The World Is Flat (Thomas Friedman)

[The World Is Flat (Thomas Friedman)]So prior to The World Is Flat, I read Collapse. The conclusion to that book was that that if China and India consume resources at the rate of Americans, the world is going to descend into an apocalyptic state of war, famine, and turmoil. After finishing The World Is Flat, I’m convinced this is inevitable. Oh, it might come faster because Mexico could join that group of emerging countries. I think this should be the #1 issue of the 2008 election, but nobody that decides the outcome of elections (i.e. Ohio and Florida) is paying attention.

This is not the easiest book to read, and Friedman spends too much time expounding the virtues of globalization (and there are many). But while I don’t think he devotes enough time to offering solutions, he does address the threat of terrorism by Middle Eastern extremists. He also chides President Bush for his failure to inspire America to become independent of oil, suggesting a national program for scientists to develop reliable renewable energy sources. There’s good stuff in there, but the overall sense isn’t quite right.

One more thing. Did you know that there are some McDonald’s drive-thrus that are answered by Indian call centers? Yeah, that blew my mind too.

Friedman’s official site and wikipedia entry

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