Geography in Today's World

Geography has been something of an enigma to much of the world, ubiquitous and yet rarely understood in its complexity. It is woeful that this fundamental subject to humans is not exactly the choice of fields. In today's age of instantaneous gratification by technology and search engines, the phenomenon of the annihilation of distance is ever the more creeping up on us. This death of geography implies that the world is so interconnected and integrated that differences in ways of life between geographical boundaries is increasingly blurred. The pertinent question, then, is whether Geography is still worth poring over given its decreasing appeal to many.

I believe that Geography will always be a vital aspect of knowledge that will do justice to the intricacies and nuances of the wonder that is the world. I feel that it would be incredibly dull doing any other subject whose specific topic of study neglects to account for variations in our world. Our planet today is evolving in ways historians have not been able to postulate. It prevents an overly simplistic mind from looking at things in a stereotypical view without evaluating the subtle deviations in between. The beauty of it lies in its innate dynamism which renders it as ever-changing and an area of interest which fails to become obsolete. Even more, the subject encompasses virtually all aspects of the physical and human environment we could possibly analyse, giving us a plethora of knowledge superior to many other fields. While the skill of solving mathematical equations remains fixed and specific, the skill of a geographer goes beyond that to a diverse set from interpretation to judgment.

Imminent changes in our world, all the more, call for strong application of geographical concepts. The apparent homogenization of culture preceding the concept of " Mcdonaldization " in the world over demands to be examined carefully by the conscientious and discerning mind, rather than dismissed casually as a given trend. The alleged political hegemony of China over Asia and now even the USA, especially where economic transactions are involved, are most closely linked to varying circumstances of each country. An understanding of cultural geography for instance would help to account for such significant alterations to the power imbalances of countries. Contrary to being inapplicable, this subject is most germane to civilization.

Geography to me is food for the soul. An awareness of cultural differences and environmental conditions globally will help us attain an international view, that of the new " global citizen ". It is fundamental for a cultured, well-mannered society who can get along harmoniously. By fostering understanding of various practices, we learn to adopt a plethora of perspectives in relation to the same thing. The mind develops critical thinking skills to accommodate more than one's inherent point of view. In other words, the subject might work to reduce the extent of narcissism and individualism today to contribute to a well-rounded society that never fails to consider the well-being of others.