Funny isn't it, when you say 'globalisation' everyone runs a mile. But say 'global education' and it has a different ring to it - the global exchange of knowledge and culture.

I was reading this and wondering:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7469897.stm

"Before she went to the Ecuadorean jungle to live with the Waorani tribe, Karen Morris-Lanz was a BlackBerry-toting workaholic single mother from Milton Keynes. Here she explains how life with this remote people helped teach her to relax."

Good thing or bad thing?

Big argument for it being a bad thing - or ar least dubious: the commercialisation of television programmes sending middle-class westerners off to all corners of the globe to flounce about in grass skirts and eat termite larvae; but is it actually useful?

I remember a series called the Tribe with a guy who went off and did a lot of shamanic things. Saw some clips on YouTube and was impressed. Bit different to a sudo-anthropologist v. the housewife from Hackney...but do the general masses need the experience more?

Does our aversion to globalisation and our desire to keep things mystical interfere with true exchange of knowledge and information?

I think it's fascinating - love the picture on the link of her in tribal dress. My only question would be 'what does the tribe get out of this?' - sure it's a nice cash bonus. What about a TV show where they come over to the UK and see what on earth they make of that - not just London but the rural areas and standing stones.

Is there real value to this, or just media tourism? I'm sure it was very real for the woman who went - was it long enough?

I think it will certainly help raise awareness of the tribe's plight - their land is under threat. Thought she sounded like she had a great time! So good thing overall.

I think there was a programme about another culture coming to the UK and vice versa - I seem to remember them being amazed at the amount of animals involved in intensive farming. Anyone else remember?