A Middle Class Student's View on Globalization.

Photo Source:https://businessfirstfamily.com/globalization-benefits-small-business/

The thing about globalization is that I want it to scare me, while simultaneously not wanting it to affect me in any way. I live in a comfortable middle-class lifestyle. With multinational corporations capitalistically invading my country affecting me in a way that I can afford it; as well as being pissed off by the fact that others cannot. I am in the in-between. I understand that globalization is a stoppable force that is currently resulting in the local businesses of the lower class to be in a state of jeopardy. While simultaneously finding myself dependent on the products of these corporations. So, being in the state that I am, I did the only thing that I have the power to do: research.

Photo Source:https://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Economic-Hit-John-Perkins/dp/0452287081

What I found was this old book they had us read in a class. The book is called The Confessions of an Economic Hitman. Our professor had us read this during our discussion on globalization. The entire book is centered on Josh Perkins’ experience as a man employed to pretty much destroy economies in underdeveloped or developing countries. His job description is to corrupt leaders or persuade them in taking deals such as a loan from the company that Perkins was working for. The loan would then lead to a debt unpayable by monetary means. The country’s leader would then be forced to sell their oil, allow military bases into the country, privatization of school sewage systems, water services, social services, and the like. What this means is that the decline of certain countries is not because of their own fault. It’s because of giant corporations or conglomerates that actively seek out to destroy these countries for their own gain. More importantly, Perkins describes the prevalence of Cryptocracy. A world which is run, not by the leaders, but by international corporations.

Upon being given at first the meaning of globalization, and the rise of it, I was sort of stoked. From what I understood, globalization makes travelling and relations with other countries easier. Market will be easier for imported products. Immigration to other countries will probably be easier and I have always wanted to move to America. So, you can see how globalization would seem appealing to me. But that’s the thing. It’s appealing to me, a middle class student studying in a very prestigious and expensive school with no need for financial aid. I would be one of the people experiencing the benefits of globalization with no concern for the catch. You see, globalization paves the way for a cryptocratic society. It enables it. It lets it into the developing countries and sips the life out of them. I don’t run a small time business; therefore, I haven’t been noticing or even worrying about the effects of globalization in my own country.

I’ve always wanted to move to San Francisco; I’d draw myself living there when I was a child. Globalization would make that easier. But upon learning more about it I realized I wanted to protect my country more. There are certain aspects in our lives that we need to awaken ourselves to. Josh Perkins main goal for the book he wrote was exposure to a subtle and discreet corruption caused by corporations. Because that is the thing that we do not notice. Us, with the privilege to buy and read his book, instead of saving money for food and working to live, should awaken ourselves to how our consumerism is affecting those that we do not interact with.