Cricket and the Success of Globalization

In his book, How Soccer Explains the World, Franklin Foer uses the example of soccer to explain globalization and its failures “to erode ancient hatreds in the game’s great rivalries.” While no process can completely erase “ancient hatreds,” globalization leads to interconnectedness, which can foster an appreciation for other cultures and open-mindedness, the benefits of which can be seen on a small scale within specific communities.

A staff writer for Buzzfeed, Alan White wrote Monday about the comradery within and his personal sentiments towards the international cricket community after Australian cricket player, Phillip Hughes passed away on Thursday.

One impact of globalization, de-territorialization – the concept that the growth of technology makes regional and geographical territories and borders less relevant in today’s society – has allowed cricket fans to transcend physical boundaries to communicate and connect through social media to form a nation of support. Major sporting events, award ceremonies, and news segments are broadcasted around the world and what is not broadcasted can be digitally streamed through the Internet. When news of Hughes death broke, it became immediately available to every corner of the globe. Within hours after the announcement, cricket fans from around the world took to Twitter to give their condolences accompanied by hashtags such as #PutOutYourBats and #CricketFamily in respect for Hughes and the bond between members of the international cricket community.

In addition globalization increases exposure of other cultures and customs. As White puts it, “what could be seen as cultural stereotyping is, [for the cricket community], a chance to bask in [the] love for each other’s strengths.” In a globalized world, cultural styles develop between different teams and players of the same sport. Successful or innovative styles are sought after by consumers of that sport. Coaches and players are brought in from different nations. People fly all around the world to train with a particular person or in a particular region. In cricket, there is a mutual appreciation for the other team’s skills. Differences are not just appreciated but celebrated amongst cricket fans. What rivalry there is between teams cannot overcome the cricket community’s recognition of talent. However the difference between the cricket community’s cadence and the prevailing tribalism of soccer fans could be contributed to the high standard of sportsmanship imposed upon cricket.

While Foer provides examples of persistent stereotypes and rivalries in a globalized world, he falls short in examining the effects of interconnectedness in other aspects and on other levels. While cricket is not as massive or globalized of an economy as soccer, the cricket community does interact on an international level and the effects of globalization shape every action. What we can see from the cricket community and their reaction to Hughes death is the success of globalization to effectively bring together and bond people from around the globe over a shared interest and appreciate and celebrate the differences between other cultures that make us unique.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/alanwhite/what-the-outpouring-of-grief-for-phillip-hughes-tells-us-abo

When Talent Meets Experience

Eliot Fenton
Blog 4

When Talent Meets Experience

Our timing for reading this book was impeccable, as the recent World Cup held in Brazil provides the opportunity to reapply a lot of Foer’s metaphors. For example, we can extend the metaphor from chapter 5, “How Soccer Explains the Survival of Top Hats,” to compare Brazil’s recent World Cup performance to its economic performance.

Entering the World Cup, Brazil’s soccer team was viewed in much the same way as its economy. Brazil was seen as a strong contender to win it all, just as its economy is seen as a strong contender to be a Great Power. However, Brazil’s soccer team failed when matched up against the traditional favorite Germany, just as Brazil’s economy has been unable to match both pre-established powers and the rising economy of China. One of the main detriments to Brazil, its lack of discipline, applies to both its economy and its soccer.

As Foer explains, Brazil is rich in the naturals – both natural resources and natural talent. It has lots of oil and a vast rainforest that could be utilized for economic gain. However, what Brazil lacks is discipline. Its economy does not have the governmental control necessary for sustained growth, just as its soccer team did not have the control over its passing or defensive assignments needed to win a game. Brazil needs to quickly understand that its natural ability alone will not boost it to become a frontrunner in the world economy. It needs to adopt regulations that minimize mistakes and help eliminate the corruption mentioned by Foer.

Brazil’s eventual goal should be to have its soccer team and economy run more like that of Germany. Germany stunned the Brazilian team to the tune of a 7-1 win in the semifinals because it had immense discipline. Germany’s precise passing and positioning allowed them to capitalize on the many Brazilian mistakes. Similarly, Germany, along with many western states, has a well-disciplined economy. It has rules, regulations, and a powerful leadership with a clear vision for the future. The importance of discipline can be seen throughout history. The unregulated 1920s US economy quickly collapsed into the Great Depression until the New Deal introduced regulation to pull it out. Brazil could even model itself after another BRIC country, China. As a communist state, China has incredible regulation over its economy. It is also the only major threat to the US economy at the moment. A major difference between China and Brazil is that China has been able to harness its large population to create immense exporting power. While Brazil does not need to go to that extreme with its regulation, it is still essential that its government create a predictable backbone on which to build its economy.

In the end, Brazil’s relative economic shortcomings stem more from Brazilian failures than from globalization’s evils. While it may seem that globalization hurts Brazil by allowing nations to take advantage of its resources (and its star footballers), it will actually help Brazil to see how successful nations operate. Brazil could learn a lot from Germany, both on and off the pitch.

True Fandom

I don’t know much about football –or sports in general—but I have noted how fans can groan of their team’s continued awful performance; flood social media with outrage and disappointment; throw things in disgust at losing a game, but all the while maintain allegiance to their team. Once, I approached my grandfather and sought an explanation for these seemingly contradictory behaviors. He replied that one ought not be a “fair-weather fan;” a good fan supports his/her team even when performance is low. Even as a young child, I found this concept interesting given that support for other communities was dependent upon that community’s performance. It seemed weird to me that my grandfather was a Cowboys fan simply because he was a Cowboys fan –not necessarily because of the Cowboys’ performance.

I couldn’t get through the first chapter of Franklin Foer’s book How Soccer Explains the World without noting the violent fandom that characterized the soccer matches he described between the Serbs and their opponents. Foer explains that across the world “violence had become apart of soccer’s culture (13).” He goes on to detail violence as a consequence of citizen's commitment to their national soccer teams. However, Foer never attributes this allegiance --so strong that it routinely translates to violence-- to the performance of the teams. Instead, it appeared allegiance stemmed only from ethnic identity. In some conversation, this sort of rationale might be considered faithful, loyal, or even characteristic of a “true fan,” but ultimately this rationale is a dangerous sense of blind idolization.

Fans’ blind idolization to sports teams is similar to the idea of nationalism. In fact it is so similar to the idea of nationalism, that Foer lists experiences where “war had been a metaphor for sports (21)” and as a result the two concepts blur. Foer provides an example of Serb nationalism and explains it as “the idea that Serbs possess a morality and character superior to their non-Serb neighbors (34).” Serbs were supporting their country, to the extent of civilian-on-civilian violence, without reflecting on the performance, ideals, or goals of their country. This ideology exposes a damaging and stifling sense of egoism that Foer occasionally (but unfortunately) labels “dignity (10).” If countrymen support their countries with the same logic they use to justify their support of sports teams, they stifle the benefits of globalization.

In class, we defined globalization as the increased interconnectedness of the world, and we identified that one of the benefits of globalization is the opportunity for cultural exposure and growth. But, how can a country experience these benefits if it blindly idolizes its actions, and its countrymen support this behavior? Rather than value globalization as continued opportunity for learning and improvement, an egotistical country (which is a common country) will only regard globalization as an opportunity to be bossy “gangsters,” polluting even more of the globe with pompous, unchecked, unjustified perspective.  The result will not be increased interconnectedness, only increased egoism or “international isolation” (28) --the opposite of ideal globalization. Countries who allow the spirit of nationalism to distract them from the benefits of globalization do themselves a disservice. This disservice might be unnecessary bloodshed (as the case with the Yugoslavs/ Serbs), or the disservice might be more abstract, such as missing opportunities to better understand equality. This idea is reflected in the above political cartoon.

Therefore, it is imperative that countries set aside their “gangster-like” egos and recognize globalization as an opportunity to learn from the globe --rather than an opportunity to spread their influence. This requires countrymen to reflect on their country’s actions and support them only with careful review. We must only be “fair-weather fans.”

Religion and Globalization

Connor Handzo

GVPT 200

Professor Shirk

Blog Post 4

            The idea of globalization is a very general theory that encompasses a vast number of different ideas and such. One specific aspect of human life has been profoundly affected by globalization. This such aspect of human life, which is very crucial to many people’s identity, is religion. Globalization has greatly affected religion and because of globalization, religion has changed. Whether or not this change is for the better is for future generations to decide.

            Globalization has benefitted religion in quite a few ways. The most apparent way is that globalization has made the dispersion of religious views and values a much more feasible and easily attained feat. Because of modern technology, information can be disseminated at an immensely large level. And by this I do not solely mean the internet. There are many other ways that religion can now be spread easier than before due to globalization. One such way is through way of mouth. International travel, especially in Europe, has been made much cheaper and much more efficient due to globalization. Planes, trains, boats, and cars have been improved greatly thanks to globalization and increased competition from around the world. This new technology in these modes of transportation makes using them much cheaper and much more efficient, thus allowing for people to travel and spread religion through preaching and other ways of mouth much simpler. Also due to advancing technology, books are much cheaper and more readily available than they used to be. This makes religious texts more accessible to people who are not as fortunate in regards to money.

            However, globalization has also had a negative effect on religion. Globalization makes the spread of religion and religious values and such more accessible to everyone; however, it also makes anti-religious values and sentiments, such as anti-Semitism, more accessible to everyone. Foer even made a note of this phenomena in his book, “Zionism and modern European anti-Semitism … both movements were born at the turn of the last century, in the midst of another wave of massive globalization…” (70). However, he also notes that anti-Semitism “has been made less pernicious by globalization’s transformation of Europe” (Foer, 71). It cannot be denied that globalization has made anti-religious movements and sentiments, such as anti-Semitism, much more apparent and prevalent. It eases the spread of such feelings. This can be seen in an example of New York City in 1925. At this time, this city was “a metropolis seemingly uninfected by European anti-Semitism” (Foer, 75). Sadly this is not true today though. Due to globalization and the easy spread of information it has helped produce, New York City is no longer uninfected by anti-Semitism. Also due to globalization, anti-Semitism is not just a European value now. As previously stated, it has spread to America and also to all over the world. So globalization also negatively affects religion.

            Globalization has done wonders for religion and has greatly helped it to spread and become popular. Because of globalization, many people now have access to religion and it has changed their lives for the better. However, it has also hurt religion. Because of globalization, many people now hate religion. There are two sides to every specific view of globalization and it is for the scholars and such of the future to decide on if it is a good thing or not.

Wal-Mart Rules the World

Vishal Hemnani
GVPT200, 0105

One main theme pointed out by Franklin Foer in his book How Soccer Explains the World, is the presence of money in politics. He discusses the rise of corporate hegemons, using Italian president and AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi, as his prime example. In his description to Berlusconi, Foer points out that with more money comes power. Silvio Berlusconi used his power to buy his team championships and pay off officials. Foer also uses Juventus owner Gianni Agnelli as another example of wealth corrupting Italy. Agnelli was the owner of Fiat motors along with other ventures that resulted in his total wealth equaling a third of Milan’s stock exchange. Power and money’s corruption of a nation is a common theme found in today’s society, especially in the case of the Wal-Mart corporation, which has large influence in both individual nations and the global market as a whole.

  

As a company, Wal-Mart has revolutionized the retail industry all over the world with their low prices and capability to dictate policies. In fiscal year of 2012, Wal-Mart made approximately $444 billion, $20 billion more than Austria’s GDP. If Wal-Mart were to be a country, it would have the 26^th largest economy in the world.  When Foer describes the wealth in Italy, he often refers to the rich’s capability of influencing decisions with money in order to satisfy ulterior motives. In 2000, John Walton, the CEO of Wal-Mart, took the initiative of inserting his company into the education policy debate. Wal-Mart’s involvement brought about great controversy from the American public, as most people did not see why the country’s “1%” would have a sudden interest in education policy. The Walton Family Foundation claimed that they hoped to “infuse competitive pressure into America’s K-12 education system by increasing the quantity and quality of school choices available to parents, especially in low-income communities.” However, it was later discovered that the family’s involvement was for more selfish reasons. Wal-Mart believed public schools to be “dummied down”, and that the quality of students graduating were unable to fill entry-level positions. Wal-Mart used their money and power to force education policy, not for the benefit of the people, but for the benefit of the company, similar to Berlusconi with his rigging of Italian Soccer.

Another instance of Wal-Mart’s corporate dominance was on display in Mexico. In 2004, elected officials opted not to allow a Wal-Mart to be built in a region near the city due to zoning requirements. To no one’s surprise, the Wal-Mart division in Mexico was very dissatisfied with the ruling, and chose to deal with this matter through bribe. They offered the elected officials a $52,000 bribe, and within months construction had begun. When the superiors of Wal-Mart were told of the nature of business in Mexico a minor investigation was done. However, when it became apparent that bribery was often used, Wal-Mart halted their search. Authorities were never notified. Foer talks about corruption among corporations, and it is quite evident that in the globalized world, money rules all. With their widespread reach and wealth, Wal-Mart has gained the power to influence decisions all over the world. Despite having knowledge of their company’s misconduct, Wal-Mart opted to turn the other way.

Corporate dishonesty and the wealth of large corporations are a cause for alarm. When the wealthy yield more power and influence than our governmental and law enforcement systems, our society is at risk. We built our government to check against selfish branches, to ensure that the results of this power were beneficial to the people. It seems now that the nation should devise ways to check large corporations, as their wealth gives them unchecked power to influence society selfishly rather than selflessly.