Is Globalisation making us more culture sensitive?

Globalization can't be avoided. For western countries such as USA, Canada, England, Australia, Germany, France, etc., they will definitely have the big impact of globalization. When you visit those countries, you'll notice that their societies are consist of multicultures. Then, you'll find out that culture sensitivity is more prone to them. I'm not saying that it is only applied to western countries. Other countries are also having the impact of globalization but such countries don't have as big as western countries. Of course, they also have culture sensitivity but it is more focused on their various ethnic cultures within themselves -- this had been adjusted long time ago when their countries were founded.

I think you are right in one way that globalisation is making us more culture sensitive as so many of us can now see different cultures up close (I have visited around 34 countries so far) but on the other hand so many people can now go on holiday so much more easily. They go to far off places but don't actually 'see' the people whose country they are visiting, they don't 'see' the poverty or the lack of education, the political upheavals etc. They don't try to understand anything about the country they are visiting. The locals don't get any of the money that the big travel companies make - all they get to see are these wealthy people running around in their country - some of whom have very little respect for them, their culture or their religion. Some how we have to try and educate the holiday makers that what they see is not 'reality' to so many of the indigenous people. Generally, I believe travellers tend to be a little bit more understanding and willing to understand and experience new cultures etc...

I quite agree but you must always remember that you are a privaliged part of of maybe 0.001% of the world population and need to spread your words of wisdom carefully. They may not be received in the same way as you give them. I left to live in Africa when I was 21 and a newly qualified mechanical engineer. It was a great education for me and one I have never regretted. I came home for a holiday full of myself and to my regret found that my friends ideas on life so parochrial and narrow minded that I no longer had anything in common with them. I had changed - they were the same and the same as I was before I left. So go carefully with your knowledge - wonderful and valuable as it is. A wise man knows when to keep his council.

In the past learning about religion has done from secondary rather than many hand experiences. Going to Jerusalem I felt the atmosphere of having three different religions living next to one another. It was touching to go to the Western Wall and see the Jewish people praying, fascinating to go to the Muslim Dome of the Rock and exciting to go to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. It gave me the opportunity to see the different cultures and respect these. In the past people had to go to zoos to see wildlife native to places the other side of the world. I have been lucky enough to go on safari in Kenya and see animals like koalas in Australia and penguins in New Zealand. The sea around the UK is cold and uninteresting for a snorkeler. But seeing the Great Barrier Reef gave me an understanding of part of our fragile world. When I go to a country I am respectful of their habits and act in a respectful way. I have become far more interested in responsible travel and helping communities in a positive way.

You seem to have a very good understanding of globalization. I have also traveled over the last two years. I currently teach in China, but I went to Mexico while living in California and on vacations here I have gone to Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. I have seen many things and I have learned about the differences.