Call Me A Globalist Or Maybe A Cosmopolitan

In a New York Times Sunday magazine article featuring Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), Hawley declares the world is divided by “Cosmopolitans and everyone else”.  The “C-group” of course come from the coasts, according to Hawley, mostly the northeast and certain big cities on the west coast.  The “C-group” are at home in world settings and simply do not think about what’s best for the average American.  Hmmm.

IMO, Hawley’s observation is accurate to the extent that most cosmopolitans are comfortable thinking of themselves as citizens of the globe and some (but not all) cosmopolitans think they know what’s best for average Americans.  Hawley could have gone further and said, “many of the rest do not feel comfortable traveling to a land of different customs and languages”.  Hawley could have said that many of the rest do not know or appreciate the hopes and desires of other Americans populating the “rest”.  Hawley (and his speech writers) could have… but are more concerned with carving a unique persona for Senator Hawley, one that would enhance his advancement in conservative Republican land.

I am proud to be a globalist (and I suppose that means I am a cosmopolitan too).  Considering the globe populated with other normal, albeit different, humans is a safer, not to mention saner, mind set than thinking that everyone who is different is defective.  It is far easier to attempt to understand someone from another country if one has some knowledge and appreciation of that country’s history, language, and customs.

Leaders through out history have tried to picture opponents as something different.  If the opponent lived in another country (or came from another country), the ordinary person is extremely susceptible to characterization which paints a picture of someone unfit and dangerous to society.  Hmmm.

Isolationists, nationalists, and those who reject and demonize globalism are dangerous to us all.  Many of them cite outsourcing of jobs as the sin of globalism.  Hmmm.  To be sure, outsourcing of jobs has caused great harm to individual workers but it is unrealistic to think a capitalist will voluntarily help displaced workers.  In fact it is far more likely a cosmopolitan will sense the excesses of capitalism than an isolationist or nationalist.

Globalism brings fruits of more beneficial trade, freer travel and expression of views, and in the end, a safer world.  When we know the other person, seek to trade with them, and personally experience the benefit, the world is safer.

Explore posts in the same categories: 2020 Presidential Election, Donald Trump, Uncategorized

Tags: Cosmopolitan, Globalist, Josh Hawley

You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.