Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Globalization - Are we there yet?
What is globalization? It's a big "G" word that means different things to different people. To some it means opportunity, to others it's a bad word that puts "their" people out of work and to some others, it means capitalism, akin to profit, akin to imperialism. How does one reconcile such different aspects of a phenomenon, a word, a feeling, a fear?
In South Bay, otherwise known as Silicon Valley, there is a strip of land where one would be hard-pressed to see a caucasian face at any intersection. This is the El Camino, between Remington and Lawrence. There are more desi restaurants than you can count on your fingertips - everything from Mangalorean/Keralite delicacies, to Punjabi Dhabas, from Andhra cuisine to Maharashtrian cuisine. One of these many restaurants is called Komala Vilas. It is set up like a tiffin room that one would typically find in Chennai, serving yummy tamilian vegetarian food in thalis. More often than not, you will hear Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, etc, along with all age-groups of desis slurping down sambar or buttermilk. You'll see streaks of curry running down a person's hand while a person walks leisurely to the wash basin to wash their hands after eating a full meal. The smell of spices lingers in your clothes and hands long after you leave Komala.
What does this have to do with globalization you may ask? Globalization to me is what you see in Komala. The waitstaff at Komala are primarily Hispanics. In their Spanish accents, they ask you if you want "rasam" or "more kolumbu" or "sadam" or "tanni." At first, I was shocked to hear Tamil coming out of a seemingly Hispanic person. They were learning the language. They knew more Tamil than I did and asked if I wanted "papadam" or "thair." Granted, it wasn't fluent Tamil, but put them in a purely Tamil speaking restaurant in Chennai and they will order with more ease than a non-Tamilian. To me, this is globalization.
In Raleigh, North Carolina, Mr. Nagi Reddy runs a couple of Indian restaurants. He has a South Indian restaurant called "Udupi," not to be confused with a similar one in Sunnyvale, CA, as well as a Hyderabadi/Andhra style one. On an average weekend, his South Indian restaurant, which serves buffet-style South Indian vegetarian food, is filled with caucasians. Yes, there are plenty of Indians as well - your varieties of "mamis" and "appas," as well as your wannabes and your FOB's. To see them line up for South Indian delicacies - upma, avial, beans poriyal - would remind you of a lesson in diversity - to me, this is globalization.
As I write this, I'm interrupted by a phone call. "I'm Stephanie," she says, in a decidedly Indian accent, "as a valued card member, we are offering you a 3% interest rate on balance transfers." I smile as I say I'm not interested in her offer. She hangs up politely. I remember the early days when I would be badgered for not signing up because I was Indian too. Now, the same Indian call center worker deliberately mispronounces my name in order to sound like an American. To me, this is globalization...
In South Bay, otherwise known as Silicon Valley, there is a strip of land where one would be hard-pressed to see a caucasian face at any intersection. This is the El Camino, between Remington and Lawrence. There are more desi restaurants than you can count on your fingertips - everything from Mangalorean/Keralite delicacies, to Punjabi Dhabas, from Andhra cuisine to Maharashtrian cuisine. One of these many restaurants is called Komala Vilas. It is set up like a tiffin room that one would typically find in Chennai, serving yummy tamilian vegetarian food in thalis. More often than not, you will hear Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, etc, along with all age-groups of desis slurping down sambar or buttermilk. You'll see streaks of curry running down a person's hand while a person walks leisurely to the wash basin to wash their hands after eating a full meal. The smell of spices lingers in your clothes and hands long after you leave Komala.
What does this have to do with globalization you may ask? Globalization to me is what you see in Komala. The waitstaff at Komala are primarily Hispanics. In their Spanish accents, they ask you if you want "rasam" or "more kolumbu" or "sadam" or "tanni." At first, I was shocked to hear Tamil coming out of a seemingly Hispanic person. They were learning the language. They knew more Tamil than I did and asked if I wanted "papadam" or "thair." Granted, it wasn't fluent Tamil, but put them in a purely Tamil speaking restaurant in Chennai and they will order with more ease than a non-Tamilian. To me, this is globalization.
In Raleigh, North Carolina, Mr. Nagi Reddy runs a couple of Indian restaurants. He has a South Indian restaurant called "Udupi," not to be confused with a similar one in Sunnyvale, CA, as well as a Hyderabadi/Andhra style one. On an average weekend, his South Indian restaurant, which serves buffet-style South Indian vegetarian food, is filled with caucasians. Yes, there are plenty of Indians as well - your varieties of "mamis" and "appas," as well as your wannabes and your FOB's. To see them line up for South Indian delicacies - upma, avial, beans poriyal - would remind you of a lesson in diversity - to me, this is globalization.
As I write this, I'm interrupted by a phone call. "I'm Stephanie," she says, in a decidedly Indian accent, "as a valued card member, we are offering you a 3% interest rate on balance transfers." I smile as I say I'm not interested in her offer. She hangs up politely. I remember the early days when I would be badgered for not signing up because I was Indian too. Now, the same Indian call center worker deliberately mispronounces my name in order to sound like an American. To me, this is globalization...
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When people like me comment on globalisation, a retort is delivered immediately that "whether you like or dislike, it is happening and it is a irreversible process". I do agree with the fact of "existing world outside me and my recognition". Let it continue and let it be unrelented. But, howerver great and irreversible the process is, my judgement depends only on pure reason. If anyone says some thing is not questionable because it is great or big or beyond our capacity to change.. I dont think any sensible person accepts it. If that is the virtue, people should obey the dictats of all tyrants. George Bush is great, he can push a red button to smash entire world and we cannot change him. Should we hail him?
Peoples, groups, communities, nations do intervene in every ongoing process and that is how history is made. People who say that globalisation is an inevitable, irreversible and unchallengeable do the same- they are trying to strengthen the process, which is too an intervention. We need not totally oppose or totally support any process as if only those two positions do exists. There can be a vast grey area, in which one can debate pros and cons of a process. Looking at things critically is a basic human function.
In Bay area, you find a Komala Vilas, in which a Hisponic girl serves tamil food items. In Raliegh, a Nagireddy runs two south indian hotels. I was too delighted to find Telugu hotels in Raliegh and San Antanio. But, they are there because a sizeable population of Telugus/ south indians live there. Without a handful of americans we are going to have a wall-mart in Jubileehills and we already had a KFC in Secunderabad. Yes, the exchange between peoples and countries has increased during last one and half decades. But it is not equal and reciprocal. There are anamolies, though anamoly is a very insufficient in meaning.
World has witnessed globalisations previously. What we see presently is a latest one. When Aryans came to Indus Valley, they have destroyed locals to the possible extent, but then too there was some exchange of culture. All Indian languages have a considerable amount of Sanskirt infiltration. Sanskit too experienced local influence. Linguists say some syllables and sounds that are not found anywhere in indo-european languages, exist in Sanskritm, due to dravidian influence. But when we compare the amount influence, dravidan influence is minute and minimal on Sanskrit. We find thousands of English words in Telugu and other indian languages. English too had to borrow a few words from Telugu and Hindi, but only in negligible number. Real interaction and exchange happens only between equals. When one is oppressor or coloniser the interaction would be inequal.
We belong to a minority community of global roamers. We surf across physical and virtual spaces. We feel excited when we find a kin in an alien space. But, there are people who stay local. Who dont acquire skills for "others' needs, dont produce goods for "others' consumption. They accept guests and want to be treated as guests in others' spaces.
During coldwar period, people used to say sarcastically, "communists in India sneeze when Moscow gets cold". Now when it comes to the impact of the west, we proudly describe the same situation as globalisation.
During my recent visit to US, I have frequently come across a feeling of ' de javu'. I found myself comfortable with many systems and procedures in US as I am exposed to them in India itself. And my exposure to Malaysian country also helped to feel free with big malls, metro trains and tall buildings. People working in call centres here, do attend service requests from Europe and forward them to far eastern countries. Likewise, Spanish people work in Indian hotels and speak Tamil or Telugu. It is a magnificient process we are witnessing. When it comes to judging its merits and ethics- I am afraid, I am a bit conservative. Globalisation can have comparision with the unity of Cat and Mouse. Mouse merges itself with Cat while the latter eats former. We can still call it a perfect convergence and unity!
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Peoples, groups, communities, nations do intervene in every ongoing process and that is how history is made. People who say that globalisation is an inevitable, irreversible and unchallengeable do the same- they are trying to strengthen the process, which is too an intervention. We need not totally oppose or totally support any process as if only those two positions do exists. There can be a vast grey area, in which one can debate pros and cons of a process. Looking at things critically is a basic human function.
In Bay area, you find a Komala Vilas, in which a Hisponic girl serves tamil food items. In Raliegh, a Nagireddy runs two south indian hotels. I was too delighted to find Telugu hotels in Raliegh and San Antanio. But, they are there because a sizeable population of Telugus/ south indians live there. Without a handful of americans we are going to have a wall-mart in Jubileehills and we already had a KFC in Secunderabad. Yes, the exchange between peoples and countries has increased during last one and half decades. But it is not equal and reciprocal. There are anamolies, though anamoly is a very insufficient in meaning.
World has witnessed globalisations previously. What we see presently is a latest one. When Aryans came to Indus Valley, they have destroyed locals to the possible extent, but then too there was some exchange of culture. All Indian languages have a considerable amount of Sanskirt infiltration. Sanskit too experienced local influence. Linguists say some syllables and sounds that are not found anywhere in indo-european languages, exist in Sanskritm, due to dravidian influence. But when we compare the amount influence, dravidan influence is minute and minimal on Sanskrit. We find thousands of English words in Telugu and other indian languages. English too had to borrow a few words from Telugu and Hindi, but only in negligible number. Real interaction and exchange happens only between equals. When one is oppressor or coloniser the interaction would be inequal.
We belong to a minority community of global roamers. We surf across physical and virtual spaces. We feel excited when we find a kin in an alien space. But, there are people who stay local. Who dont acquire skills for "others' needs, dont produce goods for "others' consumption. They accept guests and want to be treated as guests in others' spaces.
During coldwar period, people used to say sarcastically, "communists in India sneeze when Moscow gets cold". Now when it comes to the impact of the west, we proudly describe the same situation as globalisation.
During my recent visit to US, I have frequently come across a feeling of ' de javu'. I found myself comfortable with many systems and procedures in US as I am exposed to them in India itself. And my exposure to Malaysian country also helped to feel free with big malls, metro trains and tall buildings. People working in call centres here, do attend service requests from Europe and forward them to far eastern countries. Likewise, Spanish people work in Indian hotels and speak Tamil or Telugu. It is a magnificient process we are witnessing. When it comes to judging its merits and ethics- I am afraid, I am a bit conservative. Globalisation can have comparision with the unity of Cat and Mouse. Mouse merges itself with Cat while the latter eats former. We can still call it a perfect convergence and unity!
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