1 World

As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace, and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect. 

     I remember when I first decided to create a twitter account, when I reached the point as to where to include my location, I wondered what to indicate. Should it be my physical location, which is Toronto? I thought about it, but did not think that a physical location would actually be able to convey relational ties that are formed throughout life, or in different parts of the world. So I decided on the words 1 World. This was to convey a sense of pluralism, openness, freedom, a universal view, with the vision of 1 World. This suggests the idea of individuals of difference, similarities, regions, nations, or geographical location living in harmony peacefully with one another. This idea should not take away from others sense of individuality, opinions, beliefs. The vision encompasses the idea of individuals being able to live in harmony, and embrace each others differences. This is through the day to day interactions, and interconnection that we form on a global level as well. However after reading the following, I realized that the words 1 World can have different meanings to others according to our interpretations:

Globalization is seen as both beneficial and destructive as "enlightened" or "unilateral" (Kim & Park, 2007). Conflicting forces are at work like huge tectonic plates and sometimes resulting in earth-quaking disaster. On the one hand, communication, populations mobility, trade, weapons of war, and financial systems have become global, sometimes for better and other times for words. Economic and technological forces push for globalization. Psychological and sociopolitical forces may resist globalization inasmuch as the concept of "one world" may be viewed as threat to the maintenance of different cultural identities and different world view." (Ferrero & Pettifor, 2012)

     I found these ideas to be driven from a point of fear. We should not view globalization as something that is going to take away something else. But rather in a view of addition. For example, it is the trading partnerships, and relations that allow for economic relations as well mechanisms for soft power to enhance and strengthen relational ties. 

"Globalization may provide the context for a merging with a wider scope of understanding and respect for others" (2012). 

     We have to also remember that individuals and nations are free to choose their interactions and to the extent they want to engage in global processes. However, relations should be maintained or embraced where there is a willingness to love and learn from each other, without the feeling of taking away what is precious to nation, which can also evoke feelings of terror, or terrorist actions. 

Psychological and socio-political organizations might find this view of 1 world or global processes problematic because they also have to develop universal views, without trying to interrupt cultures. It is also where we have to think about how to maintain a sense of national identity, but also to create a universal identity. 

     I continue to uphold the belief that nations can live in harmony with each other, and build relational ties to achieve the idea of 1 world, the only world that we have. This idea should not be viewed as fear provoking, but rather enhancing, contributing, building, strengthening to reach points of common ground, so that nations can live together in our one world. 

     International organization, or fields such as psychology may decide to begin with finding universal values that are accepted worldwide, to begin to turn around the idea of globalization or 1 world as enhancing, rather then fearful or invasive. 

The Universal Declaration describes those ethical principles that are based on shared human values. It reaffirms the commitment of the psychology community to help build a better world where peace, freedom, responsibility, justice, humanity, and morality prevail (2008). 

My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :)

Notes: These thoughts were originally hand written on October 8th, 2018.

References:

Ferrero, A., Pettifor, J. L. (2012).  Ethical Dilemmas, Cultural Differences,
      and the Globalization of Psychology. In Leach, M., Lindsay, G., Korkut,
      Y., and Ferrero, A (Eds.), The Oxford      Handbook of International
      Psychological Ethics (pp. 28-41). New York, USA: Oxford University
      Press.

International Union of Psychological Science and International Association
      of Applied Psychology. (2008). Universal declaration of ethical
      principles for psychologists. Retrieved from 
      http://www.iupsys.net/about/governance/universal-declaration-of-   ethical-principles-for-psychologists.html

Kim, U., & Park, Y-S. (2007). Development of Indigenous Psychologies.
​     Understanding people in a global context. In M. J. Stevens & U. P. Gielen.
      (Eds.). Toward a global psychology, theory, research, intervention, and
​      pedagogy (pp. 147-172). Mahwah, N. J: Erlbaum.

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