2011년 12월 9일 금요일

You Know We Got the Top Spot


Mr. Moon's


Is there any value for people to belong only to a group or groups with which they have something in common?

     The word ‘global village’ was first used by Herbert Marshall Mcluhan in his book ‘(the) global village: transformations in world life and media in the 21st century’ written in 1988. The word means that because of the technological development the world had become so close, it is like a village. From this idea, there are people who insist on living really as a whole, and stop belonging to certain groups that share similarities. However, even in one village, people belong to different groups, because belonging to certain groups with which they share something in common is surely valuable. It is valuable in the point of clear identity establishment, an effective way for development, and comfortable life.
     People from different countries look different. Their culture, language, history is different, and those are what creates people’s identities. Identity means the information of a certain person, by showing where he is from, what political ideas he has, what does he like, and so on. Belonging to groups help them to build those identities: for example, Koreans have their identity as ‘Koreans’ because they belong to the particular group ‘Korea’. With clearly established identity, people can have stable life, which eventually leads to more happiness. The group helps people to know who they are in the society.
     Some may say that belonging to groups with similarities can provincialize people, thus preventing them from developing. On the other side, however, this is not true: belonging to groups is actually a very effective way to bring developments. People bonded in groups are much more powerful than when they are scattered, and by that they strongly insist on what they are for. They compete against each other, trying to do the best they can for their own sake. From that the society develops-develops to the way that are the most helpful for both sides. For example, the Democrats and the Republicans in American politics are complementary to each other: they are on the extreme other sides but each of them helps the other one to be so extreme. Thus, America develops much more with the two-party system than just having a single party. This logic can be also found in economics: people act for their own revenue, and the pie gets bigger.
     Last but not least, belonging to groups also bring comfort to people. Groups like countries provide protection, but not only countries but almost every group provides protection for their own people. Also, being together with who share similarities allows people to be comfortable in the group because they are familiar with themselves. That is the reason why people try to belong to groups naturally in any place including school and workplace. It is so natural and instinctive to be in groups.
     Belonging to groups is surely a natural process, and it does have values. It helps clear identity establishment, develop the society much better than not having groups, and allows people to be comfortable. It is always relieving to know that there is someone on my side.


댓글 없음:

댓글 쓰기