Thursday, April 22, 2010

The world is flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century

Wake up now or we'll fall FLAT on our butt, or even worst FLAT on our face!

Title: The world is flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century
Author: Thomas L. Friedman
Publication Year: 2006 (expanded and updated edition).

I agree with lot of basic argument can't say I love the book, because it's a little s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d ...seems to drag on. But author gives a lot of examples, but if someone actually follow the current events your mind will start to wonder off. I think 300 pages is all the book need. Book did hit all the key buzzword. I have found this link from University of Maryland with definition of the buzzword, this book was selected as 2006 first year book program.

Friedman is obviously a very accomplished writer, but in this instance I think less is more. Friedman explores the idea that the world is flattening by the leveling of the playing fields connecting all areas of the world in a way never imagined mid-90's.

The three versions of globalization starting from the exploration of Christopher Columbus. From 1492 to about 1800, it was Globalization 1.0.

The second era, Globalization 2.0, lasted from 1800 to 2000. The key agent of change, and the dynamic force driving global integration was multinational companies, driven by first the falling transportation costs, and then by the falling telecommunication costs.

Globalized 3.0 took off around 2000 and shrank the world from small to tiny, and flattening the playing field at the same time. With the movement of information improved so drastically that it empowered the individuals to participate in the globalization.

Author have inserted some of his view about Arab world into the book at the very end. Things get complicated when you fix in Muslims ... I think Muslims make more than 30% of Indian, and a little less in south Asia.

perhaps he is trying to be controversial which sometimes helps to sell books. now can we get on with globalization?

Reference:
I found this book review from mymoneyblog.com