How is the world organized economically?

People have already been doing the mechanics of economics since about several thousand years ago. It all started from bartering or trading necessities to the development of coins then bills to the booming business that we see everywhere.

With the birth of industrialization, economics were given more importance due to its help in raising up countries in relation to their status in the world. The most obvious of social problems were seen in the factories between males and females. In the flexibilization of the factories, the females’ social stigma of being the weaker sex was given much emphasis because the easier, less important tasks were assigned to them. This shows that the males were still considered as the stronger, more capable breadwinner compared to the opposite sex. Hence, they receive more jobs and less of a hard time in getting them. This gives more of the control and power to the management and none to the workers. The latter cannot choose the jobs they want or they deserved because of some requirements or criteria that may or may not be fair for them at all.

The concept of flexibilization highlights the difference between the minority and majority of the people. The minority being the rich and powerful and the majority being the poor and the workers. Maybe that is how the world is being organized economically. I can see it as a huge business play of the powerful and the powerless, the owners and the mere contractual employees. It is difficult to be living a world that gives one no choice. But there are entrepreneurial activities that can be done in a less regulated environment. These are possibilities for income generation and thus gives hope to the “powerless” group of people.

What is the future of nation-states in globalization?

What will happen to the nation-states in globalization? I think the answer can be found in the term “globalization” itself. The nation-states of the world will be one. All will unite as one nation-state. Hence the root word “global”. I do not mean one in the sense that each nation’s uniqueness will be lost. I mean it as a way of unity amongst all nations. Everyone will accept that they will have to agree to disagree at certain times about certain things. But in the end, the world’s welfare must be acted upon with care by every country that chooses to decide.

People feel patronage and loyalty towards their homelands. Immigrants from different parts of the world still have a soft side for the countries they left behind no matter how long they have departed from it already. I think this certain feeling maintains what we all call nation-states. Each nation has its own government, a set of officials and codes of rules to be followed by the society it leads. This all contributes to their individuality. An individuality that globalization should not destroy despite the unity we aim for the countries of the world.

Do colonialism and slavery belong to the past?

History had been really helpful in making me realize that all great events or trends are just repetitive. Almost everything that is happening now had already been experienced in the past. This makes me wonder: Why are human beings repeating the mistakes they had already committed? What satisfaction do they derive from being wrong all over again?

I think that as the earth gets older, we must be better. Better in a sense that life will be improved and uniquely advance, and that the society we all belong in will be a version that nobody will feel isolated or stepped on anymore. But that is not the case today, is it? The colonialism and slavery that the ancient people experienced can still be experienced today. This kind of treatment has different setting, different kind of people but with the same feelings of abandonment and isolation from the one in the past. This is sad. This is very disappointing that us, modern humans, still do the most primal things.

I can see that this colonialism and slavery rooted from the social classes that we categorize people in. before, people were divided as they are in society. Now, I can see that people are divided according to the country they live in. Slavery happens because certain powerful people look at others in a low way that they can see the latter as machines or slaves that will do what they want for them. I think it is also a statement of needs. Poor groups of people are in more need of necessities so they allow themselves to be colonized or enslaved by others.

We are enslaved because we allow to be enslaved. If we work harder and prove to be really independent, other countries won’t look down at us. We should prove our worth not only for the sake of self pride but to build our own place in a world that is now a cage of tigers in competition.

Obedience to Government

As I have read, a government is a body with the power to make and/or enforce laws for a country, land area, people, or organization. It is a group of people who hold a monopoly on the legitimate use of force in a given territory. It is viewed as the ruling political power. We obey the government because we have a responsibility as a citizen of our country. That responsibility is to be one with our fellow countrymen. I think the government is an organizational tool to keep a country going. Without it, we will have a difficult time in developing because nothing ties up everyone.

I think for a person to obey a certain authority, he or she must learn to trust it. The former should have the assurance that the obedience will then be put into good use by the authority trusted to receive it. People nowadays may hesitate to obey the government maybe because it sees that the government is not worth its trust. The investment of willpower in obedience to the government is a risk of some kind. It may not be a big of a deal to most of us but when put together, everyone’s obedience is worth a lot. It is possible to change something huge and eventful.

My professor asked us, “Are we obliged to obey a bad government?” It intrigued me on how to answer this question without being confusing. I think the suitable answer, no matter how corny it may sound, is it depends. What do we mean by the term “bad”? “Bad” in the sense that the government is cruel, inconsiderate and unfair? Or “bad” in the sense that the government has no brainpower to analyze where it’s at and how to deal with the changes it encounter. If the question was asked with the term pertaining to the first possibility, I think it’s a moral decision. If asked in the second possibility, I think I will not obey a government that cannot move on its own. I want a government that knows what it is doing. I deserve it because I pay my taxes, I believe that I am doing what I can to be a productive individual that will be beneficial to the country.

Why is the world divided territorially?

After being faced with this question, I remember how the world map looks like. With all its curved and straight lines, boundaries between nations and countries are clearly seen. Every space owned is given a designated color to not confuse it with anything else. I have to say that the question above is valid. I began thinking what if the world is not territorially divided at all? What will happen? Will it lead to a better, more united earth or a more chaotic one?

We watched a video of the human evolution in our history class. It shows how early humans roam from one place to another to grow food. They treat the whole planet as their own. Wherever they go, they put their mark and for the meantime, they own the place. After being done with the place, they leave and go to another virgin land. I began to wonder: What if groups of modern people like us still live the same way?

I personally think that it might be a chaotic situation if ever we still live a roving life, without a sense of permanence or consistency. Imagine life just going around the country to have a source of food or business. Imagine fighting off other groups of people to get a piece of land for yourself. It can get a little tiring after some time. Territories are marked to give us some kind of organization. Countries had leaders and their own set of laws to have freedom for the people living there. Maybe it’s another characteristic of civilization. Maybe it is a part of development that we have to slice up the remains of the earth for us to all share. It gives us peace and order.

How do we find out what's going on in the world?

Media is one of the most important aspects of our society. With the invention of radio, television and internet, media was born. It is very much essential for everyone since they are the ones that deliver information and news to people of the world everyday. This privilege gives them some kind of power to manipulate and somehow, greatly influence how people think about certain events. With this thought, I began to wonder “Can news really be fair and unbiased? Does it really relay information without adding malice or helping itself on some hidden agenda?”

In my opinion, media can never be completely fair in reporting a certain event. It will always advocate something for its own gain. I am not saying that people should not believe the news they hear anymore. I’m just trying to remind people that media reporters are also humans. Humans are always given the chance to have their own views and interpretations on events, people and places. Media reporters work in gathering data, articulating, and then delivering news for its audience. And us, in turn, we should be smart enough to not depend on the media on how to view things. We should use the brains we were blessed with to be critical and careful of what we read because no matter how insignificant we think our opinions are, it will still be listened to. It will still matter. We should not be passive. We should be aware of what’s happening around us so we can brace ourselves when the time comes that we have to prepare for something.