What Thomas Friedman means when he says "The World is Flat"

[spat846]

The World is Flat and so is the US Economy as well as US Employment.

[pred09ale]

world isnt flat - see Peter Dicken.

[1ex1uger]

So Friedman's message is 'If you don't do it first, someone will do it to you.' No wonder that neocon is an apologist for imperialist wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet, he is predictably enraged when other entities have the audacity to undertake the very behaviour he advocates. That's quite the double-standard, but not a surprising one for a neocon.

[hexagoncubez]

will be done will be done will be done....

[jthomas3174]

Dog eat dog, high-tech barbarionism.

This is what Milton Friedman nd now Tom Friedman advocate. It's scary and it's cruel. Read the "Shock Doctrine" by Naoimi Klein for the whole truth.

[nickd4818]

waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaa

[therieyashow]

i think Friedman is a really good writer but in terms of public speaking, i'm really not impressed --- it felt like i was just listening to a story-telling session other than really understanding the soul and the purpose of his work that cannot be found within its 639 pages :(

[SirKevinMartin]

Omg, he's dying on the spot.

[MarxBakuninMe]

"So many people have tools of communication"

Really? An overwhelming majority of the world's population have no internet access.

[MrAdamIsa]

A voice is a tool of communication.

[bobzilla211]

they don't count, remember? there is a hilarious account of one of the friedmans seeing a poor old woman in india polishing shoes to get enough money to eat.

he then emarks on an essay about how she was a global competitor, she found her niche and exploited it, one day she might join the big beasts of the global horde, etc etc.

just like his golden arches theory its friedman to a T - make huge generalisations and dismiss anything that proves you wrong as an exception to the rule.

[MarxBakuninMe]

I hear you. I think this "globalisation" stuff is just a load of hot air, to be honest . . . All it does is make it easier for the people who are already rich to trade and get even more rich; other people are stuck where they started (often quite literally - free movement of peoples is a no no, but free movement of capital is OK!)

It's bullshit.

[SeeProfileForDetails]

@MarxBakuninMe you're an idiot, lots of poor people move to capitalist countries and make a good living, fuckstick

[SecondLifeEnglish]

though perhaps some hesitation should be considered...just bc smth CAN BE DONE doesnt mean it SHOULD BE DONE...reflecting on intention and consequence of action is in my mind very important...especially now that so much IS possible...a real turn off in this short video clip is the seemingly more dominant focus on doing things for the sake of entrepreneurship...seems to me that greater opportunities exist...a chance to consider other triumphs which can come from such a participatory world...