Globalization

My definition of globalization at the beginning of the class was the idea that everything in this world is becoming connected and brought together. Businesses are expanding around the world as well as American culture, and practices and everyone in this world has ties to America now a days whether its through the food they eat or the clothes that they wear. After watching the videos, my view on the definition of globalization have not changed.

My views on "Americanization of the World" are that this is just irrelevant. America is the most successful and expanding nation in the world. People like our stuff and they buy lots of it. So why are companies such as Nike or Mcdonald's in the wrong for global expansion. Businesses are out to make money. This is one thing that people need to realize, businesses are not there to satisfy you, or make you feel better, they are there to sell you their product and make money. The fact that these big businesses outsource labor in other companies is also an avoidable point. Again, businesses are there to make money, why would they pay an American to do work when someone in another country will do twice the work for half of the price? So to me, Amazon Indians wearing Nike's and the South Sahara wearing Yankee baseball hats, is not a bad thing. These people are getting a fair product at a fair price, and it may offer them a job. On the other hand, businesses are making their profits. The problem is people that stress "globalization" is bad and this and that. No, this is the way that the world works, wake up and smell the coffee people.

According to the author, "Mcdonaldization" is the fact that the principles of fast food restaurants are expanding through American society, as well as the rest of the world.

Pessimistic Hyperglobalizers believe that globalization makes people around the world more alike. They suggest that we are not moving towards a cultural rainbow that reflects the diversity of the worlds existing cultures. Rather, we are witnessing the rise of increasingly homogenized popular culture underwritten by a western culture industry.

Optimistic Hyperglobalizers agree with pessimistic hyperglobalizers that cultural globalization generates more sameness, but they view this as a good, rather than bad, thing.