Natalya Goykhberg
January 30, 2005
Globalization
In his article entitled “Two Years Later, a Thousand Years Ago”, Robert Wright takes a stance on globalization and the world’s current situation in contrast with history. Published in the New York times two years to the day after the September 11th attacks, this article deals with America’s values and the war on terrorism.
Wright contrasts America’s view of manifest destiny in the 19th century with our current view of globalization, saying that in present day we as Americans are not concerned with expanding our borders. Instead, we are looking to spread economic and political freedom worldwide and to impress our own values onto foreign countries. Wright blames globalization for causing the terrorists involved in the attacks on America to feel angry at our country.
In prehistoric times, globalization began with an expansion of commerce, driven mostly by a rise in technology. Wright defines globalization as the game of “economic exchange” that people play over large distances, made more complex by technological advances. He compares the Middle Ages and spread of the Plague to a possible global spread of biochemical weapons, saying that the catalyst for this spread is commerce and technology. Wright’s proof of his point is the example of the satellites that are used everyday around the world to show such normal things as stock prices, and such atrocities as civilian casualties in the Middle East; saying that modern technology proliferates terrorist ideologies throughout the world.
The author recommends more force when policing the world’s biochemical materials and weapons. He suggests rethinking our national sovereignty. His major point is that before America goes full fledged into the war against terrorism and Iraq, it is important yet difficult to place itself in the shoes of its enemies. And to learn from the lessons of history.