I am currently in Shanghai speaking at a conference on the 2010 Shanghai World Expo - Exhibition & Convention Education and Research International at the Shanghai Institute of Technology.
One of the highlights of the conference was a talk by Professor Hailan Qu, Director of the Center for Hospitality and Tourism Research at Oklahoma State University. In addition to his own talk he made use of the video posted below entitled 'Did You Know' - on the subject 'Globalisation and the Information Age'. The video (showing what some people are really able to do with Powerpoint!) was created by Karl Fisch, and modified by Scott McLeod. Professor Hailan Qu supplied the link.
The video already has more than four million views on YouTube. But it deserves many more. Whatever is the current population of the planet, as part of their education for what the future will bring to humanity crammed into six minutes and six seconds, might seem quite close to an appropriate number.
There have been many posts on this blog on globalisation and the internet. But the video captures brilliantly how the barriers between people will be brought down. It illustrates brilliantly why globalisation inevitably will be a cultural process just as much as an economic one.
One of the comments on the video on YouTube simply says 'So... Aren't we all happy that we live in this era?' Key Trends in Globalisation would answer simply 'Yes'.
Those who believe that humanity can be pushed back into its narrow national boxes should simply watch this. You don't have a chance - nor do those who are scared of change, and wish to hide from the globalised culture that is coming. The globalised future of humanity will be even richer than anything in its past.
