Coping with the Uncontrollable

Globalization is the process of increasing economic and cultural interdependence between different peoples across Earth. Although globalization has shown an overall trend of growth over the course of human history, major global events can cause a “ripple” in the process (either contributing or detracting from it). These ripples often have far-reaching effects on people across the globe.

Those who are not directly involved in the onset of a major global event are often caught off guard when one occurs. Therefore, such events often seem scary and intimidating; this is especially the case when the byproducts of these events warrant significant change in one’s life. In truth, a person witnessing and affected by a major global event can easily feel helpless against the force(s) that brought on the event.

An example of a major global event that caught me off guard was the COVID-19 pandemic. I remember often feeling concerned and afraid when COVID-19 first started making national headlines in early 2020. However, I also remember feeling a bit skeptical as well. After all, nefarious forces like “fake news” and consumer agitation encouraged by profit-driven media outlets often lead me to question nearly every story I heard, at least at first. Though in the case of COVID-19, the continuous in-pouring of news about the disease eliminated any doubts in my mind of its existence and potential to disrupt lives across the globe.

Since we as individuals have little recourse against major global events (such as COVID-19), one might wonder how best to deal with these kinds of lifechanging forces. Learning to cope with these events is often necessary to create/preserve a positive outlook on life. Returning to my COVID-19 example, I performed my own research on the disease and diligently heeded the advice of the scientists and doctors studying it. By doing this, I grew increasingly secure in my understanding of a decreasingly stable world.

Despite the far-reaching effects of major global events, the weight each event has on a person is, to a degree, controllable. By training oneself to learn the facts about a distant adverse event and separating the event from one’s daily life, he or she can more easily maintain a sense of autonomy and independence.

It is no secret that the people of Earth have experienced a number of world-changing events in the recent past. These events often alter the way people interact with each other. However, deciding how to deal with a major event is integral to one’s ability to move forward and thrive in today’s world.

What are your thoughts about globalization, interdependence, and ripples in this system? How can we cope on an individual level amid these mass happenings in the world?