...has belatedly discovered that culture trumps economics and actually seems disappointed that human beings are more than automatons seeking the dollar:
Once, not that long ago, economics was the queen of the social sciences. Human beings were assumed to be profit-maximizing creatures, tending toward reasonableness....
As the world has become richer and better educated, religion hasn't withered; it has become stronger and more fundamentalist. Nationalism and tribalism haven't faded away. Instead, transnational institutions such as the United Nations and the European Union are weak and in crisis.
Communications technology hasn't brought people closer together; it has led to greater cultural segmentation, across the world and even within the United States.
All of this has thrown a certain materialistic vision into crisis. We now know that global economic and technological forces do not gradually erode local cultures and values. Instead, cultures and values shape economic development.
No comments:
Post a Comment