...of Africa to The Constant Gardener and Kony 2012, Africa has provided a space onto which white egos can conveniently be projected. It is a liberated space in which the usual rules do not apply: a nobody from America or Europe can go to Africa and become a godlike savior or, at the very least, have his or her emotional needs satisfied. Many have done it under the banner of ‘making a difference’.” * Teju Cole, “The White Savior Industrial Complex.” “When a warlord continues to kill and torture across a swath of Congo and Central African Republic, that’s not a white man’s burden. It’s a human burden. To me, it feels repugnant to suggest that compassion should stop at a national boundary or color line. A common humanity binds us all, whatever the color of our skin — or passport.” * Nicholas Kristof, “Viral Video, Vicious Warlord.” Taken together, the essays cited above work as a marvelous (and heated) example of argument and counterargument. Responding to the Kony 2012 video, Cole and Kristof fundamentally disagree over the effectiveness and appropriateness of humanitarian intervention in third-world countries. For Kristof, “complexity” is an excuse for inaction; he chides “armchair cynics” and praises the “uncertain” efforts of Kony 2012. Cole, on the other hand, sees these efforts as a way to “satisfy the…sentimental needs of white people…” He criticizes American sentimentality and suggests that, if America truly cares about “making a difference,” they might want...
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...Kristen McNair ENC 1102 16 April 2012 Connecting through the Internet Connecting globally is possible because of great technologies such as the internet. The internet has evolved into a place where the whole world can connect and communicate with each other. The internet has tools such as email, instant messaging, social media sites and online video games that allow individuals to talk with almost anyone in the world as long as they have access to the internet. Having the capability to communicate with anyone around the world may change ones perception of the world personally and globally. Individuals can discuss various topics and express their different points of views on the subject. Recent events at ones fingertip is a powerful tool to have. Being able to hear about global events within minutes of it actually happening may change ones view on world issues personally and globally. Online video games and social media sites can alter ones perception of the word, while allowing individuals to acquire and discuss ideas from around the world. The internet’s advancements have allowed for online video games. These games allow players to have online contact with people all over the world. These online games are usually called MMO games, or Massive Multiplayer Online games. Many people around the world play online video games; experts say the companies strive to make the games addicting so more people play for longer periods of time. Online games allow individuals to meet people...
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...Viola Khalil 900094024 RHET 102- 28 20 Apr. 2012 Essay 3, final draft Rescuing Children, Whose Responsibility? Children are one of the most important public priorities because they are the future of any society. If a government wants to improve its country, it should care more for its children. “The quality of our shared economic and democratic future relies on providing all children the opportunity to reach their full potential (All Children Should Be given the Opportunity to Succeed). Many children in many places over the world suffer from various problems. Child labor, poverty, military use of children, internet child pornography, child prostitution, lack of access to education, lack of health care, in addition to many other problems, are the most serious problems that face many children all over the world ("Top 10 Terrible Issues). “It is the responsibility of the government to keep them safe from criminal like Joseph Kony, a man in Uganda who steals children from their homes, and forces girls to become sex slaves, and the boys to become soldiers in his army” (Philipp). Children in Egypt suffer a lot from many problems like being homeless. Rescuing them is not only the responsibility of governments, but it is the responsibility of every adult. Street children issue has become a very serious problem that faces Egypt nowadays. Street children are children who call the streets their home (A New Approach). The number of street children in Egypt is estimated to be between...
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...preferred political system in most countries around the world. There is a new kid on the block though. In 2007, the US Presidential campaign for Barack Obama utilized and benefitted tremendously from the massive number of people using social media outlets such as MySpace, Facebook and Twitter. Obama’s presidential campaign raised a record-breaking $745 million. Apart from charisma and prowess in public speaking, Barack Obama and his campaign reaped the reward for engaging people on social media. The following graph demonstrates a clear contrast in the policies of the two contestants (McCain and Obama) during the presidential elections. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 60 per cent of Internet users went online for news about politics or campaigns in the 2008 election. In the book, “Communicator-In-Chief: How Barack Obama used new media technology to win the White House”, the authors mention that, “approximately 2.4 Million people ‘friended’ Obama on Facebook. Obama gained...
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...Culture and Globalization Table of Contents PREFACE ............................................................................................................................................................................... 2 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................................... 2 GLOBALIZATION VS. LOCAL CULTURES .................................................................................................................................... 3 THE INFLUENCE OF U.S. CORPORATIONS ON LOCAL MORES ................................................................................................... 3 THE DOMINANCE OF THE AMERICAN MARKET .......................................................................................................................... 4 THE INTEGRATION OF CULTURES ............................................................................................................................................ 6 REAFFIRMATION OF LOCAL CULTURE ...................................................................................................................................... 6 A CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS?.................................................................................................................................................. 7 CULTURAL IMPACTS OF GLOBALIZATION ....................................................
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