Explain why we appear to be living in a 'Shrinking World?'

We are living in an era of increased globalisation; globalisation has existed throughout our history but due to technological and political advancements in recent decades the world has been brought together through many more links. The term shrinking world, or often referred to as time space compression, suggests that this rapid rate of globalisation has made the world feel smaller, that we are more connected to people on the other side of the world than ever before. One reason why we appear to be living in a shrinking world is the development of transportation technology. In the colonial era, explorers would sail to faraway lands, which would take many weeks. Once arrived, they would try trading any useful resources back to the mainland, which would take this lengthy time. Aircraft were developed in the 20th century and now passenger aircraft is widely accessible and affordable, meaning we can travel from one end of the planet to another in a matter of hours; journeys that would previously have taken many weeks. Meanwhile modern ships with electric motors means trade is far more rapid, with an increased quality and quantity of trade. This creates a feeling of a shrinking world, as it takes far less time to travel now than any other time in our history. Another reason why the term shrinking world is used is due to the advancements in communication flows that we have seen in the last few decades. Before telecommunications if one wanted to communicate with another who lived far away, they would have to send letters, which would take a long time to arrive. Now with the development of the internet, we can email, call or facetime loved ones from far away instantly; communicating with them as if they are with us.