Globalization has been the fastest growing and most expansive movement in the recent history of the human race. It is at its core the driving force of nearly everything that takes place in the world today. Although, many people have not realized it today’s world has become a global market, not only in terms of the economy; today’s world is completely interconnected and that is just the way of life for younger generations who are growing up in this increasingly globalized world. The people who were around before the invention of the internet, which highly accelerated the process of globalization, were able to observe the change from the beginning of modern globalization. They saw the change from close very involved communities which were mainly self-sustainable, to an interconnected world that has become so incredibly specialized and outsourced and dependent on their imports.

Globalization is a complex concept that has a number of different aspects and impacts to it. In order to identify whether or not this movement has brought people closer together or further apart it is important to consider all the aspects and impacts that globalization has, from the financial and economic impacts to the social changes and impacts on standards of living.

The impact that has been seen of globalization on the economy has been truly incredible. Though globalization affects nearly all aspects of life, it basically reinvented the economy and created a new “Worldwide Market” or an international economy. Prior to the various technological advancements of the mid and late 1900s international business was a very difficult and daunting notion. However, once transportation and technological advancements were made allowing interactions to happen basically instantly the world market began to become more and more interconnected. The United States, which used to be one of the most significant car manufacturers, with brands such as GM, Ford, Jeep, and so on, have since moved nearly the totality of their production outside of the United States, leaving thousands of Americans and citizens of other mostly core countries jobless. These actions lead to unemployment which leads to isolation and embarrassment for many people. Unfortunately, unemployment is a serious issue in the United States and it has driven people apart in many scenarios. Both families who try to provide for their struggling loved ones and just friends who may not have opportunities to see each other regularly or are simply embarrassed by their circumstances do not interact with each other due to this side effect of globalization.

The social impacts of globalization can be viewed in so many various ways, including the effects that economic changes bring as well as technological advancements specifically with personal computers and smartphones. Although globalization is often thought of as a physical tangible thing or an observed spread of an item or idea across a certain area, we are not always able to observe the constant expansion and exchange of knowledge and thoughts that occur in the virtual world. Again we have to consider that the virtual world is simply another product and simultaneously a tool of globalization, the interconnectedness of the world market allowed for people to advance their knowledge and decision making skills to advance mankind in their efforts to improve their way of life. Technology has been a great facilitator of globalization but it has also brought certain societies to the ground. Africa has a trend of being conquered or “taken under a wing” by a large global power. Back during the African colonization’s, the main players were the British, the French, the Dutch, and the Portuguese, they basically choose whichever area they wanted, basically took control of all the tribes because they were more advanced, and exploited their natural resources for their benefit. Although this process seems cruel, this is one of the processes of Globalization, although the examples in Africa are not how colonization was intended it was often the result of the expeditions. In many cases people were dehumanized and made to work for near nothing, or nothing at all as slaves. In this sense this really pushed people apart from each other. Europeans with more advanced technologies made possible by the process of globalization went wherever they wanted and essentially conquered other civilizations making them part of their own. Although this did literally bring the people of the world together, psychologically, it drove them apart. It made those less developed nations who were being conquered hate the more developed nations that were traveling the world and left a mark on the world that we are still able to see the scar of in today’s society.

The world today is accelerating closer and closer to a singular global society that works as one, however, we still have a long way to go and a lot of errors to correct. Although Globalization has brought amazing advancements to mankind it has also brought countless tragedies. Due to globalization, Christopher Columbus brought Europeans to North America to decimate entire civilizations, but it did bring the European culture and people to the new world spreading them and creating an incredible new world. That example is prime of showing both the tragically gruesome side of globalization as well as the advancing positive side of globalization that allows for civilizations to grow, progress and sustain. If we are to continue with the movement of globalization and all the benefits that it brings to us we must begin to recognize the harm we are doing to certain societies and allow our ideas and expansions bring the sustainability so that we can stay as a single connected community rather than divisive destruction.