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.
It sounds like you're talking about less the benefit of globalization and more just the benefit of easier communication? What other effects could globalization have on religion?
ReplyDeleteConnor, I think you chose an interesting topic to discuss and I agree with what you have said for the most part. I would also add that although the spread of ideas is easier, it is still just as hard, if not harder, to share more positive views. It seems that a lot of times negative aspects spread faster than the good news, making it increasingly harder to effectively share religion. How do you see globalization effecting religion in the long run? Will there perhaps be fewer religions that are extremely wide spread, many variations of the same thing that are adapted in each area or a variation of those?
ReplyDeleteConnor,
ReplyDeleteWhen talking about the topic of religion, I think it is also important to note that globalization may be the reason for devaluing religion, not because of more dispersion, but because of a heavier media presence. In my Journalism class, we have learned about how the media is capable of influencing large audiences all over the world. The current mindset of the world is to turn away from religion because the media condemns in through negative reporting of religious views and pop culture seeing religion as more of a prop than a way to live life.
Chelsea-
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you that negative thoughts spread faster than good news. I can definitely see that in the future, globalization could lead to many different religions. Each one with its many different groups of supporters and hater.
Vishal-
I definitely agree with what you are arguing about the devaluing of religion. I can see it as going either way though. That is, I can see religion as becoming much more prominent, or diminishing in its effect on people's everyday lives.
Connor,
ReplyDeleteSince you identify that globalization contributes to the rise of religions but also its downfall, are you suggesting that the population will become increasingly polarized on this issue? If more people are supporting religion while more people are disapproving of religion, what happens to the people with opinions that lay somewhere in the middle? Do they disappear? Or, do they mediate the other two groups?