Monday 2 April 2012

Globalization 101 | Technology: A Similar Project

I came across a similar project by some students from Denmark: Globalization 101 | Technology (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obwcKETqv1o). They essentially outlined a number of technological facts. I initially thought these facts were just pointless statements regarding tehnology and did not see the relation to globalization, but then I started to realize that the video was emphasizing how drastic the variances in technology are between different nations across the globe.

In their attempts to do this, however, I noticed that they seemed to be holding technology as a way to measure wealth. With their emotional music and theme, it seems apparent that these students were attempting to make us feel emotional for the people in these countries that do not have the privilege of the Internet or do not have cell phones. Is this the way we should see it? I watched a video (http://www.democracynow.org/2010/11/26/chilean_economist_manfred_max_neef_on) on the concept of barefoot economics. This video illustrates the concept as barefoot economics as introduced by an economist Manfred Max-Neef. Barefoot economics refers to this very issue; the issue of subjective wealth.

While North Americans have a tendency to view money and possessions as indicators of wealth, it is not uncommon for individuals in other less developed countries to view things like family and free time as indicators of wealth. An individual in this video elaborates on this, claiming that women in Chile that could potentially increase their income by working harder simply do not because they do not have the desire. They make enough money to survive and see the rest of their time as an investment in their happiness as spent with the ones that they love. North Americans might attribute this to laziness, but I think that this is respectable.

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