The Blue Marble and the Case for Global Identity
The “Blue Marble,” “Earthrise,” and the “Pale Blue Dot,” each one a photograph of our planet Earth (taken from successively further distances), are striking and dramatically beautiful.
“From space I saw Earth — indescribably beautiful with the scars of national boundaries gone.” This sentiment, spoken by Syrian astronaut Muhammad Ahmad Faris, echoes those of many other astronauts upon viewing Earth from space. Astronauts have continually been fascinated and stirred by their views of Earth while in space, returning from their travels with a new sense of appreciation and love for the place we all call our home.
The deep blue hues of our oceans juxtaposed with the lush green of landmass, combined with swirling white clouds and the signs of urban development stand in stark contrast to the chilling black emptiness of space. This sight is often a reminder of our unique loneliness in our observed universe, that we as humans all share our collective histories and livelihoods on this planet — regardless of our background or nationality.
In the year 2021, we are plagued by numerous large-scale problems — the coronavirus pandemic and existential threat of climate change surely come to mind — that are not equal in their destruction across the world, but are nonetheless global, requiring international reckoning and collaboration to combat our shared phenomena. We live in an era of unprecedented interconnectedness, whether through trade, the internet, or scientific and political engagement. We live in an era of already-established and increasing globalization.
As more people begin to identify themselves as “global citizens” for this reason, certain populations have also simultaneously (perhaps, also, as an effect of globalization) begun to retreat to nationalistic ideals. Some may argue that having a national identity, one that prioritizes the needs of one’s own community and nationality first, is most effective in creating substantial change, because people are most likely to understand their own local and national issues best. There is some truth to this sentiment — we cannot always expect, nor should we arguably encourage, heavy foreign interference in deeply national issues, especially those regarding culture and societal structure. This work is perhaps best delegated to change-makers within those communities.
However, I believe having a global identity does not entirely negate this sentiment; it instead compounds our understanding, drawing attention to not only local crises but also ones that call our attention worldwide. The globalization of our world has made it such that the actions of one country undoubtedly affect another, for better or for worse — but we can use this to lift us all up together.
I would argue a global identity is incredibly necessary to see the bigger picture of worldly affairs that require our attention, because our combined efforts to raise the standards of human development have the potential to be far stronger than individual action.
Global citizenship, to me, is an understanding of the mutual responsibilities we all hold to our world — or, as Carl Sagan once wrote, “the pale blue dot, the only home we’ve ever known.” A history of globalization has made it such that we are even capable of thinking of ourselves as global citizens and having the ability to enact real change.
Before delving into the history and effects of globalization, it would be important to define it as a term. Globalization, in the most broad sense, is the all-encompassing theme surrounding the exchange and interactions between people of all races and nationalities, worldwide.
Globalization is not a new phenomena — people have been participating in the exchanges of ideas, cultures, and economies for ages, a notable early example being the Silk Road. It was evident to even the earliest societies that there were benefits to be found through this concept of free exchange; the flourishing dissemination of ideas drove early mathematical and scientific progress (such as breakthroughs in astronomy facilitated by interactions between Greece and Babylon or India and China) and societal development that arose from the spread of agricultural techniques and collective technological growth. Our ability as a human race to connect with each other across the globe has always seemed to help us collectively grow and develop.
As history has progressed, so has our capability to connect with each other — and today, we live in a world ideologically connected by quick transportation and the internet, and economically connected by international principles of free trade. Over time, the net positives of globalization can be seen in scientific, humanitarian, and economic development; the same is true of the rapid expansion of globalization in the 20th and 21st centuries. Integrating our economies into a global system of cooperation and trade has led to significant economic growth; per capita GDP has grown worldwide, raising economic standards and net quality of life. Space exploration is arguably wholly international, as many of our advancements on this new frontier are due to international efforts and collaboration.
As global citizens, feeling a responsibility for the world means caring for its overall development, and not just that of a singular country or group. It is the understanding that we need to continue the spirit of free exchange past our borders in order to drive our holistic development, because we, as a human race, are both ethically and practically better off when we do so.
Critics of our global involvement often ask what it’s worth for us to invest in global issues and organizations — there are times when certain countries may put in more than they get out. In recent history, we have indeed seen an increase worldwide in populist nationalism. For the sake of this discussion, it is important to note the difference between patriotism and nationalism. I would define patriotism as compatible with a global identity; patriotism is a love for one’s country, a desire for it to prosper, and an expectation for it to live up to its potential. Patriotism is productive, encouraging citizens to hold their countries to account and voice their dissatisfaction in the spirit of changing their country for the better. Nationalism, on the contrary, is counter-productive; it is a blind, unfailing faith in one’s country as it is, or it is the resistance and downright hostility to global affairs. When one feels that they, for whatever reason, must defend their country from anything foreign, they are likely to adopt a militantly nationalistic worldview.
One interesting case is former U.S. president Donald Trump’s rise to power and tenure; he pushed rhetoric of “America First,” imposing economically damaging tariffs under the guise of protecting American industry and identity, and withdrawing from organizations and international agreements such as the World Health Organization and Paris Climate Accords (both ironically pertinent to two global crises we currently face). What this rhetoric also brought out of the woodwork was the dark underbelly of isolationist, insular ideas: xenophobia, white supremacy, and hatred for the “other”.
No endeavor comes without its costs — and globalization is no exception. The practice of outsourcing labor by multinational companies has made manufacturing processes cheaper, but in some cases both workers from developed countries and developing countries pay the price: those in developed countries may lose jobs and those in developing countries my be exploited for their labor. While this has come to be a consequence of globalization, it is not an inherent quality of it and can be improved on without sacrificing global connection; likewise, global citizenship does not promote this, but can rather help improve these conditions.
Trump’s (and other populists’) actions and ideals are not necessarily representative of goals that all people who oppose globalization and global citizenship — many people wary of the promises of “global citizenship” have valid concerns about being left behind or neglected in an increasingly global world — but they can serve as a cautionary reminder of what nationalist rhetoric can do. Furthermore, the problems that people may face in the wake of an increasingly globalized world can actually be best solved in the spirit of global citizenship, whereas insular thinking can limit our capability to properly address them.
The Fair Trade movement, which seeks to encourage and promote sustainable, ethical labor practices amongst multinational corporations, arguably would not have arisen without the ideals of global citizenship. Global citizenship is not just about promoting globalization — it is about seeing what can be done on a global scale, and using our collective action to achieve these goals. It is in this same spirit that the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals were created; awareness of human development issues worldwide can compel those of us with resources to apply them where necessary, benefiting all of humanity.
Developed and developing countries alike face certain challenges that threaten all of our livelihoods (such as climate change or the coronavirus pandemic, as mentioned earlier), and sometimes solely national action will not do enough to tackle these challenges. The steps required to reduce suffering from the coronavirus pandemic rely heavily on scientific advancement and knowledge, which in turn relies heavily on global cooperation. The scientific community is no stranger to the international exchange of ideas, and continued to turn to these networks to innovate as quickly as possible. Scientists from some countries may put in more work than others — but ultimately, why slow incredibly essential progress just to preserve national interests? Why limit ourselves to helping one community, when we have the potential to help numerous?
In addition, climate change demands international cooperation. Not only is it nondiscriminatory in the way it wreaks environmental, political, and economic havoc, any country or community’s actions have the ability to affect the entire world. International agreements such as the Paris Climate Accords are incredibly necessary if we want to drive real progress in cutting emissions and mitigating the effects of climate change, and a global mindset is one that would drive us to think outside of the box to do so.
On a large scale, adopting a global mindset can help us realize our potential for humanitarian and technological development while simultaneously tackling our greatest threats with an appropriate response. However, at the core of global citizenship is an incredibly powerful quality; a quality so inherently human, superseding through its positives any sort of tribal instinct we may feel. That quality is empathy.
To be a global citizen is to understand that, while our national or ethnic loyalty will often require our support, the ultimate goal of our endeavors is to benefit humanity — a cause we can all reap rewards from. In no way is being a global citizen a betrayal or a casting aside of one’s culture, nationality, and heritage — pride in these matters is certainly not mutually exclusive with global citizenship — but it is rather a greater understanding for where we can be headed as a collective global community, pushing us past the accident of our birthplace and any boundaries.
What makes us human is our sense of empathy, to understand and care for the needs of people other than ourselves. Global citizenship promotes not only awareness, but action; it promotes a willingness to continue the global exchange that has made us who we are today, to fight for the rights and conditions of anyone in need, and to preserve and nurture the only Earth we live on.
