After reading a highly interesting book on globalization by Thomas Friedman, several unmentioned elements of globalization became apparent that primarily involve an individual’s integration with the Internet and Information Technology.
It is often practiced by individuals, including businesses, to remain somewhat introverted/internal, thus leading a less exposed interface. Although this practice has been instilled since the conception of the individual and/or business, it is important in today’s more open world to release parts of these shackles originally set in place.
Most of the time, to succeed in today’s information-driven society one must not only take advantage of new tools made available by the Internet, but also learn to accelerate oneself to a speed that is somewhat equivalent to that of the Internet’s growth. By doing so, a more “open” interface can be built, thus allowing surrounding entities to become more comfortable with who/what they are dealing with. A personal quote comes to mind that aids in clarifying this subject on an individual’s level:
“Almost everything we buy comes with a list of contents, features and instructions. If an individual chooses to not expose all these facets, then why invest in the individual?”
The book by Thomas Freidman presents various examples and measurements on how a country can become more globalized – but what about the individual? Such metrics/definitions for globalization can not only be impressed on businesses and countries, but as well as on the individual. Individuals who are positioned in more secretive and non-conforming lifestyles can usually find themselves unable to organically evolve with globalization, thus not prospering fully from globalization’s dividends. It is equally important to maintain certain levels of secrecy and non-conformity in order to avoid the perils of complete exposure – in other words, protect that which should arguably be protected.
The Internet and Information Technology made this more prevalent, and by not taking advantage of such components a certain level of failure can be expected. Communication, knowledge and security are all important aspects of the Internet’s growth. Moving forward on all fronts equally is part of what globalization involves, and almost always part of what succeeding in today’s “information age” is about.
This accelerated growth can lead to exhaustion – much like a runner can suffer from exhaustion during the last few laps if too much pressure was exerted at the start. The NASDAQ has suffered from a very similar exhaustion and is recently trying to recover. Becoming a globalized individual to prosper in business/personal endeavors certainly requires the integration of globalized concepts within one’s lifestyle, yet as well requires a level of diligence and monitoring in order to prevent “exhaustion” and unwanted consequences.
As the Internet and Information Technology continue to grow at vociferous rates, thus promoting globalization, remain watchful with careful strides in becoming globalized. Much like with anything in life, it can be argued that globalization is a zero-sum game – for every gain there is a loss. It can also be argued that globalization is hazardous to economies and societies. But how can the few tear down what the many are striving to achieve? Why waste the energy?
Globalization is where we are, where we are most likely going and where great visions will be extended to the cosmos…