There could be various definitions of globalization. But globalization is basically about
“unification” of the world's economic order and reduction of trade-related barriers (like
tariffs & quota). Regional economies, societies and cultures integrate through
communication, transportation and trade. One of the most important developments in this
regard has been the internet which has helped in reducing the informational asymmetries
across the globe.
But internet is not the only major breakthrough facilitating this global connectivity. There
are other technologies which along with internet is creating a “world” which is completely
connected and “wired-in”. As Emily Green, President & CEO of Yankee Group says:
“These developments, along with all of us, are just a few of the actors in a grand connectivity
story playing out around the world. They are bringing us closer to a future of global
connectivity, when all people, and all the things we care about, will be connected to each
other on a vast digital network…..I have a much simpler way to talk about this world we're
headed to: Anywhere….Not only will Anywhere be bigger than other technology
transformations we've lived through before, it will also be faster.”
(Emily Green, 2009)
So, we are already part of this grand connectivity network created by this so called
“Anywhere” revolution. Now, let us revisit what the Upanishads have to say about the
connection of cosmic self to the individual self:
“sa vā ayam ātmā sarvesām bhūtānām adhipatih; sarvesām bhūtānām rājā; tad yathā
ratha-nābhau ca ratha-nemau cārāh sarve samarpitāh, evam evāsminn ātmani sarvāni
bhūtāni sarve devāh sarve lokāh sarve prānāh sarva eta ātmanah samarpitāh”
th (Ch 5, Vth Brahmana, Shloka 15 , Brhad-āranyaka Upanishad)
Which means that everything is controlled by the very presence of the Ātman. As the spokes
of a wheel are held together, just so in this self , all beings, all gods, all worlds, all breathing
creatures, all these selves are held together. Further it says that
“idam vai tan madhu dadhyann ātharvano 'śvibhyām uvāca, tad etad rsih paśyann avocat:
puraś cakre dvipada, puraś cakre catuṣpadah. purah sa pakṣī bhūtvā purah puruṣa āviśat
iti. sa vā ayam puruṣah sarvāsu pūrsu puriśayah, nainena kim ca nānāvrtam, nainena kim
ca nāsamvrtam”
(Ch 5, Vth Brahmana, Madhu-vidya Shloka 18 , Brhad-āranyaka Upanishad)
Which means that - this Being which has become responsible for the interconnected ness of
things is both living and non-living. The very Being became the vital consciousness of all
physical bodies, and He is present in everybody. The Body that is Universal or Brahman and
the body that is particularized or Ātman – there is nothing that it is not enveloping.
The concept of Unification in globalization or the concept of “Anywhere” in technology
revolution is something which was conceived thousands of years before in by our Indian
sages and was documented in these vast Upanishads. But today it through globalization and
technology that even the naïve is conceiving this link of Individual to the Universal and the
grand interconnected ness that exists between the living and non-living.
Finally, the role of spirituality cannot be undermined in the process of unification and
interconnected ness and the formation of a uniform world-order. With globalization and
rapid technology evolution, there is dissemination of information and inter-mixing of
cultures. Every religion has some fundamental tenets which are constant. Ethically, the
teachings of Bhagavad Gita, Quran or The Bible converge towards creating a uniform World
order promoting World peace and mutual cooperation among people of all races and regions.
Today, the world needs to embrace all religions and this “spiritual congruence” which could
be instrumental in restoring World peace and a uniform economic order. In spite of
here exist many disruptive forces like corruption, lack of moral leadership,
religious fanaticism taking the form of global terrorism, etc. which is changing this global
economy into a “entropic” system stuck in a self-destructive path. It is only by embracing
spiritual congruity that we can suppress the various causes of these disruptive forces and
restore world peace and a truly unified and inter-connected world order and hence unleash
the infinite energy. It is only through spiritual congruity that we can identify ourselves being
a “global citizen”.
Insights & Resources -(Excerpts)
Websites
www.vedantainstitute.co.in
www.macstories.net
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