Be careful with technology

 The Power of Technology: A Double-Edged Sword in a Globalized World

By Sarah Elgohary

There is no denying that technology has transformed how people across the world receive, interpret, and respond to information. The internet’s rise at the turn of the 21st century brought about the rapid development of digital devices that allow for fast and easy communication. As a result, the role of the consumer has changed. With increased global connectivity, individuals are no longer just passive recipients of information—they are becoming global citizens. As global citizens, people must recognize the power they hold in shaping social realities through the consumption and circulation of information.

Contrary to the belief that media has rendered individuals powerless, technology has actually increased the agency of the consumer. However, with that power comes responsibility. To fully realize this potential, people must learn how to use information critically—interpreting media messages and creating their own meanings. This enables them to make informed decisions and take actions, such as advocating for change and confronting social injustices.

Cultural theorist John Tomlinson defines a “cosmopolitan” as someone who respects diverse cultures and believes in shared human rights, regardless of geographic boundaries. Yet, he also emphasizes that cosmopolitanism is more of an ideal than a reality. While people may be more globally aware, they often lack the ethical capacity to act beyond their own circles of family and friends. A true cosmopolitan would extend care and justice to society as a whole, but today’s consumers still fall short of this moral ideal.

Pico Iyer, in his article “Love Match,” explores how consumer agency leads to cultural hybridization. Different societies interpret the same global media in unique ways. For example, while the American film Rambo represented patriotic strength in the U.S., it was adapted into five remakes in India and used as government propaganda in Thailand. These diverse reactions reveal how media can be recontextualized based on cultural values. However, I believe imperialist powers often maintain these differences intentionally, using them to reinforce their own superiority. Although non-Western nations are modernizing in their own ways, Western narratives continue to dominate perceptions of what modernity should look like.

Punathambekar adds to this by discussing how mass media leads to cultural deterritorialization and re-localization. Bollywood, once primarily focused on Indian audiences, has evolved to cater to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) around the world. It integrates global influences while maintaining Indian identity. In class, we watched a video of an Indian man singing about how his clothes came from different countries, yet his heart remained Indian. This beautifully illustrates how globalization doesn’t necessarily erase cultural identity—it can also enrich it. Bollywood shows how cultural exchange can be multidirectional, creative, and rooted in pride rather than loss.

However, not all cultural influence is positive. Scholar Benavides critiques Latin American soap operas for perpetuating Western beauty standards and ideals. In shows like Ugly Betty, the protagonist only achieves modernity by altering her appearance and abandoning aspects of her cultural identity. This reflects the internalized belief that conforming to Western norms is necessary for global acceptance. But in doing so, individuals often experience a fractured self—caught between the desire for modernity and the loss of cultural authenticity.

Technology has certainly given rise to the conscious consumer—one who thinks critically about what they buy, watch, and share. Benavides highlights how this consumer often chases unattainable ideals, while Iyer and Punathambekar emphasize how global media fosters cultural exchange and reinterpretation. Tomlinson, however, reminds us that ethical cosmopolitanism remains unrealized. In my view, although technology has empowered consumers with greater agency, most people still lack the moral vision needed to be true cosmopolitans. They know how to do right by their loved ones, but not how to pursue justice and equity for strangers across the globe.

To become real cosmopolitans, we need more than access to global media. We need a shared sense of morality, a universal code of ethics that values all lives equally—not one imposed by powerful nations, but one built on mutual respect and solidarity. Such universal rights might never fully exist, but without them, the ethical responsibility of global citizenship cannot be fulfilled. Until then, cosmopolitanism remains a dream—one we must continue to strive toward.

Links:

🔗 The Power of Internet and Technology

🔗 Creative Princess Blog

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