The World is Flat 3.0

I went into iTunes to hear The World is Flat 3.0 by Thomas Friedman with sheer dread. I figured 48.20 minutes of my time would be an absolute bore.

I was seriously wrong.

Right off the bat I was surprised he won the Pulitzer prize three times and wrote an accidental book called The World is Flat 3.0 He came to believe the global playing field was being flattened and Americans weren’t ready for what was coming.

The core thesis of his book contained three distinct eras:
Globalization 1.0 Year 1492 - early 1900’s
Size large – Size medium
People went global through their countries.

Globalization 2.0 Year 1800 - 2000
Size medium- size small
People went global through companies for market/labor

Globalization 3.0 Year 2000 – present
Size small – tiny
Not by countries or companies….its built around individuals
Really exciting and terrifying

All this moved to a point where people could collaborate as individuals. The personal computer allowed individuals to create their own content in digital form. In August 1995 Netscape went public. The browser literally brought the internet to life and the .com bubble began to become really useful. There was an overinvestment of 1 trillion dollars into fiber optic cable, which wired the world without anybody having planned it. Computers were connected together through invented capabilities.

Countries and cities literally became next door neighbors. There was a platform where Friedman says, “world is flat.” This platform allowed just about anybody the ability to communicate. People had the ability to obtain information online and distribute amongst others.

“Whatever can be done, will be done,” was a very interesting quote by Friedman. Creativity and communication will be done because it can be done. This is very true in our current society. Many people pursue anything that has a will to be done.

Downloading and uploading became immensely popular. Iraqi soldiers used blogging to update real time stories of what was happening overseas. Random people uploaded created videos onto YouTube. Individuals created their own encyclopedia through Wikipedia.

Friedman also said, “Inspiration and innovation comes from having two or more specialties, with both frameworks supporting each other.” I found this point to be interesting as well. When you have two talents and you bring them together, the end product has the potential for success.

Friedman includes “Green revolution we’re having…is a complete fraud. Global economy is like a monster truck with the gas pedal stuck and we have lost the key. The only way to catch the truck is with a disruptive breakthrough.” He mentions the leaders need to be changed, not just the light bulbs. The leaders prompt these innovations and they also write the rules. In his new book he is trying to reshape how we think about this global economic problem. Economic, capitalistic, and patriotic are some of the new names he wants created for this revolution, considering the name “green,’ was first created by opponents. He ends his lecture by saying “green is new red, white, and blue”

Friedman had me interested in his lecture through the interesting quotes he made and his little part about the green revolution. I used to think changing light bulbs was a way to solve problems, but with this upcoming election, the economy needs a proper leader that can write the right rules. I am eager for the arrival of his new book and doubt I will face any anxiety before listening to his future lectures.