The World Is Flat 3.0: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century |  | Author: Thomas L. Friedman
Publisher: Picador
Category: Book
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Pages: 672
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Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.1 x 1.3
ISBN: 0312425074
Dewey Decimal Number: 303.4833
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Product Description
A New Edition of the Phenomenal #1 Bestseller
"One mark of a great book is that it makes you see things in a new way, and Mr. Friedman certainly succeeds in that goal," the Nobel laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz wrote in The New York Times reviewing The World Is Flat in 2005. In this new edition, Thomas L. Friedman includes fresh stories and insights to help us understand the flattening of the world. Weaving new information into his overall thesis, and answering the questions he has been most frequently asked by parents across the country, this third edition also includes two new chapters--on how to be a political activist and social entrepreneur in a flat world; and on the more troubling question of how to manage our reputations and privacy in a world where we are all becoming publishers and public figures.
The World Is Flat 3.0 is an essential update on globalization, its opportunities for individual empowerment, its achievements at lifting millions out of poverty, and its drawbacks--environmental, social, and political, powerfully illuminated by the Pulitzer Prize--winning author of The Lexus and the Olive Tree. Thomas L. Friedman has won the Pulitzer Prize three times for his work at The New York Times. He is the author of three best-selling books: From Beirut to Jerusalem, winner of the National Book Award for nonfiction and still considered to be the definitive work on the Middle East, The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization, and Longitudes and Attitudes: Exploring the World After September 11. He lives in Bethesda, Maryland, with his family. Winner of the Financial Times/Goldman Sachs Book Award
A New York Times Notable Book
A Christian Science Monitor Best Book of the Year
A Washington Post Best Book of the Year
An Economist Best Book of the Year
When scholars write the history of the world twenty years from now, and they come to the chapter "Y2K to March 2004," what will they say was the most crucial development? The attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11 and the Iraq war? Or the convergence of technology and events that allowed India, China, and so many other countries to become part of the global supply chain for services and manufacturing, creating an explosion of wealth in the middle classes of the world's two biggest nations, giving them a huge new stake in the success of globalization? And with this "flattening" of the globe, which requires us to run faster in order to stay in place, has the world gotten too small and too fast for human beings and their political systems to adjust in a stable manner?
In this brilliant new book, the award-winning New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman demystifies the brave new world for readers, allowing them to make sense of the often bewildering global scene unfolding before their eyes. With his inimitable ability to translate complex foreign policy and economic issues, Friedman explains how the flattening of the world happened at the dawn of the twenty-first century; what it means to countries, companies, communities, and individuals; and how governments and societies can, and must, adapt. The World Is Flat is the timely and essential update on globalization, its successes and discontents, powerfully illuminated by one of our most respected journalists. This updated and expanded edition of Friedman's 2005 bestseller features a hundred new pages of fresh reporting, insights, and commentary, drawn both from his 2005 travels (to India, to China, to the Middle East) and from his encounters with readers around the country, who have shared their accounts of the flattening of the world as it is being felt in the American heartland. Among the topics covered are: • An explanation of Friedman's conviction that the flattening of the world "will be seen in time as one of those fundamental shifts or inflection points, like Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press, the rise of the nation-state, or the Industrial Revolution." (Chapter 1) • A preview of the emerging "Business Web," in which companies "rent" software at websites like Salesforce.com and have it customized to their needs instead of developing proprietary software and employing a tech department to install it—a huge savings in cost and effort. (Chapter 2) • An explanation of "uploading" as one of the ten forces that are flattening the world. Uploading—blogging, open-source software, pooled knowledge projects like Wikipedia, and now podcasting—enables individuals to bring their experiences and opinions to the whole world more quickly, cheaply, and easily than ever before. (Chapter 2) • A definitive explanation of the "triple convergence," in which the flattening of the world has knocked out first the walls, then the ceilings, and now the floors that defined the world as it was before the Wall came down and the flattening began (Chapter 3); and a deeper, sharper explanation of how the move from a vertically organized world to a horizontally organized one will force a "great sorting out" of our values and priorities. (Chapter 4) • A mapping of what Friedman calls the "New Middle"—the places and spaces in the flat world where middle-class jobs will be found—and an account of the character types who will thrive as "New Middler": collaboration and orchestrators; synthesizers, who blend knowledge across disciplines; explainers, who interpret the tide of new knowledge; leveragers, who can create value from it; adapters, who can move from one New Middle job to the next in the flat world. (Chapter 6) • A chapter-long account of "The Right Stuff"—the qualities American parents and teachers need to cultivate in American young people so that they will be able to thrive in the flat world: the right education, passion and curiosity (CQ, or curiosity quotient, will be more important than IQ); and the ability to "play well with others." (Chapter 7) • The amazing story of how President Bush shunned a meeting of leading "technologists" in the very office building where he was holding a meeting on privatization of Social Security—a story that exemplifies all the misplaced priorities and bungled opportunities of this Administration. (Chapter 8) • The story of Ireland's swift rise from poverty to prosperity as it made the right moves to adapt to the flattening of the world. (Chapter 9) • A call for a government-led "geo-green" strategy to preserve the earth's environment and natural resources as the entry of billions of people into the middle class in China and India creates huge increases in demand for cars, fuel, water, and the like. • A chapter-length explanation of “The Globalization of the Local”: of the ways the flattening of the world, and globalization generally, have affected local and regional culture—actually strengthening local and regional identity rather than homogenizing the world American style. (Chapter 13) And additional topics such as Indians tutoring American students online, of trade pacts being concluded through videoconferencing on flat-screen TVS, and of Google "search engine optimizers" a
Amazon.com Review
Updated Edition: Thomas L. Friedman is not so much a futurist, which he is sometimes called, as a presentist. His aim in The World Is Flat, as in his earlier, influential Lexus and the Olive Tree, is not to give you a speculative preview of the wonders that are sure to come in your lifetime, but rather to get you caught up on the wonders that are already here. The world isn't going to be flat, it is flat, which gives Friedman's breathless narrative much of its urgency, and which also saves it from the Epcot-style polyester sheen that futurists--the optimistic ones at least--are inevitably prey to. What Friedman means by "flat" is "connected": the lowering of trade and political barriers and the exponential technical advances of the digital revolution that have made it possible to do business, or almost anything else, instantaneously with billions of other people across the planet. This in itself should not be news to anyone. But the news that Friedman has to deliver is that just when we stopped paying attention to these developments--when the dot-com bust turned interest away from the business and technology pages and when 9/11 and the Iraq War turned all eyes toward the Middle East--is when they actually began to accelerate. Globalization 3.0, as he calls it, is driven not by major corporations or giant trade organizations like the World Bank, but by individuals: desktop freelancers and innovative startups all over the world (but especially in India and China) who can compete--and win--not just for low-wage manufacturing and information labor but, increasingly, for the highest-end research and design work as well. (He doesn't forget the "mutant supply chains" like Al-Qaeda that let the small act big in more destructive ways.) Friedman has embraced this flat world in his own work, continuing to report on his story after his book's release and releasing an unprecedented hardcover update of the book a year later with 100 pages of revised and expanded material. What's changed in a year? Some of the sections that opened eyes in the first edition--on China and India, for example, and the global supply chain--are largely unaltered. Instead, Friedman has more to say about what he now calls "uploading," the direct-from-the-bottom creation of culture, knowledge, and innovation through blogging, podcasts, and open-source software. And in response to the pleas of many of his readers about how to survive the new flat world, he makes specific recommendations about the technical and creative training he thinks will be required to compete in the "New Middle" class. As before, Friedman tells his story with the catchy slogans and globe-hopping anecdotes that readers of his earlier books and his New York Times columns know well, and he holds to a stern sort of optimism. He wants to tell you how exciting this new world is, but he also wants you to know you're going to be trampled if you don't keep up with it. A year later, one can sense his rising impatience that our popular culture, and our political leaders, are not helping us keep pace. --Tom Nissley Where Were You When the World Went Flat?  Thomas L. Friedman's reporter's curiosity and his ability to recognize the patterns behind the most complex global developments have made him one of the most entertaining and authoritative sources for information about the wider world we live in, both as the foreign affairs columnist for the New York Times and as the author of landmark books like From Beirut to Jerusalem and The Lexus and the Olive Tree. They also make him an endlessly fascinating conversation partner, and we've now had the chance to talk to him about The World Is Flat twice. Read our original interview with him following the publication of the first edition of The World Is Flat to learn why there's almost no one from Washington, D.C., listed in the index of a book about the global economy, and what his one-plank platform for president would be. (Hint: his bumper stickers would say, "Can You Hear Me Now?") And now you can listen to our second interview, in which he talks about the updates he's made in "The World Is Flat 2.0," including his response to parents who said to him, "Great, Mr. Friedman, I'm glad you told us the world is flat. Now what do I tell my kids?" The Essential Tom Friedman 
From Beirut to Jerusalem | 
The Lexus and the Olive Tree | 
Longitudes and Attitudes | More on Globalization and Development 
China, Inc. by Ted Fishman | 
Three Billion New Capitalists by Clyde Prestowitz | 
The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs | 
Globalization and Its Discontents by Joseph Stiglitz | 
The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy by Pietra Rivoli | 
The Mystery of Capital by Hernando de Soto |
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 1257
 Rounding Out Your Right-Brain in a Flattening World March 3, 2008
A Reader (Montclair, NJ)
21 out of 21 found this review helpful
Our world has come a long way, not just since the proverbial "beginning of time," but in the last 20, 10, 5 and even 3 years since this book was first published. In "The World is Flat," Thomas Friedman very consciensiously and enthusiastically paints a picture of the detailed landscape of the current world through the eyes of business, technology, cultural and social development. I have traditionally found the topics of globalization, outsourcing and economics dry and rather boring, but the author brings them to life and makes them relevant to each of our lives in a way that is truly captivating. There are countless examples of this in the book, from the impact of the usage of the personal computer to a creative lemonade salesman at a baseball game to Big Macs vs. pizza.
This book filled me with ideas, thoughts and concepts that I had never before imagined and I came away excited about the possibilities that exist in my own hands. I was really struck by the conversation about the urgent value for Americans to exercise their right brain: to do what you love, to invent, create, relate, express, empathize. The point Friedman emphasizes is: "Now that foreigners can do left-brain work cheaper, we in the U.S. must do right-brain work better." This idea made me think of two other authors, Ariel & Shya Kane, who have had a huge effect on how I relate to my life and approach my personal well-being, and whose books also introduced concepts that also completely blew my mind.
The Kanes' technology of Instantaneous Transformation, the phenomenon that occurs when you are truly present and directly engaged in your life and causes problems, stress, worry & fear to dissolve, is another contributor to the flattening of the world. They address the gap between the things that we do, learn and know and what it means to truly 'be': certainly a skill unique to each person in the world. If you enjoy "The World is Flat," check out the Kanes' books, Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment and How To Create a Magical Relationship. I HIGHLY recommend them all!
Two thumbs up January 1, 2006
jason (Albany, NY)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
This is one of the best books I have read about globalization. My immigration background gives me a little advantage to understand this book. Mr. Thomas L. Friedman, the top columnist in NY Times, gave us a "satellite map of the world", which a lot of us will not and can not get it from our own surroundings.
In most part of the book, I totally agreed with the author. For example, I knew exactly what happened in China. Over twenty years ago, China starts its reform in economic field and achieved world recognized success. But its political and social system reform progress can not keep up with its economy progress. China has a long way to go to become a developed country like USA. One thing is very interested for me is that in Chinese government, most of leaders are engineers or scientists; in American government, most of top guys are lawyers. Probably, this can explain some difference between China and USA. As a Chinese, I took deep pride in China and hope one day China can become the strongest country in the world. And, I hope that both China and USA can benefit from each other's resource and market, can live peacefully together. The author talked about the excessive protectionism in some chapters. After 9/11, American government built a wall against the people from outside. Every immigrant gets some kinds of trouble to go through the bureaucratic immigration system. I support to protect the border, censor people's background, block terrorist, not wiretap people. But this wall or excess of protectionism is so high that it "walls ourselves in". Accordingly, more and more people don't want to know what happened outside, don't want to change and only complain to each other. I still think one of the important reason make USA superpower in the world is a lot of immigrant from all over the world. They are well educated, family oriented, and diligent. They contribute the country's future success. My last hope for this current government is to successfully reform the current immigration system. I strongly recommend people to read this book, if you want to know what happened in the current world.
If there are more people in this country can understand "the world is flat", work harder, run faster and become smarter to get our share in the global market, I am quite sure this country will still be greatest country. One day, I may proudly tell my son your dad did a right decision to immigrate to USA, the world's greatest dream machine.
Finally, I like to thank the author for his work. I have not read this kind of good book for a long time. Good job!!! Thank you.
America in Flatland--should we lower our standards? January 13, 2006
Alex Alaniz (Los Alamos, NM)
26 out of 30 found this review helpful
As a US born citizen, I earned my Ph.D. in physics in Houston in 2000 as a minority student--and I'm not talking about my being Hispanic. I was surrounded by Chinese and Hindu speakers in the middle of Texas. These foreign students had come to the U.S. for one reason. To get as much American know-how as possible before returning home. As Friedman discusses in his book, these students used to stay and help drive our innovation and economy, but now they have good prospects back in their home countries. In other words, the world of science and technology that drives innovation and economic engines is becoming flat. Would you believe that even at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where I currently work, the sound of foreign voices (temporary postdocs) permeates the place?
I don't necessarily believe this foreign presence is a bad thing. Friedman makes the point that much of the world needs to come up to our standards. However, we also can't afford to fall behind. While we try to keep our space shuttles together with chewing gum, China has a vision of putting their people into space and on the moon. And it is now more true than ever that he who controls the high ground controls the battle, be it in warfare or economics.
One thing Friedman needs to address more is stem cells and cloning. While we fight religious fundamentalists killing stem cell research, and debate so-called Intelligent Design, sick Americans are flying to China to get rudimentary stem cell treatments. This was one of the topics that came up when I moderated a UN panel on the bioethics of cloning and stem cells. Imagine, one question went, what will happen in twenty years to the competitiveness of our children when only the richest rich can afford to create offspring with soaring IQs through advanced, pricey invitro/bio technologies. I then asked what will happen to America if in, say, twenty years, the Chinese are creating 150 IQ kids while ours debate Intelligent Design over evolution.
This, cloning/stem cell technology, is just the tip of the iceberg of the coming promises and perils of advanced bio and nano technologies in which America may fall behind. Just Google the research being done to make brain chips to replace damaged brain tissue.
The World Is Flat gives us a much needed wake-up call on the consequences of America existing in a flat world. So too do many other books, e.g., Kurzweil's optimistic The Singularity is Near, and my own science fiction book (Beyond Future Shock) which tries to be more realistic about the promises and perils of advanced biotech in a world with limited resources and Dark Ages religious conflict.
Sincerely,
Alex Alaniz Ph.D.
A chilling warning to U.S. educators and policy makers October 21, 2005
Winston Kotzan (Chicago)
13 out of 14 found this review helpful
The World is Flat is an excellent overview of how technology is transforming the way business is done in the 21st century. Although the 1990s tech bubble is over, the impacts of new high-tech technology is not. In fact, Friedman shows that even more profound changes are occurring due to new implementations of technology.
The most significant impact is the globalization. In the second chapter, "10 Forces that Flattened the World" chapter, Friedman gives examples of how the Internet and wireless access have allowed improved global supply chain management (Wal-Mart), the free flow of information (Google), new logistics services called insourcing (UPS), and the advent of outsourcing and offshoring (Infosys). He then goes on to explain how these new uses of technology are creating a completely new and competitive business environment by tearing down geographic barriers and allowing more decentralization of production. He calls this tearing down of geographic barriers the "flattening of the world" because it allows countries such as India and China to put skilled labor for sale to American companies without ever leaving their domestic borders.
The advantage of globalization is cheaper and more plentiful products and services for American consumers. But this comes at a great cost: a tougher, more competitive international playing field where once-stable white collar jobs are now outsourced to foreign nations. Unfortunately, Friedman demonstrates that this is not a race we, as the United States, can choose to opt out. To survive, the individual United States worker will have to be more inventive and diversified because the only way for the dominant countries to stay on top of the game is through the innovation of new products.
The book comes to a conclusion urging U.S. educators and policy makers to inspire our upcoming generations to be prepared for the new, flattened world. I recommend this book to all people interested in keeping their job. Any person holding a political office or management position should definitely read this book to be aware of both the benefits and dangers of a flattened world. Most of America is unprepared and unknowing that this change is taking place. If we are to stay on top of the world economically and politically, this is a global change that we must be prepared to face as a nation.
Wake Up Call - But Why Are So Many Americans Still Sleeping? May 16, 2005
James A. Hatherley (Boston, MA)
12 out of 13 found this review helpful
There are numerous reviews already posted that lay out the 10 flatteners defined by Thomas Friedman, so I will not repeat them here. However, the author lays out the history of the 21st Centrury in such a clear, and often alarming way that it is impossible not to be moved. The question is whether the movement will be in the form of an uninformed denial or an inspired initiative.
Suffice it to say that this is an eye-opening call for debate and action at the National level before our response is limited to reaction. Here are a few essentials among numerous issues covered by Friedman:
- Where is the leadership that inspires the US to become self sufficient in energy by the year 2015 with the same passion/National pride that helped put a man on the moon a generation ago?
- How do we make technical education (math/science) an absolute National commitment (including funding) vs. the sloganized, but underfunded, "No Child Left Behind" program. We do not need a program as much as we need results. If it takes 15 years to create an engineer, do the math - but only after you calculate how many engineers are being developed in China and India right now.
- How do we get colleges to be more demanding of/be more accountable for the societal value of their graduates vs. charging higher prices while dismissing students earlier in the year (assumptively to continue to earn more money to pay for the following semester which will cost more for fewer days). In other words, we must increase the intensity of learning to compete with the "emerging" countries that are not seeking to compete with Mexico for the lower labor cost, but to replace the USA as the architect of innovation.
- How do we change the focus of what really matters in our country from obsessive devotion to spoiled/overpaid athletes and entertainers to greater engagement with, and appreciation of the entrepreneurs and dreamers like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, and companies like Microsoft and UPS who shape the debate and keep the US out front?
- When are our political leaders actually going to stop preying on the fears of the weak or the aged and begin talking about the future as if it is a National defense issue (because it is)? It would be wonderful to see the metamorphosis of candidates evolving from transmitting negative sound bites of their opponents and everything that is "wrong", to presenting a rallying cry around a vision for the future - and how EVERYONE can/must participate in helping the US to get there (and why it will be better for them and the country as a result).
I could go on, but this is definitely a book that must be read to fully understand that the biggest news of today - and, more important, of tomorrow - is not being learned on Access Hollywood.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 1257
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