ABSTRACT
The techniques of international communication are constantly evolving. The transmission of pictures and text, and the transportation of goods and ideas have opened up the world to cultural influences that are sometimes as unexpected as they are widespread, like the celebration of Christmas in China as a result of its producing the majority of seasonal artefacts. The development of the means of communication has long been celebrated, and many assumptions made about the result of it, since McLuhan's image of the 'global village' (McLuhan, 1964). Whilst the technical advances are rapid, it is just as clear that the means of communication have not led to greater international understanding. The conflicts along tribal or national boundaries abound. There are few signs of greater religious tolerance, or greater insights into other ways of living. And yet there is a continuous, indeed growing belief in the importance of ever faster and more efficient communication systems, as if change were brought about simply by the application of technology.
