WyattShely

Mr.Arnold
LBST2102H75
28January2016
Microtheme1
Theseedsofglobalizationhavecreatedamyriadofrootsdispersedthroughouthuman
history.Therootsdeepinthegroundprogressivelytravelclosertoformatree.Thismetaphoris
effectiveindepictingtheevolutionofglobalization.ManfredStegerworkstopindownthis
complexterminGlobalization,whenhestatesthatthetermreferstotheexpansionand
intensificationofsocialrelationsandconsciousnessacrossworldtimeandworldspace(15).
Thereisacleardifferenceofhowglobalizationhasdevelopedasmanhasevolved.
Thousandsofyearsago,duringtheprehistoricperiod,humanityexperienceddivergence.
OriginatinginAfrica,humansspreadacrosstheworld,inhabitingvariouscontinents(Steger
22).Thisearlyformofglobalizationillustratesthescatteredrootsofatree.Astimeelapsed,
humansbegantoformnewideasincludingscienceandlaw,aswellascreatingnewinventions
suchastheprintingpress.Theseideastraveledfromcivilizationtocivilizationalongroads,
intercontinentalseatradingroutes,andeventually,raillines.Thisincreaseofconnectivity
portraystherootstravelingclosertogetherinmoreshallowsoil.
Attheendofthetwentieth,andthebeginningofthetwentyfirstcentury,globalization
hastakenaformantonymictodivergence.Withtheexponentialincreaseanddistributionof
technology,especiallysocialnetworkingcitesacrosstheinternet,humanityisbeginningto
experienceanintensedegreeofconvergence(Steger35).Thissymbolizestheportionofthe

treewheretherootsbegintoformatrunk.Theextremeconnectednessoftheworldandthe
humanraceareimpossibletoignore.WhetheradevastatingtsunamihappeninginJapanis
broadcastedliveonnewschannelsintheUnitedStates,oraSouthAfricanwifeistalkingtoher
husbandonabusinesstripinNorwaythroughSkype,physicaldistanceisnomatchforthe
powerofglobalization.
Everyrootofatreehasadifferentpath.Similarly,globalizationoccursfromaplethoraof
violentlydifferingcauses.Anyinternationalsportingeventclearlyillustratesglobalizationin
action.Forexample,the2010WorldCuphadaColombianpopstarperformingaremixed
versionofanalreadyglobalized...anthem(Steger7).Yes,theexcitingandjoyouseventofthe
WorldCupenhancesglobalization,butthesometimesdepressingnatureofwarfare[acts]asa
catalystofglobalizationaswell(Steger31).Thisissymbolizedinthevaryingandcomplex
militaryrelationshipsofEuropeannationsintheeighteenthcentury,andalsothecolonizationof
theAmericasandotherregionsoftheglobebyEuropeannationsbeginninginthefifteenth
century.Globalizationstransitionfromdivergencetoconvergencethroughhumanhistory,
alongwithitscontrastingrelationshipofwillingandforcedinteraction,makeitacomplexterm
deservingofdebateandconversation.