Is music an entertainment or art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Is music an entertainment or art - Essay Example   Ã¢â‚¬ËœIs music an art form or entertainment?’ is a difficult question for one to answer. Art is related with self-expression which reveals the creativity of a person while entertainment is based on public enjoyment. In a case of music, it needs artistic qualities as well the elements of entertainment. Considering the popular music culture during the 1960s and 1970s in English speaking world, one can find a brilliant amalgamation of art and entertainment. Historians have documented that the event of Civil Right Movement and the associated civil disturbance and the Vietnam War greatly influenced the youth culture. Formation of life style, values, and economic growth of youth marked the influence of these two happenings. Newly originated popular culture in which rock/soul music was the dominant one which changed lives. People from the English speaking world receive this cultural division of sex, race and began to see each one having different perceptive. Here, one can see th at popular acceptance of rock/soul music underlines the presence of both artistic features and some characteristics of entertainment. The new popular culture during the 1960s and 1970s marked the emergence of rock/soul music which provides some features of entertainment as well the characteristics of art. As a medium of entertainment, music requires a perfect content which describes the social and cultural heritage of the nation, brilliant instrumentation, and effective visual presentation. The song entitled, â€Å"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" by Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell gives a particular beat style which promote a faster track than rock. Motown uses little bits of melody in its songs. Similarly, the frequent use of electric keyboards in Soul music gives a different experience for the listener. Social and cultural backgrounds The content of Motown music is matured and diversified which performed great artistic value. Research professionals mention that Motown became the centre of popular music in sixties and one can easily find its strong influence of African American or gospel backgrounds. Here, the lyrics of the songs need both artistic quality and some features of entertainment. The song â€Å"I heard it through Grapevine† by Marvin Gaye gives higher level of artistic performance as well entertainment quality. Michael Campbell and James Brody observe; â€Å"It is beautifully integrated: every elements blends shamelessly to convey the sense of the text which gradually unfolds the story of love gone wrong† (Campbell & Brody 185). In case of popular music in the English world, one cannot find the crisis between the features of art and entertainment in music. Music of Motown and Soul underscore the contribution of Black people or African Americans. Various use of instrumentation affects public acceptance and popularity. It is significant for a reader to notice that the songs of Bob Dylan and Motown give considerable status in lyrics. Considering the song entitled "The Times They Are A-Changin' (1964) by Bob Dylan, one can find that the Dylan gives more emphasis on its lyrics than music. The song is based on political movements of that period. The sufferings of and protest of working class people is revealed through his words. Even without a band and or any other instrument listener/viewer can get the feel of an anthem. Therefore, popular music culture in 1960s and 70s concentrated artistic features than entertainment. In case of music, songs of Motown and Soul acquired great popularity among the public because of its music and instrumentation. Artists have controlled the use of the elements of entertainment in their songs. Visual presentation and class identification are is not a significant matter among the public in

Privacy and Confidentiality in the Electronic Medical Record Research Paper

Privacy and Confidentiality in the Electronic Medical Record - Research Paper Example However, the implementation of ERM is hindered by patient concerns over their privacy and confidentiality of their information and data. The present IT solutions have failed to satisfy the patients’ privacy and trust issues in the medical records. This research looks at the privacy and confidentiality issues in Electronic Medical Records. Table of Contents Acknowledgement 2 Abstract 3 1Introduction 5 1.1 Background Information 5 1.2 Problem statement 6 2 Linking the existing Medical Records 7 3Electronic Medical Records 7 4 Benefits of EMR 8 5 Electronic Medical Record Privacy and Trust 9 6 EMR Privacy 10 7EMR Trust 11 8Preventing the privacy-violating Inferences in the EMR 12 9 Conclusion 13 10References 14 Baatarjav, R. (2010). Privacy management for EMR. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Information Systems Security, Hyderabad, India, 16-20, volume 5352 14 1 Introduction The use of electronic medical record keeping has resulted to increased interest in eval uation of the past records of the patient aimed at improving healthcare delivery. Such research has been using the patient data but then the issues of confidentiality and trust seem to be an issue that has not yet been handled in the studies. It is true that EMS is now a new evolution in the healthcare sector. The use of EMS gives several benefits to the patients, to the public health system and the government (Mark, 2003). There has been an increased use of EMS over the world, but further use and implementation of the concerns affected this project on privacy, trust and confidentiality issues. It is true that the present IT solutions have failed to ensure patient security and their privacy desires, and ensure that the medical data can be trusted. This study looks at the privacy and confidentiality issues in the electronic medical record. This study will cover the most important issue in electronic medical records, the issues of privacy and confidentiality of personal health informa tion. To this date, it is known that the increased development of information technologies has resulted to certain changes in the healthcare system medical records (George, 2010). 1.1 Background Information Personal information is a valuable entity in a person's life, and its value has been increasing tremendously. The individuals who are to be in control of their information value the source of such personal information and value the control of the personal details since such details make one to be uniquely identified. The user's personal information also gives evidence of the value of such information through increased knowledge (Enhydra, 2011). The healthcare information is one of the most sensitive information of a human being that should not be easily disclosed to a third party. This is because such information contains an individual's intimate details and their health conditions that would result to stigmatization if it is disclosed. Such information cans be described as an in dividual's â€Å"biographical core of personal information† (Bell, 2005). Tremendous studies have shown that the value of human personal health information can be seen at the time of interaction of the patients with their healthcare providers. Day in day out, thousands of patients share their personal information with their health care providers for diagnosis, care and treatment. Such information is usually collected and stored by other health care prov

Gold is a precious meta Essay Example for Free

Gold is a precious meta Essay Gold is a precious metal and its price since its discovery is usually determined by the open market. However, a bench mark figure is set daily through a procedure referred to as gold fixing and this benchmark figure controls the gold industry thus the prices of gold. This gold fixing procedure was introduced in 1919 and it originated from London where it is still practiced even today. Gold is usually measured using grams and also by troy weights like all other metals considered precious. In the past, gold was being used as currency and this only ended with introduction of paper money. In 1968, the economic conditions which were prevailing led to the formation of a two-tier pricing scheme. Under this format, a standardized currency based on the gold value at that time was allowed to settle all international accounts while gold trade at the private market was being controlled by the market forces. This arrangement however ended in 1975 and gold started operating in a free market. This caused the price of gold to fluctuate with the price rising to $850 per ounce of gold in 1980 to as low as $252 in 1999. The historic prices of gold have been known to fluctuate greatly although a benchmark figure is set to ensure that the price do not exceed the upper and lower limits. Before the collapse of the gold standard in the 1970s, the price of gold was highly influence by the United States dollar since the dollar was pegged on the gold (GOLDPRICE. ORG, Para 1-5). This research paper will evaluate the impacts that the current recession may have on the prices of gold, the differences between government and gold investment, the causes of gold fluctuations as well as the effects that gold fluctuations may have on the present value of money. Impact of recession on gold prices One of the questions which are being frequently asked today is what would happen to the prices of gold as a result of the recession or depression being experienced in United States. A research conducted by the world gold council aimed at comparing gold performance during the recessionary periods. However, it has been established that gold prices are not affected by the global recession. During recessionary periods, the must be losers and winners based on the terms used in evaluating asset performance. Fixed income assets like gold tend to win during such periods while cyclical stocks lose. An analysis on correlation and regression carried out during a recessionary period in the United States showed that there is no possible relationship between the growths of the country’s GDP and the gold price changes. As such, a recession does not impact negatively to the prices of gold. This underpins the role of gold as a diversifying asset especially in times of recession and also outlines the forces that control gold prices. The recession unlike it was widely believed has had positive impact for gold prices despite the decline in the dollar strength (Connell, Para 2-4). Due to the recessionary period being experienced in most parts of the world, more people have turned to gold investment thus making the present value of money to decrease. An increase in gold trading would lead to an increase in the gold prices thus purchasing the same value of gold for more money. This would mean that the value of money would have gone down. On the other hand, a decrease in the volume of gold would lead to and increase in the present value of money (Potter, Para 4-5). Gold investment versus government investment There is a heated debate on what form of investment is more viable and beneficial between gold investment and investing in government securities or bonds. Both of these two investment options have their advantages and disadvantages. Gold investment is recognized as one of the best investment since it offers solid investment. As noted above, gold prices are not adversely affected by the recessionary periods meaning gold can still maintain value of investment even when there are economic crisis in a country. The fact that gold prices are not negatively influenced by recession makes gold investment more attractive than investing in government bonds especially in times of economic crisis (Willink, Para 2). However, gold investment is a risky investment especially for a person who is not an expert in the gold field. Also, some forms of gold can be confiscated by the government in times of war leading to big losses. Government bonds on the other hand amounts to lending to the government which is usually done at a fixed rate of interest. The bonds are considered to be risk free and also repayment is guaranteed. This form of an investment does not yield higher returns to the investor making it less desirable. Due to the improvement of technology and globalization, investing in gold is becoming risky as they are chances of being cheated. Gold is also very costly and the returns may not be good especially due to the form of market in which gold operates. As such, investing in government bonds would be more effective since the risk involved is minimal and returns are guaranteed (Willink, Para 3-6). Causes of gold price fluctuations Gold prices are regulated by the market forces and as such they are subjected to the law of demand and supply which explains the gold prices fluctuations. During inflationary periods, people buy more gold for investment since it is not affected by inflations. This leads to an increase in gold demand thus the prices. On the other hand, people sell their gold investment during the boom period making the price of gold to decrease. Demand and supply forces are major contributors to the fluctuation of gold price. Another possible cause of gold price fluctuation is the exploration cost of gold and also the cost involved in developing gold to make the needed products such as jewelry. When exploration and manufacturing cost increase, the price of gold and gold products also increase and vice versa. Fluctuations in the paper currency may also affect or lead to price fluctuation of gold. When paper money loses value or individuals lose faith in a country’s currency, the demand for gold increases leading to price surge (Jackson, Para 1-4). Conclusion Gold trading is one of the oldest forms of trade in the world. In the ancient times, gold was being used as a means of exchange and was used as a standard that was being used in the international markets. During the gold standard, the dollar was pegged on gold and was used to ensure equitability and measurability. However, after the collapse of the gold standard, gold prices were left to be determined by the free market which has led to the fluctuations being experienced in the gold market. Unlike in the past, more people are turning to gold investment mainly due to its resistance to global market fluctuations and economic crisis. However, gold investment is one of the most risky and also lucrative investments as it may lead to huge losses or huge profits. Investing in this market also requires experts due to the complexity and instability of this market. Reference: Connell, Rhona: What does a US recession imply for the gold price? (2008). Retrieved on 16th March 2009 from, http://www. ibtimes. com/articles/20080604/what-does-a-us-recession-imply-for. htm. GOLDPRICE. ORG: Gold Price History. Retrieved on 16th March 2009 from, http://www. goldprice. org/gold-price-history. html. Jackson, Dave: Why Gold Prices Fluctuate. Retrieved on 16th March 2009 from, http://ezinearticles. com/? Why-Gold-Prices-Fluctuateid=720555. Potter, Christopher K. : Gold Money. (2007). Retrieved on 16th March 2009 from, http://news. goldseek. com/GoldSeek/1194370818. php Willink, Andrew: Alternative Investment Round-up. (2008). Retrieved on 16th March 2009 from, http://www. ratecity. com. au/savings-accounts/info/alternative-investment-round-up/.

The Principles Of Liberal Idealism And Realism

The Principles Of Liberal Idealism And Realism For the purpose of this essay, my discussions will be narrowed down to the theory of Realism and would reflect on my knowledge of the topic before the seminar, key issued raised, what i learnt during the seminar and how it impacted on my understanding, i would also discuss what i did thereafter with my knowledge of the topic in terms of further research. I had just the basic knowledge about the concept of Realism before attending the aforementioned seminar which is that power is of primary importance to the realist. Also, in international relations, states are primarily motivated to obtain power and security because of anarchy on the world stage. The 1963 version of the movie Lord of the flies which we watched in a previous class also went a long way to aid my understanding of the themes of power and security in the realist school of thought. In the movie Lord of the flies, elements of realism were highlighted, there was a high regard for the values of national security and state survival which was eminent in the character of jack who formed his own gang of hunters and claimed to provide security from the beast and food for all those who followed his leadership. Also, the conviction that international relations are conflictual and that these conflicts are ultimately resolved by war. This can be linked to the character of Jack who had constant disagreements with Ralph of which he was always ready to go to war. I learnt from the movie that laws and rules are necessary to keep the darker side of human nature in check. When all elements of civilization disappeared from the island, the boys revert to a more primitive part of their nature; savages and anarchy replaced democracy. During the course of the seminar, ten assumptions of the principles of realism were discussed based on Kegley (1995) who asserted that people are sinful and wicked by nature and the likelihood of eliminating the instinct for power is rather utopian. Key issues were raised and discussed from different perspectives, but something of particular interest to me was the way power was viewed by some of my peers as not just the ability to dominate others or as a state having international influence or military strength on the world stage and not even in financial terms. Power was viewed in ideas as well; an ideology is even more powerful than money or any other material thing. This is interesting because the realist has this hierarchy of power capabilities and military strength is its most obvious way of enforcing power, the realist would relegate ideas to low politics. This point was challenged during the discussion by a fellow student who stated that the realist belief of power superseding an ideology had changed after the Second World War and that ideology had been placed on a much higher level than power. But that was the same thing that was said in the height of the cold war, the fight was a clash of an ideology and this clash was combated through guns, tanks and bombs. A good question raised was that are the guns, tanks and bombs a means to an end or are they a means in itself? That is to say are these weapons complementing an ideology? Or will ideas be smashed by guns, tanks and bombs. Personally i think on the long run, an ideology will definitely survive any form of weapon because it is the way of life of a people but if there is an uprising, weapons can be used to subdue but not necessarily causing deaths or more chaos. However, this was not the case in China during the Tiananmen Square Massacre of June 1989, where students and intellectuals led series of demonstrations in and near Tiananmen Square in Beijing beginning on 14 April, 1989. For more than six wee ks, millions of students gathered at Tiananmen Square to protest against the governments authoritarianism and called for economic change and democratic reform. On the night of June 4 1989, the Peoples Liberation Armys (PLA) tanks rolled into the centre of Beijing and killed hundreds of students, intellectuals, supporters and bystanders (Shirk, 2007). Another interesting issue raised was one very good argument in the heart of the cold war which is that would Washington sacrifice New York in order to save London? Meaning that if there was a nuclear attack, would Washington realise that our duty is to save our ally before we save ourselves. In answering this question, a state thinks of its self and its benefits first, it has to be calculating, Washington will never sacrifice New York to save London or any other ally. Also when it comes to power, a state has its interest at heart; looking at the China, United States, Taiwan relationship, America stood in there as an intermediary force also putting into consideration what its losses would be if it takes any rash decisions, which shows that a state considers its benefits first and is always calculating. The US cannot pick fights with China despite its constant human rights abuses because China is the big boy on the playground. Another issue discussed was that of national interest, the realist defines national interest as the acquisition of power (Kegley, 1995).We live in this atmosphere of national interest. It was in the US national interest to invade Iraq and go into Afghanistan; i presume it was in the national interest to get out of Iraq. A state needs to acquire power as much as possible if not, another state would and this then becomes a threat. According to Machiavelli, the fundamental responsibility of states people is to advance and defend the national interest. For Machiavelli, if the state is not strong, it will be a standing invitation for others to prey upon it (Donnelly, 2000). At the end of the seminar, we agreed that power cannot be eradicated instead; means and mechanisms to restrict and control it should be in place. The seminar impacted on my understanding of the concepts and principles of realism to a large extent especially the discussions on ideology of which i concluded that everyone is free to have an ideology, something they believe in. But the question remains: what do you do with your ideology? Is it used in a positive or negative way? Leaders since the Roman Empire have used ideology to instil amongst the masses a common consciousness, to help safeguard or teardown political communities and to equally conquer or repel alternative ideologies. An ideology can also be used to commit terrorism all over the world for example, Islamic extremists or radicals and 9/11. Hybel (2009) argues that world actors for centuries have aspired to propagate a structure of meaning through the world arena that reflected their own system of beliefs, ideas and values which would effectively protect and promote their material interest, believing their system to be superior to all others and such they felt moral ly obliged to spread it. Hybel states that radical Islamism is driven by the same set of goals. When these plethoras of ideas conflict or compete, war becomes almost inevitable. After the seminar, i carried out more research to aid the knowledge gained, i applied the concept of the realist quest for power to real life situation in international relations and theoretical approaches matched with applied analyses on events. Great powers all over the world are constantly competing for influence, international competition between the United States, china, Russia, Europe, Iran, India and Japan raises threats of regional conflicts. I was able to understand why the United State was an ambitious superpower. Kagan (2008) argues that Americas technical advances in weaponry far outstripped the rest of the world and placed the US in a special category of military superpower. As a matter of global strategy, they have preferred a preponderance of power to a balance of power with other nations, insisting on preserving and if possible extending regional predominance in the Middle east, East Asia, The Western Hemisphere: until recently Europe and Central Asia. According to Ch omsky (2003), The United States has been pursuing a grand imperial strategy aimed at staking out the globe. They are willing to dominate (as in the Cuban missiles Crisis) no matter how high the stakes. The Bush administration in September 2002 announced its National Security strategy which declared the right to resort to force to eliminate any perceived challenge to US global hegemony, which is to be permanent. China is another (emerging) superpower and a force to be reckoned with on the world stage. Sixty years ago, China was torn by domestic conflicts, invaded, vulnerable, isolated and poor. Today, it is an economic giant with its economy racing to become the largest in the world and its military power growing steadily. No other nation has moved faster from weakness to strength (Kagan, 2008). In conclusion, the seminar opened my understanding to a plethora of ideas and concepts i hitherto had little knowledge of and was able to make sense of the link between the theoretical approaches of international relations and real life situations present in the world today as well as to professionally analyse international events.

Essay --

Brenda Fitzgerald Delatorre Lynda Peterson ENG 102 16 November 2013 Are Video Games Good for You? In today’s society, gaming has become a popular tool used by all generations, and research shows that the gaming industry has caused positive outcomes for those that utilize them. Gaming has been blamed for when situations occur, such as in-school violence, grades, lack of social relationships, and language. There are many people that play these games. These individuals are of all diversities. On the other hand, it has been researched and discovered that these games can help with autism, hand-eye coordination, and even problem solving skills. Research is constantly conducted to weigh the positive and negative aspects of the gaming world. Some schools refuse to allow students to use computers; however, some rely solely on computers. Some families do not even have technology in their homes. This is an individual choice that is made dependent on values, beliefs, and family make-up. One should not be judged just because of the games they play. That would be something tha t could be considered profiling. Some play for leisure, some play for peace of mind, some play for educational purposes. Everyone has their own reasoning. Video games are talked about in a derogatory fashion for many reasons. Some of those reasons include childhood obesity, decreased social interaction, increased violence, and lack of academic success. These topics, along with many others, are prime examples as to why some parents and teachers are not advocates for these games. When there are school shootings, there is most often mention of the student being a gamer. On another note, these games depict women in a negative form. These women are fully devel... ...it. In conclusion, there is really no right or wrong answer to this question. When you research it online, there are more results that lean toward the good in these games versus those which are negative. Can these games cause some individuals to just go mentally disturbed? Absolutely! Should we place one hundred percent blame on these games for the wrongdoings by any human being? Absolutely not! The gamer has choices, as anyone else in life. It is a matter of self-discipline, pride, and common sense. Gaming has been such a positive source to so many. As long as it is encouraged and used in the right mindset, society will be okay. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/07/video-games-good-for-us_n_4164723.html http://www.businessinsider.com/heath-benefits-of-video-games-2013-9#a-driving-game-improved-memory-and-focus-in-older-adults-1 And the textbook

Themes of Class and Society in Blood Brothers Essay -- essays research

Blood Brothers How does Willy Russell explore the themes of class and society through Mickey and Eddie on stage? Introduction Through out the play `Blood Brothers’ Willy Russell explore the themes of class and society through Mickey and Eddie. He uses to look at the ideas of different classes in society within the play. Willy Russell `Blood Brother’ concerned with issue of class in society and Eddie and Mickey represent working class and middle class respectively. The lifestyle of Eddie symbolyses a more comfortable, which he has many good things such as foods, sweet, money and the environment of Eddie. He also has comfortable with his parents. â€Å" It’s only because I love you, Eddie† it states that Eddie’s parents love him, huge him and even though he do not get punished like Mickey. Mickey receives little support where he lives in a rented council estate flat. â€Å" We come all this way just look at the bleeding estate†. This tells that Mickey live up by the park. Russell uses dramatic devices to reveal these differences to the audience. For example the dictionary, he uses dictionary in the middle class family because in the middle class family they have all kind of resources such as books. But the working class family does not have any of these resources. Fo r example Mickey don’t know what a dictionary is. â€Å" Its thing in it†, it comments on that there is much differences about the society through Mickey and Eddie to the audience. Russell clearly intends to show how society was divided by showing the effect upon two characters. â€Å" Give one to me†. On the past Mrs. Lyon took one of the twins from Mrs. Johnstone by persuading her before the twins were born. This is how Russell uses to show how society was split. .. ...h used to show the difference in class between Mickey and Eddie to the audience. The characters react each other about the way they speak and does. For example Willy Russell uses language of the two main characters to reveal the difference in their upbringings and education. Mickey regularly uses slang and shorten words â€Å" Gis a ciggie?† it shows that Mickey is unsatisfied with speaking standard English whilst Eddie shown to be posh by speaking eloquently, â€Å" you, sound dead funny swearing in that posh voice,† Willy Russell state here to show the diversity in class and society through out the play. It uses dramatic irony that the two characters are unknown to each other that they are twins, but the audience realise and know the relationship of Mickey and Eddie. This emphasises the effects of differences in class and that the audience will be more affected be event. Themes of Class and Society in Blood Brothers Essay -- essays research Blood Brothers How does Willy Russell explore the themes of class and society through Mickey and Eddie on stage? Introduction Through out the play `Blood Brothers’ Willy Russell explore the themes of class and society through Mickey and Eddie. He uses to look at the ideas of different classes in society within the play. Willy Russell `Blood Brother’ concerned with issue of class in society and Eddie and Mickey represent working class and middle class respectively. The lifestyle of Eddie symbolyses a more comfortable, which he has many good things such as foods, sweet, money and the environment of Eddie. He also has comfortable with his parents. â€Å" It’s only because I love you, Eddie† it states that Eddie’s parents love him, huge him and even though he do not get punished like Mickey. Mickey receives little support where he lives in a rented council estate flat. â€Å" We come all this way just look at the bleeding estate†. This tells that Mickey live up by the park. Russell uses dramatic devices to reveal these differences to the audience. For example the dictionary, he uses dictionary in the middle class family because in the middle class family they have all kind of resources such as books. But the working class family does not have any of these resources. Fo r example Mickey don’t know what a dictionary is. â€Å" Its thing in it†, it comments on that there is much differences about the society through Mickey and Eddie to the audience. Russell clearly intends to show how society was divided by showing the effect upon two characters. â€Å" Give one to me†. On the past Mrs. Lyon took one of the twins from Mrs. Johnstone by persuading her before the twins were born. This is how Russell uses to show how society was split. .. ...h used to show the difference in class between Mickey and Eddie to the audience. The characters react each other about the way they speak and does. For example Willy Russell uses language of the two main characters to reveal the difference in their upbringings and education. Mickey regularly uses slang and shorten words â€Å" Gis a ciggie?† it shows that Mickey is unsatisfied with speaking standard English whilst Eddie shown to be posh by speaking eloquently, â€Å" you, sound dead funny swearing in that posh voice,† Willy Russell state here to show the diversity in class and society through out the play. It uses dramatic irony that the two characters are unknown to each other that they are twins, but the audience realise and know the relationship of Mickey and Eddie. This emphasises the effects of differences in class and that the audience will be more affected be event.

Globalization & world Essay

Globalization is one of the most recent phenomenons ever to strike humanity upon its entrance to the 21st century. Historically speaking, globalization itself has been around for decades long before it was conceived as a field of study of international trade. Some economists and historians contend that the concepts of globalization have been prevalent even during time when the Silk Road started in China up to the Roman Empire. Some, however, argue that globalization began during the 19th century; when the prevalence of the Industrial Age was at its fastest and that trade between Europe, their colonies and the Americas were growing steadily. Major advances in technology, especially during the 20th century, eventually led countries to lower trading costs; hence, highlighting the inevitability of the expansion of trade within the International Community. Still, globalization, as a term, was never used by economists; at least not until the early 1980’s. Furthermore, all its concepts and ideas were never really fully understood by the academic community until the early 1990’s. Fortunately, after seven years into the 21st century, much of the world is already aware of its contexts and aspects – from outsourcing to currency trading via wireless applications. Still, despite our knowledge of globalization, we cannot deny the fact that we know less about its implications for the future. Globalization, as a field of study, is a volatile subject that, even with the assistance of factual data and information, is almost ultimately unpredictable. Despite the existence of a myriad of books, journals and articles pertaining to the topic of Globalization, we cannot deny that we have yet to fully understand its future trends. Indeed, a major advancement brought by sophisticated technology can ultimately change, once again, the face of the International Community; thus, affecting international trade and ultimately affecting the â€Å"globalization† of the world. On a further note, third world countries that would eventually become first world countries in the future may end up shifting the international balance of trade and commerce for first world countries. As such, it is very tempting to imagine what the International Community would be like if, for some infinitesimal chance, the African Continent booms like Asia. If such an event occurs, will globalization be the cause for it? Alternatively, will globalization even allow such an event to occur? People who are against the advancements of globalization argue that globalization only benefits the rich north and detriments the poor south. This is evident from the fact that countries in the northern hemisphere tend to play in a neo-imperialist fashion among the countries in the southern hemisphere. Anti-globalization movements insist that the prevalence of globalization only means the prevalence of multinational corporations (MNC’s). They contend that these corporations, while providing employment for the local population, only encourage more poverty in the country. Multinational corporations, upon entering a country, immediately eliminates local competitors; thus, destroying the balance of power between local and foreign. As such, the country becomes subject to the influence of foreign countries that originally holds these multinational corporations. This automatically becomes a sort of leverage for foreign countries (which are, most of the time, rich countries coming from the north) against the country holding their MNC’s. On the other hand, people that are for the advancements of globalization argues that free trade – the main tool of globalization – encourages more growth for developing economies compared to protectionism. Primarily, globalization allows several countries access to several goods and services that they could never produce or emulate from other countries. Furthermore, they contend that globalization encourages competition among local and foreign businesses. Though unfair at times, supporters of globalization claim that encouraging competition allows small businesses to grow, to become more efficient and to become more versatile. The arguments of both sides are truly credible. Indeed, globalization, as a concept, is considered by many as a double-edged sword – though benefiting the user, it can, if careless enough, harm him/her as well. Globalization, as mentioned, is a recent phenomenon. As such, it is proven that the world has survived for decades without its presence. Now the underlying question is, can the world, now after being versed with the concepts of globalization, reverse its effects and abolish it completely? The answer, obviously, would be a sounding no – definitely not. It is almost impossible for a country to reverse, much less resist, the effects of globalization. Globalization encourages the exchange of information and technology. If globalization is to cease, and that countries would now resort to protectionism, then growth for many countries would also grind to a halt. International trade is what makes every country wealthy. Unlike before in the early 15th up to the 18th centuries – where colonialism and imperialism were one of the main methods of accumulating wealth – wealth today are shared almost unanimously be every country in the world. From the trading of currency to the trading of services, countries today are becoming even more interconnected than ever before. Consequently, putting a stop on that interconnectedness could ultimately destroy the economies of the world. Another good thing about Globalization is that it can serve as a buffer for possible aggressive maneuvers by violent countries. For instance, the People’s Republic of China would never sort to war simply because starting a war can affect the economies of its neighbors; hence, affecting its trade relations with them. Such a plausible fact just proves how beneficial globalization is to the rest of the world. Globalization is an important aspect of the International Community. It is inevitable. It cannot be stopped nor can it be reversed. This realization has been the foundations of several international organizations in the past. International Organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB), the World Trade Organization (WTO) and others (i. e. Asian Development Bank, etc. ) have been the cornerstones of the world’s acceptance to globalization. These international organizations have become overseers of the international economy. For instance, the World Bank – which is, by all means, Bank – grants loans to countries but with the condition of removing some (or most) of its protectionist policies; hence, paving the way for the entrance of foreign companies. The World Trade Organization, on the other hand, makes its Member Countries abide by its rules and regulations of free trade (simply, the removal of trade barriers). These international organizations are in existence for the simple reason of understanding and monitoring the trends of globalization. In a globalized world, where everything is almost instant, it is important to have a huge body of experts whose main objectives are to understand the implications of such trends. Understanding the future implications of Globalization is not an easy task. For one thing (as mentioned), it is a volatile field of study. It is possible, however, to make certain predictions regarding future trends for globalizations. One possible prediction is the emergence or prevalence of offshoring. Offhsoring, in the simplest sense, refers to the relocation of businesses from one country to another. This mostly pertains to business processes such as manufacturing, production and even services. This is done mainly in order to save costs through the hiring of a cheap workforce. Coupled with low taxation, lax laws (i. e. environmental) and other such benefits, offshoring for corporations is truly a more tempting act than establishing their businesses locally. Depending on future circumstances, this possibility could prove detrimental to present developed countries. Take, for instance, the American workforce. Several US corporations would most likely prefer to offshore their businesses processes (i. e. manufacturing) to other foreign countries instead of putting them up locally (mainly because of the low labor cost and others). As such, a huge number of the American population would remain unemployed. Still, since it is the future we are referring to, it is quite impossible to assure the possibility of such an event occurring. For one thing, many countries in the future would most likely transform themselves from third world countries to first world countries. As such, previous benefits such as cheap labor cost, lax laws and others could disappear or much less change depending on the economic status of that State. Yet another possible prediction is the ultra low cost of transportation – ultimately making the transfer of goods and services very cheap; thus, making international trade more disseminated and more beneficial. The introduction of future technologies could very well change the face of every country and how they conduct their trade relations. Not only that, technological advancements in transportation may also mean that time will not become a factor anymore. The world may enter an era where everything can be delivered in a flash – an era of instances. Such possibilities are credible. But again, future predictions can change drastically depending on future circumstances. In 2015, a lot of change could’ve resulted from the prevalence of globalization. Assuming that the war in Iraq is now over – and that democracy is now slowly spreading across the Middle East, globalization will now have a chance to influence the Islamic region synonymously to that of how it influenced the Asian region. Indeed, globalization will set itself to open up new markets coupled with new opportunities for everyone. These predictions are a little ambitious as it gets. Looking at some current events, it may seem so. However, one must understand the fact that everything can change in an instant. A single event can change the history of the world in no less than 5 years. One example for that is the introduction of the internet. The prevalence of the internet made the world smaller and more interconnected than ever before. If a greater technological advancement could spark the same sort of impact as that expressed by the internet, then globalization can most likely shift to a higher level in a short span of time. Globalization, in its simplest sense (economic), refers to the transcendent movement of goods and services, labor, capital and technology on the international level. In some cases, globalization may also refer to the interconnectedness of countries and people through advancements in technology. This understanding of globalization, however, may change drastically in the next decade or century. Depending on future circumstances (i. e. continued growth and the absence of war) and major technological advancements, globalization may reach worlds beyond ours – making the universe a smaller place than we perceive it to be. The possibility of this occurring, however, is hard to determine. Globalization, as discussed, is a double-edged sword. It works in two ways: one, it benefits the country by providing different goods and services. It also allows the country access to foreign markets; thus, providing an opportunity to earn more by selling more products. The other is that it destroys the country’s local economy by being outdone by foreign businesses. Truly, globalization is damaging for some; but also beneficial at the same time. Sources Cited: Whichard, O. G.(2003) Measuring Globalization: The Experience of the United States of America (1 December 2007) Bureau of Economic Analysis Stubbs, R. and Underhill, G. R. D. (2005) The United States and Globalization: Struggles with Hegemony (30 December 2007) Oxford University Press Broda, C. and Weinstein, D. (2005) Are we underestimating the gains from Globalization for the United States? (30 December 2007) Federal Reserve Bank of New York Glasel, J. (2006) Globalization’s winners and losers New York: The New York Times (1 December 2006) http://query. nytimes. com/gst/fullpage. html? res=9F05E3DD1630F932A05751C1A9609C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2 Scheve, K. F and Slaughter, M. J. (2007) A New Deal for Globalization Foreign Affairs (30 November 2007) http://www. foreignaffairs. org/20070701faessay86403/kenneth-f-scheve-matthew-j-slaughter/a-new-deal-for-globalization. html Rosenberg, Tina. (2002) Globalization. New York Times 30 November 2007, http://query. nytimes. com/gst/fullpage. html? res=940CE5DD103AF93BA2575BC0A9649C8B63&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Organizations/I/International%20Monetary%20Fund