitalism. It is a step forward for humanity and not a flashback, as we expect to see. The question here is: do we open ourselves and integrate into a globalized world and make progress, or close ourselves off remain isolated and perish.

June 28 2011