Globalization, as defined by rich people like us, is a very nice thing... you are talking about the internet,... — Jimmy Carter

Globalization, as defined by rich people like us, is a very nice thing... you are talking about the internet, you are talking about cell phones, you are talking about computers.

Author: Jimmy Carter

Insight: We tend to think of globalization as this neutral force—technology connecting everyone equally. But Carter's quiet observation cuts right through that: the version of globalization that gets celebrated is mostly the one designed by and for people already comfortable. Yes, the internet and smartphones have genuinely shrunk distances, but they've also concentrated wealth and power in ways that aren't always visible to those benefiting most from them. The uncomfortable part is how easy it is to mistake access for equality. Someone in rural India might have a cell phone, but they're often paying proportionally more for service while being locked into ecosystems controlled by American companies. The infrastructure that looks universal from above looks very different depending on where you're standing. When we talk about "connecting the world," we're often describing a system that already assumes certain advantages—reliable electricity, disposable income, digital literacy. What makes this quote sharp rather than cynical is that Carter isn't saying globalization is bad. He's naming something most of us skip over: we should at least be honest about whose definition we're using and what gets left out of that picture. Real connection requires acknowledging that the phone in your pocket and the phone in someone else's tell different stories.