TheWorldIsFlat:ABriefHistoryoftheTwenty-firstCenturyAuthor:ThomasL.Friedman
ListPrice:$27.50
Pages:496
Publisher:Farrar,StrausandGiroux(April5,2005)
Dimensions:9.2x6.3x1.6
ISBN:0374292884
|Bookdescription|ThomasL.Friedmanisnotsomuchafuturist,whichheissometimescalled,asapresentist.Hisaim,inhisnewbook,TheWorldIsFlat,asinhisearlier,influentialLexusandtheOliveTree,isnottogiveyouaspeculativepreviewofthewondersthataresuretocomeinyourlifetime,butrathertogetyoucaughtuponthewondersthatarealreadyhere.Theworldisn'tgoingtobeflat,itisflat,whichgivesFriedman'sbreathlessnarrativemuchofitsurgency,andwhichalsosavesitfromtheEpcot-stylepolyestersheenthatfuturists--theoptimisticonesatleast--areinevitablypreyto.WhatFriedmanmeansby"flat"is"connected":theloweringoftradeandpoliticalbarriersandtheexponentialtechnicaladvancesofthedigitalrevolutionhavemadeitpossibletodobusiness,oralmostanythingelse,instantaneouslywithbillionsofotherpeopleacrosstheplanet.Thisinitselfshouldnotbenewstoanyone.ButthenewsthatFriedmanhastodeliveristhatjustwhenwestoppedpayingattentiontothesedevelopments--whenthedot-combustturnedinterestawayfromthebusinessandtechnologypagesandwhen9/11andtheIraqWarturnedalleyestowardtheMiddleEast--iswhentheyactuallybegantoaccelerate.Globalization3.0,ashecallsit,isdrivennotbymajorcorporationsorgianttradeorganizationsliketheWorldBank,butbyindividuals:desktopfreelancersandinnovativestartupsallovertheworld(butespeciallyinIndiaandChina)whocancompete--andwin--notjustforlow-wagemanufacturingandinformationlaborbut,increasingly,forthehighest-endresearchanddesignworkaswell.(Hedoesn'tforgetthe"mutantsupplychains"likeAl-Qaedathatletthesmallactbiginmoredestructiveways.)Friedmantellshiseye-openingstorywiththecatchyslogansandglobe-hoppinganecdotesthatreadersofhisearlierbooksandhisNewYorkTimescolumnswillknowwell,andalsowithasternsortofoptimism.Hewantstotellyouhowexcitingthisnewworldis,buthealsowantsyoutoknowyou'regoingtobetrampledifyoudon'tkeepupwithit.Hisbookisanexcellentplacetobegin.
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