Connecting to the Future
Talking Points for "The World Is Flat"
As I will most likely not be available for the Thursday (10/16) online discussion, I wanted to pass on to you some talking points from "Flat" in hopes of generating here some discussion.
So far, I've read (actually listened) through Ch 9, just starting "The Virgin of Guadalupe" on the way home last night. Probably because I am currently teaching Recent International Relations as well as US History, my talking points may sound more political than others, but here they are:
1. We must do a better job as a country of reaching out to India, the largest ally with which we share an "English" culture. On both an individual and business level things may be going fine (except for the huge transfer of jobs from "here" to "there"), but laws and military decisions are still made within political boundaries, so we need to publicly make both countries and its citizens (esp. here in America) aware of our mutual ties and interests.
2. China as a country is taking over the world, and it will succeed. It has overwhelming natural and human resources, it has a plan, and it is implementing it quite successfully. This next following-up point is mine and not so far mentioned by Friedman: China will first take over economically; after that, when or if it takes over politically will only be a matter of its choosing and discretion.
3. America as a civilization has seen its highpoint. As optimistic (while sounding all the warnings) as Friedman is, there's no reason to think that America's ability to create the "next thing" will continue: we are losing the education race in a dramatic spiral fashion, and we may have already lost that "innovation" spot to Japan.
Now, although it may certainly sound like it, I am NOT throwing in the towel - I've known since I started teaching in 1976 that we teachers are fighting the losing battle, but it's a great and noble fight (soundtrack from Star Wars, Braveheart, Narnia, and Arthur please), one that's knocked me out of the ring a few times, but not knocked me out! Not yet, anyway - the paper pushing PGP, Blue Diamond, and standards mongers may succeed where over-doting, enabling parents have failed, but right now I'm back and I'm still swinging. What can we do from here to turn this tide around? ... I'm hoping that Dr. Tom will provide some really practical and feasible clues in the rest of the book. What about you? What are your thoughts on this? I look forward to hearing from you.
So far, I've read (actually listened) through Ch 9, just starting "The Virgin of Guadalupe" on the way home last night. Probably because I am currently teaching Recent International Relations as well as US History, my talking points may sound more political than others, but here they are:
1. We must do a better job as a country of reaching out to India, the largest ally with which we share an "English" culture. On both an individual and business level things may be going fine (except for the huge transfer of jobs from "here" to "there"), but laws and military decisions are still made within political boundaries, so we need to publicly make both countries and its citizens (esp. here in America) aware of our mutual ties and interests.
2. China as a country is taking over the world, and it will succeed. It has overwhelming natural and human resources, it has a plan, and it is implementing it quite successfully. This next following-up point is mine and not so far mentioned by Friedman: China will first take over economically; after that, when or if it takes over politically will only be a matter of its choosing and discretion.
3. America as a civilization has seen its highpoint. As optimistic (while sounding all the warnings) as Friedman is, there's no reason to think that America's ability to create the "next thing" will continue: we are losing the education race in a dramatic spiral fashion, and we may have already lost that "innovation" spot to Japan.
Now, although it may certainly sound like it, I am NOT throwing in the towel - I've known since I started teaching in 1976 that we teachers are fighting the losing battle, but it's a great and noble fight (soundtrack from Star Wars, Braveheart, Narnia, and Arthur please), one that's knocked me out of the ring a few times, but not knocked me out! Not yet, anyway - the paper pushing PGP, Blue Diamond, and standards mongers may succeed where over-doting, enabling parents have failed, but right now I'm back and I'm still swinging. What can we do from here to turn this tide around? ... I'm hoping that Dr. Tom will provide some really practical and feasible clues in the rest of the book. What about you? What are your thoughts on this? I look forward to hearing from you.
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