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Civic Solidarity 1

Journal Review: Civic Solidarity

Cheah Zhow Zhen

B1101190

Department of Psychology

PSY 325

Mr. Pak Wei-Han


Civic Solidarity 2

Journal Review: Civic Solidarity

The topic of discussion is Civic Solidarity: the negotiation of identity in modern societies by

Gordon Sammut (2011). In the journal it is referenced that ‘perhaps humankind has learned a great deal

about subordination and power, but have we learned enough about co-operation, partnership, joint efforts

in problem solving and building bridges rather than creating divisions?’ Sussmuth (2006). According to

the Social identity theory by Tajfel, Turner suggests that a person’s sense of belonging and identity

depends on the groups which the associate themselves to. The importance of having a personal identity is

to thoroughly understand oneself and to recognize one’s talents and potential that could contribute to

shaping one’s character and behavior. Typically, an individual would distinctively view themselves as

one to differentiate themselves with people around them (society). However, social identity is a collective

of selves amongst the society. This becomes to ‘us’ as an individual would identify themselves with a

group of people with similar traits which resonates with their personal identity. To a certain level, they are

able to connect and understand from the same wavelength. Such outcome is created throughout many

constant variable that is caused by the environment and people that we encounter in life.

Another point that caught my attention in the article is ‘How can we manage a world challenged

by shrinking resources, population increases, income inequalities, and environmental collapse? Is

globalization leading to a more peaceful world, or is it leading to greater economic and political

instability?’ Having a personal and social identity is just the basis that can influence many decisions

making process. Given the situation, the world resources is shrinking rapidly day by day yet the

population increases quickly as before; this is an imbalance scale of supply and demand which could very

well cause potential chaos in the near future. Not to mention the huge margin of different in income

which the 99 percent-ers is on the constant hustle to be the 1 percent-ers; which in other worlds the 99%

of human population is constantly running on the spin wheel before if any luck and stars align for an

opportunity to become the 1%.


Civic Solidarity 3

The question is; is globalization leading to a more peaceful world or it is leading to a greater

economic and political instability. Globalization allows people to improve and to increase the knowledge

that could very well serve them to build a better future; learning a foreign language, learning about the

practices and habits of different cultures; theses allows one to help achieve personal goals to further

improve themselves. However, not everyone that put such efforts into investing in themselves has a

generous view or broader view of the bigger picture. Greed; this may just be the deal breaker to why

globalization may eventually harm the greater good of the human kind rather than to use it to aid or assist

the problems we face no and in the future. For instances, we see many businessman that calls upon a

project or a venture that claims to work towards global warming but instead their actions is not actually

working to reduce the emission of carbon monoxide and other harmful waste that is the cause of the

thinning of ozone layer which then causes the melting of north and couth pole which eventually causes

the sea level to rise and cost the natural habitat of many animals.

There is a spiral of disasters that could happen and may I say, is happening at this moment across

the globe; probably at the other side of the world there’s acts of violence and human cause ‘natural

disaster’. Such outcomes stems from greed and selfishness of an individual or a collective group of

individuals that agree being selfish is actually okay. In my humble opinion, these people are blind -sided

by the short term lavish outcome and neglecting the long term fruitful outcome that could well benefit our

future generations and to secure the human race.

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