Arundhati Roy, Globalism, Neo-Colonialism, cool stuff.

[Hoochie Coochie Man]

I've just watched this, it's basically a really long music video (mostly techno, world) spliced with Arundhati Roy's miscellanious audio. You can read about her here: http://weroy.org/arundhati.shtml

This is the "documentary":
http://weroy.org/watch.shtml

Normally I would write off some liberal's rediculous attempt at propaganda but the audio excerpts used combined with controvercial and extensive array of archival footage creates something greater than the sum of its parts.

Now, ITT you can download it (it's free) and/or talk about globalization, neo-colonialism, etc.

[nowhesingsnowhesobs]

i hate neo-colonization and globalization because I just watched some video by some random novelist

[Lufnoops]

Well she didn't make it someone else did.

[Lufnoops]

okay can we like talk about globalization here

for/against? why? how? when?

human traffiking?
neo-colonialism?
information/technology?

**** ppl seriously

and **** you nowhesingsnowhesobs ur just a dic

[Chrizzle fo' Shizzle]

I don't think you're going to get many people on here in favor of human trafficking and neo-colonialism

[Lufnoops]

no i mean "are you aware of..."

human traffiking?
neo-colonialism?
information/technology(e-democracy, etc.)?

i mean globalization
theres not one thread on this its rediculous lets go what do you think chrizzle

[sexymuffin]

okay can we like talk about globalization here

for/against? why? how? when?

human traffiking?
neo-colonialism?
information/technology?

**** ppl seriously

and **** you nowhesingsnowhesobs ur just a dic

lurk more
post less

[Iskandar]

theres not one thread on this its rediculous
Because there's no debate on it. The right loves it and the left points out the negative social effects of it, while the center likes to think it equivocates. That's about it.

[Lufnoops]

u mean u cant debate the +/- effects of it? i mean the future of globalization cant be predicted, theres a debate in the uncertainty right there

[drewhet]

i dont know enough about globilization or neocolonialism to debate, and i doubt there are many people on here who do

[Iskandar]

u mean u cant debate the +/- effects of it? i mean the future of globalization cant be predicted, theres a debate in the uncertainty right there
We already have debated the effects of it. They're almost universally accepted to be economic growth with negative effects on culture and labour.

[nowhesingsnowhesobs]

They're almost universally accepted to be economic growth with negative effects on culture and labour.
um

that's very general

[Futue te Ipsum]

haha you live in mcdonalds.

Oh, I mean, er..

that was crap.

[Iskandar]

um

that's very general
Yeah, because that's generally what is happening.

Do you want a microcosmic example? Fine: Capitalism is coming to Bangladesh and Jalal, the teenaged son of poor subsistence farmers, sees it as an opportunity to earn better money for his family. He gets a job making shoes for Nike in the new factory in town. He makes more money than he ever could farming, but his working conditions are terrible because he and his worker comrades can't legally unionize to gain power to bargain with their employer. He's glad to be able to support his family in this new, burgeoning economy, but he acknowledges that the traditional lifestyle of his family is being destroyed forever. From now on they will be workers in a Western-style economy and society.

The point of that example was to sketch a general outline of how globalisation generally affects the societies it touches. Hundreds of millions of people as we speak are undergoing exactly what Jalal is. It's both a good and bad thing. It's the future.

[Lufnoops]

Well do you think that anything should be done about it?

[Iskandar]

Well do you think that anything should be done about it?
Yes.

Pressure should be put on Third World governments to enact legislature favourable to workers, including minimum wages (they can't be very high in developing nations, but at least there'll be a minimum), guaranteed safe working conditions and especially the right to unionize. It's not practical to demand too much at the current time; the idea is to create a climate conducive to economic development while at the same time sowing the seeds of a worker's movement to improve their lot directly. There needs to be free movement of goods and resources, but at the same time some protectionism could alleviate the worst of foreign exploitation, trade-wise.

As much as I'd like to say, "Construct a socialist utopia now" it simply can't happen. These countries are poor, often have corrupt government and lack the industrial base for a modern, progressive society. The approach of capitalism allows for an improvement on their backward societies. It is a stepping-stone to something better. They have no choice but to bite the bullet and get **** over with.

[Lufnoops]

What do you make of the people who wish to end the process of globalization? Maybe they don't need our help? Maybe they need our help in another way? There are no alternatives besides mere regulation?

[Iskandar]

What do you make of the people who wish to end the process of globalization? Maybe they don't need our help? Maybe they need our help in another way?
It's absurd to talk of ending globalization. Globalization is already fully under way and a minor movement of hypocritical students won't stop it.

Developing nations need to-well, to develop. The fastest way to do that is unfortunately capitalism. I don't really like it, but I think compromises can be made to make the process more palatible.

Marx had a famous comment on it ... something about how society cannot avoid the hardships and struggles that come with progress through history, "... but it can shorten and lessen the birth-pangs."

[Lufnoops]

Marx had a famous comment on it ... something about how society cannot avoid the hardships and struggles that come with progress through history, "... but it can shorten and lessen the birth-pangs."

Lol so what you think global capitalism will evolve into communism.

[Iskandar]

Lol so what you think global capitalism will evolve into communism.
Haha, not in the foreseeable future. If you want a dense but detailed summary of my take on Marxism, see the Marxism debate thread down the page.

I think global capitalism will allow the Third World to develop and industrialize rapidly, which is what it needs. They need to catch up to us before the world can improve as a whole. After that, we can discuss our glorious, new socialist society.*

*this statement is not without sarcasm

[Lufnoops]

I knew I smelt a commie :)

[Iskandar]

I knew I smelt a commie :)
It's just an ideology like any other.

Well, it's more often misunderstood than most.