For the youth growing up today
Friedman, in my opinion, sees a global economy that is competitive. Friedman contends that as the world becomes more equilateral, experts from China, India, and Europe will be able to more easily enter the global labor market. Less trade barriers and limitations are to blame for this migration. Friedman sees this tendency as a gold mine because it will provide young people the chance to reach their full potential. With its high degree of competition, the flat world has also caused significant concern. According to Friedman, education is essential for competitive productivity. He drives the point home by reflecting on his life. His parents would advise him not to leave any food on the plate arguing that Chinese children were starving. He, however, tells his daughters to worry about finishing their homework since people in Chinese are hungry for the American jobs. The contrast between his parent's advice to him and his advice to his daughters is clear cut. For the current children, the dynamics have shifted with the flattened world. Competition for opportunities will be fierce, and only the fittest will survive. Since the growing children are exposed not only to domestic but also global competition, Friedman proposes education as a weapon that will adequately arm them. However, he notes that the education as presently constituted will not be able to deliver but promise. Therefore rigorous changes must be structured.
Friedman warns the children
Friedman warns the children of a competitive global world ahead. Though full of opportunities, reduced barriers and restrictions, there is no guaranteed success for the children. Deliberate measures such as hard work by the children and a well-structured education system must be initiated to ensure the education produces competitive persons.
How does the video provide insight on how I will be earning a living and competing for a job/career?
The video provides more information on the dynamic nature of the concept of the flat world. For instance, to be competitive, one must be able to adjust or converge habits to collaborate with globalization or convergence trends to enable them to benefit. Moreover, globalization has shifted from governments and corporations to individuals and small groups. Thus, careers and jobs will be pegged on excellence and the ability to understand the forces governing the global economy. Furthermore, in my opinion, I believe with the entry of approximately 3 billion people from China, Russia, and India, competition for jobs will rise, allowing the fittest to survive as the stagnant and reluctant will get phased out.
What does Friedman mean by "the world is flat?"
Friedman uses the term the world is flat to describe an economic situation towards and beyond 2000. He argues that the concept represents an era where obstacles and barriers to entering and influencing markets are at a minimum. Consequently, both small and multinational companies and individuals are determiners of the global supply chain. Two phases of globalization preceded "the flat world" stage.
Friedman postulated three stages of globalization. The first involved the globalization of countries. This globalization took place around 1400 and 1800. The second phase, globalization of companies and multinational business, was witnessed between 1800 and 2000. The third phase is what Friedman describes as "the flat world." According to Friedman, this has been happening since 2000. In the first two phases, the trends and markets of the world were governed and determined by either nations or multinational companies. Individuals did not have the capacity to compete or determine the direction and courses of markets or intonations. However, as 2000 approached, several occurrences led to the flattening of the world. This included the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1982 and the invention of Microsoft Windows. The second was the development of Netscape browser. It provided Internet access to average people, thus breaking the barrier towards information and research. Free communication is the third factor brought about by the dot com boom and massive investment in a "glut of fiber optical cable." Other factors include in-sourcing, supply chaining, and others.
Arguably, the flat word describes the kind of globalization that is driven by individuals, not by the government or authorities. This globalization has been attained by access to information and other collaboration tools that have made breaking barriers a possibility.
