Globalization and me

Rantanen defines globalization as follows:

Globalization is a process in which worldwide economic, political, cultural and social relations have become increasingly mediated across time and space.

(Rantanen, 2005, p 8)

This definition, even though it may be a bit broad is what I would consider being one of the most spot-on definitions of what globalization really is and what effects it has on our daily lives. Being in Australia means that I am approximately 16.000 km away from home. This it a huge distance, but does the distance really mean anything in globalized world, where I with a few clicks on a computer a smartphone can get in touch with my friends and family in Denmark within seconds?

For this blog post I decided to do a Skype-interview with my mother, and ask her about how the information flows and the use of digital media has influenced her life in the recent years.

When I asked my mother on how she feels digital media has influenced her life, the first thing that came to her mind was Facebook and Skype. Skype is an essential necessity for my parents to communicate with my brother and me, as I am currently here, in Australia, and my brother lives on Malta.

My mother never really believed Facebook would have any significant impact, and thought of Facebook as a useless gimmick. Her opinion of the site changed, and after using it for more than two years now, she says it has become an essential part of her live. She says that the use of Facebook enables her to communicate with, and follow the lives of former colleagues, friends, and family. For her, the information flows in the recent years has become an integrated part of her life, and even though she lived for more than 60 years without using the internet, she can not imagine a life without it now.

References:

Rantanen, T 2005, The media and globalization, Sage, London