The problem regarding whether or not the Web performs a pivotal position in globalization is a extremely contentious and debatable matter. Globalization, usually outlined as “the combination of financial capital markets and tradition all through the world” is seen as an idea that has each destructive in addition to optimistic advantages. The speed of progress within the globalization of countries and geographical areas is seen to be closely assisted by the velocity of data information that the Web offers.
Nevertheless, though in concept, the sharing of information is supposedly to be helpful in the direction of the event of humanity, the Web additionally offers a pathway to homogenizing tradition and creating an unequal taking part in subject for creating nations. This argument will be clearly seen in case research of Asian nations, particularly in Thailand. Therefore, the usage of Web and the expansion of companies on the Web have elevated, the query raised is that though know-how has superior communication and information, has this profit affected folks residing in creating nations, or has the hole between the wealthy and the poor widened?
The Web is a singular type of media. It has the ability to achieve many however that is affected by components akin to monetary standing, technological talent, information, and the will for the medium. The Web isn’t essentially applicable or attainable for everybody to have, and in a rustic like Thailand, it may be clearly seen that the much less lucky have been marginalized, particularly the uneducated and people from rural areas. For instance, seventy p.c of Thailand’s Web customers are concentrated in The Bangkok Metropolitan Space (Hongladaron, 2003) and solely 4 to 5 p.c of Rural Thailand has entry to the Web.
In a number of of his articles the scholar Hongladaron has additionally mentioned the marginalization of rural Thai residents. Hongladaron states the advantages of the Web, however then confirms from his analysis that as a result of these advantages are solely accessible by the rich, therefore, as a result of poor being marginalized, the Web will be thought of to be a discriminatory type of medium. Nevertheless, Hongladaron additionally argues that the Web doesn’t homogenize cultures. He states that “the relation between computer-mediated communication applied sciences and native cultures is characterised neither by a homogenizing impact, not by an erecting of obstacles separating one tradition from one other.” (Hongladaron, 1998).
Hongladaron got here to a conclusion in regards to the Web homogenizing tradition, however solely to a restricted extent. With restricted info being obtainable on the ways in which Thai folks work together on the Web, or view the Web as a medium, it’s arduous to conclude whether or not the general impact of the Web is homogenizing. Nevertheless, it may be clearly acknowledged that the Web does marginalize those that are unable to make use of this medium.
As utilization of the Web turns into extra in style, the controversy of homogenizing tradition is fiercely debated. Some teachers argue that as a result of the Web advantages the wealthy and the educated, those that are ready to make use of the Web often have a stage of psychological functionality, thus, the homogenizing of tradition is simply relevant to a restricted extent. For instance, the Bengali tribes in Bangladesh observe sustainable residing and don’t worth the information that’s offered on the Web. They view the Web as a really destructive type of communication, as private contact isn’t made. Members of the Bengali tribe reside by the Hindu faith and everybody within the tribe has a sure position.
Thus, the tribe as a complete is self-sufficient and members don’t really feel the necessity to undertake the values and the ‘teachings’ of the Web. Moreover, indigenous Tibetans are one other instance the place the information of the Web doesn’t attain the folks. On account of their perception of the Buddhist instructing of the Livelihood, they consider in residing in concord with their surrounding land. Members of those indigenous communities don’t consider within the Web as they might argue that the pc is a need and never a necessity. Therefore, in contemplating the difficulty of whether or not the Web is a device for the homogenization of tradition, though some would say ‘sure’ because of creating Asian nations turning into westernized because of propaganda on the Web, others would argue that solely Asian communities which have already been westernized use the Web. These teachers would argue that some Asian communities, particularly these in indigenous tribal communities, wouldn’t use the Web due to their cultural paradigm, therefore the Web group is already targeted on only one group of tradition with one group of individuals sharing a standard perception: ‘that the Web is a useful gizmo’.
Lastly, it isn’t disputed that the Web is a spot of ‘info sharing’ and this sharing of information might result in sure ideologies being extra distinguished and alter the ideas and practices of different cultures. Nevertheless, many would argue that though that is inevitable on the Web, the Web can’t management the life-style of an individual’s life and beliefs, thus the Web can solely current one other particular person’s discourse, however can’t pressure an individual’s ideology to vary.
Bibliography and References Used:
Cooper Wesley 2004. ‘Data Know-how and Web Tradition’, [http://www.brandeis.edu/pubs/jove/HTML/V6/iculture.html]
“Cultural Politics of the Digital Divide in Thailand”, Hongladaron, 2003
“World Tradition, Native Cultures and the Web: The Thai instance”, Hongladaron, 1998
Heal Melinda 2005, ‘The Web and Thailand’, Australian Nationwide College,
Honglardom, Busakorn Suriyasarn et al
“Web Customers in Thailand” Nationwide Electronics and Pc Know-how Heart” (NECTEC), 2004