The world is flat (Perspectives of "Lexus Cars" and "Olive Trees")

Author: (American) Thomas L. Friedman, translated by Zhao Shaodì and Huang Qixiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: This book is a monograph on "globalization" that Thomas L. Friedman spent four years writing. The argument of the book is that globalization is not just a phenomenon or a temporary trend. It is an international system that replaces the Cold War system. Globalization is the combination of capital, technology, and information transcending national borders, which creates a single global market, to some extent, it can also be called a global village. Friedman uses vivid stories, existing terms, and concepts to depict the globalization system in the book. He highlights the conflict between the "Lexus car" and the "olive tree"—the tension between the globalization system and culture, geography, tradition, and the ancient forces of society. He also elaborates in detail on the strong backlash of globalization among those who feel its harshness. He clearly explains how to ensure the balance of this system. In the book, he compares the Cold War with globalization. He believes: If the Cold War were a sport, it would be sumo; if globalization were a sport, it would be a 100-meter dash—over and over again, constantly sprinting. The hallmark of the Cold War is that it separated everyone; the hallmark of globalization is the Internet, which connects everyone together. The definition of the Cold War system is based on treaties, while the globalization system is defined by transactions. If the most obvious anxiety during the Cold War was in a fixed and stable world, defeated by a very familiar enemy, then in the era of globalization, the most obvious anxiety is the fear of rapid changes brought by an invisible, intangible, and unseen enemy—the invisible economic and technological forces can change your life at any time. During the Cold War, we had the Hotline between the White House and the Kremlin—it was a symbol that showed we were separated, but at least the two superpowers were responsible. In the era of globalization, we have the Internet—it is a symbol that shows we are all connected, but there is no one responsible. During the Cold War, the most frequently asked question was, "How big are your missiles?" In the era of globalization, the most frequently asked question is, "How fast is your modem?"