Reflection Number 3

Danny Clare

2/3/2015

COMM 211

Reflection 3

            Intercultural communications has me wondering what we will talk about next because of the different customs, traditions, and cultures that are introduced.  For me, this reading and discussion today was interesting in the sense that two completely polar opposite topics were being talked about at the same time.  Benjamin Barber described Jihad as a retribalization that attacks interdependence, social cooperation, and mutuality.  McWorld is said to be the homogenous, global theme park being created by the mass media and mass culture fostered by worldwide communications, information, entertainment, and commerce.  Bringing two opposites into one community calls for a lot of conflict, how does it actually work?

            To me, it seems as though “Jihad” focuses more on the individual efforts within one state.  “McWorld” makes me think more universal because of the word “World”.  The interesting thing is that McWorld and Jihad are often at work at the same time in the same place.  One example mentioned was Iran.  Such a funny example that makes sense to almost all readers because we know about the Simpsons.  The reading makes me think about our world today and how there are such different beliefs from individual to individual, and even within some of our closest friend groups.  Intercultural communications is everywhere around us and we just walk by it without noticing.  Luckily this class has made me think differently when reading an article such as this one.