Navigating Modernity: Reflecting on the Turbulent Waters of 2020
Imagine a time traveler visited you on the cusp of 2019’s end, foretelling a year of unprecedented turmoil: raging bushfires in Australia, global protests against police brutality, escalating tensions between world leaders, and a viral pandemic locking down nations. Such a prophecy would seem far-fetched, yet 2020 unfolded precisely as described, resembling a dystopian narrative come to life. In this discourse, I delve into the role of modernity in today’s world, questioning whether it has propelled us forward or led us astray.
Defining Modernity
Modernity encompasses the culmination of scientific, technological, and socio-economic advancements shaping contemporary society. It represents progress but also reflects disparities between post-modern and pre-modern cultures. While modernization has ushered in undeniable benefits like improved healthcare and heightened awareness of global issues, it’s also accompanied by challenges, including persistent inequality and environmental degradation.
What is Globalization?
Globalization is a term often used to describe the ever-growing interdependence of nations and the interconnectedness of the world’s economies, cultures, social facilitation, political analytics in addition to populations. This phrase did, on the other hand, only gain recognition once it was coined following the end of the Cold War in the late1900’s in an attempt to articulate the current state of the world.
Challenges to Modernity
Despite its promises, modernity grapples with a loss of traditional values and a disconnect from nature. The erosion of ethical frameworks and overemphasis on materialism pose existential threats, exacerbated by inadequate investment in education and institutional development, particularly in developing nations.
Moreover, globalization has spurred a clash of values, straining societal cohesion and exacerbating social unrest. The legacy of freedom and justice is marred by systemic failures, evident in global movements like the protests following George Floyd’s death.
What’s more, another challenge set on by the process of modernization through globalization rotates around the loss of tradition, heritage, and noble values amongst developing nation-states. This veracity can be noted as in certain ‘Third World’ countries modernization through science and technological development has introduced a new set of socialistic goals based on materialism, individualism, and hedonic beliefs. In addition to this actuality, as a direct result of the perpetual nature of modernization through globalization, an over-emphasis was placed on some of these nations to become ‘developed’ and as such in an attempt to achieve this goal promptly many of these nations would place an insufficient investment in national institutional structure in the form of education in addition to personal development. This did however consequently, result in a weak level of literacy skills nationwide in addition to a fragile set of moral values easily swayed by temptation.
Furthermore, as a direct result of the systematic framework imposed by globalization through modernization, our society has become engulfed by the constant clash of varying eroded values that many considered noble in the past. The reality of this quandary can, however, be noted as, in many countries today the rich legacy of freedom, equality, and social justice bequeathed by earlier generations has become overloaded due to the institutional frameworks' inability to conduct interstate reconciliation in addition to living life on the premise of ‘just keep life going! ’Consequently, as a result of the state's inability to address and tackle these social issues to their entirety, many states today bearing this title exist in a realm of crisis. The dimensions of this actuality can however be noted through the protests that took place in honor of George Floyd worldwide.
Hence, in conclusion, I believe that the practice of local wisdom must be integrated into the global community to counteract the negative effects of modernization through globalization inflicted upon present-day societies. Moreover, I also believe to escape the dimensions imposed by this quandary as a collective human society we will have to make social awareness and empathy a priority amongst our youth. Furthermore, a new form of simplicity and mental fortitude must be not only taught and planned to learners but the wider community as a whole .I believe that if we practice these ideals we may be able to negate the unwanted consequences of modernization today.
References
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Mulyono, M. (2017). The Problems of Modernity and Identity in Globalization Era. Journal Of Maritime Studies And National Integration, 1(2), 106–111. doi: 10.14710/jmsni.v1i2.1819
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