The World Is Flat

"I love books that are well written, interesting, educational and thought provoking. The World Is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman is just such a book.

"The press is full of stories pro and con about globalization - the flattening of the world in the sense of becoming a single, flat playing field for businesses large and small and for a set of supporting ideas and ideals. Friedman tells a story and provides a structure to help us understand the ongoing evolution of that story in our daily news. He then looks at the implications for America, for developing countries and for corporations and those of us who work for them. He identifies the risks that could unflatten the world including the best analysis I have seen on the potential roles of the Arab-Muslim world. The final chapter addresses the role of the U.S. in contributing to continued flattening and positive outcomes.

"Friedman provides answers and poses useful questions. One of my favorites is, "Does your society [country, corporation, family, you …] have more memories than dreams or more dreams than memories." Memories are of course from the past; dreams are the creative material for the future. Flattening has occurred when people have dreamed of new ways things can work and have made those dreams come true. These are not the dreams of the past. They are the dreams made possible by new technologies, organizational structures, business relationships, roles of government, the increasing importance of individuals and more."

The In April 2006 I wrote a review.