Benjamin Barber outlines threats to democracy in a globalized world in his classic, Jihad vs. McWorld. Read & CODE and summarize the article and be reading to discuss on Tuesday. You may also be quizzed on this reading. Also, think about the tone titles like, "Jihad vs. McWorld," or "Clash of Civiliations," set in the world today.
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/199203/barber
8 comments:
This article was written in 1992, but I think it's important to note that some of the same problems exist today. I know China and Russia are in better shape than they were back then, but the problems of terrorism are still very real.
It might be a little optimistic to say that "McWorld" will eventually conquer "Jihad", but I think it will eventually happen, it will just take a very long time. Nowadays terrorism isn't as much of a hot issue as it was, say, during Bush's first term. This may be partly because of the power of globalization overcoming the fear that terrorism causes. Overall this article was alright though.
It won't help McWorld if it lets the extremists go free, as the Scots did with the Lockerbie bomber last week.
Just thought I'd put in my two cents, Mr. Wolak. Down here in Columbia, I really have to watch this stuff now!
Yea I kind agree with CoreySarcu, this article is old and I personally think with the current president Democracy can fail easily. Everything else stated were correct in some form of ways.
-Imamdad
Good to hear from you, Garrett. Your comment cuts to the question of Liberty v. Security that we will address next week.
Not sure about, "with the current president Democracy can fail easily."
How so, and in what context?
To Corey's comment, be thoughtful on the statement, "I know China and Russia are in better shape than they were back then..."
We'll learn that China has more economic global power and influence but the stratification between the haves and the have nots has widened.
In Russia, 1992 brought a chaotic "shock therapy" of economic liberalization. With Putin and Putin II order has been forced and civil rights and liberties depend on who's side you are on. Political opposition is literally non-existent because, well, it disappears........
Does that put China and Russia in better shape?
Good to hear from you, Garrett. Your comment cuts to the question of Liberty v. Security that we will address next week.
Not sure about, "with the current president Democracy can fail easily."
How so, and in what context?
To Corey's comment, be thoughtful on the statement, "I know China and Russia are in better shape than they were back then..."
We'll learn that China has more economic global power and influence but the stratification between the haves and the have nots has widened.
In Russia, 1992 brought a chaotic "shock therapy" of economic liberalization. With Putin and Putin II order has been forced and civil rights and liberties depend on who's side you are on. Political opposition is literally non-existent because, well, it disappears........
Does that put China and Russia in better shape?
Yes, China and Russia are in better shape because now that they're "democratic," the "decadent bourgeois tyrant-pigs" are willing to support them and give them aid/money. The Jihad of capitalist vs communist has succumbed to the McWorld of corporate dominance. To use the Cold War rhetoric, the Evil Empire of Them has been assimilated by the Borg Hive of Us.
Responding to Corey, I feel the terrorist threat was precisely that: a threat, used by the administration in power to provoke terror in the citizens of this country. I'll not go so far as to say it was a conspiracy (that's too paranoid for my tastes, and an insult to the memory of the bombing victims), but I feel that the Bush administration took advantage of the crisis to an un-American (or perhaps VERY American) extent. Mr Wolak, you say we'll be addressing Liberty vs Security next week - will we discuss the tactic of using a false need for security to remove liberty?
G. Bergquist - the premise of the McWorld is not imprisoning the "extremists." McWorld seeks domination of present and future through control of the populace; thus the Jihad/nationalist mentality cannot form and no Lockerbies or Al-Zarqawis or Kaczynskis OR GANDHIS OR KING JRS OR MANDELAS will ever rise to challenge the corporate order.
Thanks for writing, and enjoy Columbia. I don't think you have to worry too much about Scottish bombers, but I wish you well all the same.
Anonymous - I'm sorry you don't wish to identify yourself, but this is the Internet and I respect your decision. Overlooking the grammar issues, I'd like to hear more about your opinion regarding the current president. I feel American democracy is safer than it's been for the past eight years. Why do you consider it threatened?
I look forward to your reply.
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