The Anti-Thesis

There seems to be a push towards homogenization. As John W. Meyer, John Boli, George M. Thomas, and Francisco O. Ramirez argued in “World Society and the Nation-State,” those that flee from the forces of globalization just get drawn closer into the sphere of globalization. This idea is nothing new. In fact, Roland Robertson argued a similar point in “Globalization as a Problem.” In this article, Robertson believes that the term globalization attempts to simplify this complex world. He says that the “present concern with globality and globalization cannot be comprehensively considered simply as an aspect or outcome of the Western ‘project’ of modernity or, except in very broad terms, enlightenment.”

Though this argument appears to be sound, there is one little inconsistency. When Robertson goes about his thesis, he draws a diagram. He tries to create generalizations. He goes about this argument by creating a diagram in which there are four categories. There are “four major aspects, or reference points… These are natural societies… relationships between national societies […and]humankind.” Through this diagram appears to have good reasons behind it, it is the antithesis. Generalizations are exactly what he claims is wrong.

What is it a about humankind that we prefer to make generalizations? There is something about it that we try to control everything. We want the answers and will do everything in our power to gain control. However, our plans often backfire. This is especially true for the case of TB. In striving to kill this disease, we have created an even more powerful beast.