Global Citizenship | Social attitudes and changing lifestyles

👋 Welcome to Culture and Community!

Hello future Global Citizens! This chapter, "Social attitudes and changing lifestyles," is all about how people think and live in the modern world, and how these things are constantly shifting due to global connections.

Why is this important? Because your life—what you eat, how long you live, and what you care about—is directly influenced by these global changes. Understanding these shifts helps you become a more informed citizen capable of adapting to, and influencing, your community.

Part 1: Changing Social Attitudes (What we think)

Social Attitudes are the beliefs, feelings, and tendencies we hold towards people, events, or issues. These attitudes are changing rapidly worldwide, especially regarding large global themes.

1.1 Attitudes to Global Events (Sports and Entertainment)

Global events like the Olympic Games, World Cup, or major film festivals (like the Oscars) are not just about competition or art; they are powerful platforms that shape social attitudes.

• Participation Focus: Attitudes are shifting from simply enjoying these events as spectators to demanding greater inclusion. For example, increased demand for para-sports coverage or equal prize money for men and women.
• Platform for Issues: Global events are increasingly used by athletes and artists to raise awareness for social or political issues, showing a growing attitude that silence is not acceptable on the global stage.
• Example: The worldwide attention drawn to issues of inequality or host-country labour laws during major international sports tournaments.

1.2 Changing Attitudes towards Women's Rights

This is one of the most significant social shifts globally. While progress is uneven, the general social attitude in many parts of the world now supports equality for women.

• Economic Sphere: A growing attitude that women should have equal access to employment and financial independence.
• Political Sphere: Increased demand and expectation for women to participate actively in politics and governance, both as voters and elected officials.
• Cultural Sphere: Challenges to traditional roles that limit women's education or freedom of choice.

Quick Trick: Think of the acronym APE to remember the spheres of women's rights: Attitudes, Politics, Economics.

1.3 Attitudes to Cultural and Environmental Issues

Our awareness of the planet and the value of tradition is changing how we behave.

• Environmental Issues: Social attitudes are moving towards sustainability. We see massive shifts in how people view waste (plastic pollution), consumption (ethical purchasing), and transportation (electric vehicles).
• Cultural Issues: There is a balancing act between embracing globalisation (common fashion, media) and a renewed interest in protecting local and national cultural traditions (language, local arts).

Key Takeaway for Part 1: Social attitudes are becoming more globally conscious. We are shifting from passive observers to active participants who demand equality and sustainability.

Part 2: The Impact of Cultural Activities on Communities

Cultural activities are the events, practices, and interactions that define a society. When these activities cross borders, they have a powerful impact on both the host community and the global community.

2.1 National Celebrations and Religious Festivals

These events are vital for maintaining national and cultural identity, but they also connect communities globally.

• Local Impact: They reinforce community cohesion and preserve historical traditions (e.g., national holidays commemorating independence).
• International Impact: As migration increases, festivals (like Diwali, Eid, or Chinese New Year) are now celebrated internationally, fostering cultural diversity in host countries.
• Did you know? Many celebrations, like the Brazilian Carnival, are now major international tourist attractions, boosting local economies but sometimes facing criticism for becoming too commercialised.

2.2 Tourism and International Exchanges

The rise of global travel means more people are participating in tourism and structured cultural exchanges (like student exchange programmes).

Positive Impacts:

• Economic Boost: Tourism creates jobs and revenue for local communities.
• Mutual Understanding: Exchanges help break down stereotypes and build empathy between people from different nations.
• Cultural Preservation: Revenue from tourism can be used to fund the protection of historical sites.

Negative Impacts:

• Cultural Commodification: Local traditions can be turned into products purely for tourists, potentially losing their authenticity.
• Environmental Strain: Mass tourism leads to pollution, congestion, and increased pressure on local resources (water, energy).

2.3 International Volunteering

International volunteering involves citizens travelling abroad to offer help, skills, or labour, often through NGOs or charities.

• Benefit to Host Community: Provides needed skills (e.g., medical, educational) or labour for development projects, supporting global solidarity.
• Benefit to Volunteer: Develops personal citizenship skills, increases awareness of global issues, and fosters intercultural competence (the ability to interact effectively across cultures).
• Warning: Sometimes, 'voluntourism' (volunteering combined with tourism) can be criticised for providing little real skill or help, or for taking jobs away from local populations. Ethical volunteering is crucial.

Key Takeaway for Part 2: Cultural activities are double-edged: they can promote understanding and generate wealth, but they must be managed carefully to avoid harming local culture and the environment.

Part 3: Major Lifestyle Changes Globally (How we live)

Globalisation and economic development have radically changed our health and life outcomes. The syllabus highlights two contrasting yet related demographic changes: longevity (living longer) and nutrition challenges (obesity and malnutrition).

3.1 Global Increases in Longevity (Ageing Populations)

Longevity means the average lifespan of people worldwide is increasing. This is mainly due to better healthcare, improved sanitation, and greater access to nutritious food (though this access is unequal).

Causes of Increased Longevity:

• Advances in medical technology (vaccines, treatments).
• Better public health infrastructure (clean water).
• Improved general nutrition compared to previous centuries.

Social and Economic Impacts (The Challenge of Ageing):

• Strain on Health Services: Older people require more complex and long-term care.
• Pension Crisis: Fewer young, working people supporting a growing number of retired people puts financial strain on state pension systems.
• Demand for Care: Increased need for skilled social care workers and facilities.

Analogy: Imagine a pyramid where the base (young people) supports the top (older people). Increased longevity means the pyramid is turning into a rectangle, requiring major structural changes in society.

3.2 Lifestyle Changes: Obesity and Malnutrition

These are both forms of malnutrition (poor nutrition), often existing side-by-side even within the same country or community, highlighting global inequality.

Obesity (Over-Nutrition):

• Definition: Having excessive body fat, usually caused by a diet high in processed foods and a sedentary (inactive) lifestyle.
• Global Cause: The widespread availability of cheap, high-calorie, low-nutrient consumer goods (fast food). This is often linked to the 'Westernisation' of diets.
• Impact: Increased rates of diseases like diabetes and heart disease, putting huge financial pressure on national health systems.

Malnutrition (Under-Nutrition):

• Definition: Lack of sufficient nutrients or calories, often linked to food scarcity, poverty, or political instability.
• Global Cause: Poverty, climate change affecting crop yields, and unequal food distribution.
• Impact: Stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and higher infant mortality rates, primarily affecting developing countries.

Challenge: In some developing economies, communities struggle with *both* issues—where poverty limits access to varied, healthy food, resulting in diets heavy in cheap, starchy, high-calorie options (leading to obesity) while still lacking essential vitamins and protein (leading to micronutrient malnutrition).