GlobalizationGlobalization is the process of integration resulting from the exchange and mixture of cultural aspects across the world. There is currently no theory capable of explaining this phenomenon, but its importance has been confirmed and widely debated by many experts. Experts generally claim to have noticed this phenomenon in the early 19th century, but some claim to date it back to prehistoric times. Gary Wells, a leading expert, states that "...some historians view the voyages of Christopher Columbus in 1492 and Vasco da Gama in 1498 (which opened the spice trade to competition) as the 'big bang' of globalization ( 3). This big bang refers to the moment when goods and raw materials began to flow between the newly discovered Americas and Europe, marking the beginning of the mixing of two very different cultures. Two other possible starting points are the industrial revolution and the fall of the Berlin Wall. The general opinion is that it probably started between 1820 and 1870. Without globalization, we would be deprived of many types of entertainment, musical genres, technologies and even religion. I believe that globalization is vital for the world to achieve a completely unified Earth and that globalization is one of the major contributors to our modern society. Computers and the World Wide Web are two major advantages gained through globalization. The Internet has made a myriad of very beneficial things possible, including allowing students to learn through online means and allowing people to talk to other people from different countries. It seems to be taken for granted after having it present in our daily lives for a while, making us overlook the huge impact of this...... middle of paper ...... area. People need to spend more time looking for ways to counter the negative aspects that globalization brings, because it doesn't seem to be slowing down or stopping anytime soon. Works Cited Borade, Gaynor. “Bad effects of globalization”. Buzz. Buzzle.com, and Web. April 14, 2014.Ganguly, Poushali. “Advantages and disadvantages of globalization”. Buzz. Buzzle.com, December 19, 2011. Web. April 12, 2014. Lechner, Frank and John Boli. “Debates on globalization”. The site of globalization - Debates. Frank Lechner, 2000-2001. Internet. May 2, 2014. Slaughter, Matthew J. and Phillip Swagel. “Does globalization reduce wages and export jobs? Google Books. International Monetary Fund, Publishing Services, September 1997. Web. May 2, 2014. Wells, Gary J. The Globalization Question – An Overview. http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/crs. DigitalCommons@ILR, May 3, 2001. Web. April 14. 2014.