Homogenise or Diversify?

One of the defining aspects of the globalising economy is the homogenising effect it has on the diversity of our planet - not just biological diversity, or biodiversity, but cultural diversity as well.

Strip malls, fast food restaurants and corporate brands now extend to the four corners of the globe, replacing traditional industries, small businesses and local culture with an homogenising ‘one-size-fits-all’ corporate culture of consumers. The destabilising impacts of this have also become apparent, causing conflicts between communities that have lived peacefully for hundreds of years.

In a similar fashion, modern farming systems strip genetic diversity in the name of ‘efficiency’, but in reality yield only 6 units of energy for every 15 expended, whereas traditional diversified systems can yield up to 15 units for every one unit employed. Diversity in an ecosystem is what builds resilience and resistance to disease. The Irish potato famine of 1848, or the American corn blight in the 1970s, are just two examples of what can happen when a monoculture is hit by disease.

The paddy field is a classic example of what diversified systems can achieve, containing about 80 species of insect parasites and predators. If not interfered with, the paddy field will yield for thousands of years, sustaining inherent fertilisation and insect control processes. The introduction of just one agro-chemical however, will unravel the entire system.

Diversity is like an immune system, providing inherent protection from destabilising external influences. As a general rule, homogenisation reduces immunity and diminishes self-reliance, while Unity is preserved in Diversity.