Over the course of these three chapters, Friedman talks about how the culture of the World is flattening. If you have ever watched MTV or any Reality Live Show, they may every now and then have were people can send in video to the Show for a contest or expressions of opinions about a particular topic. We all know that it is very simple to upload anything. Pictures and Videos. Anyone with a camera, camera phone, web cam and camcorder can upload things and put them on the web for people to see. It is not only in America that people upload but in other cultures as well. And what do you know guys, here is proof in the pudding of how the world is flat. Not only are companies connecting through outsourcing; we the people are connecting all over the world.
You hear so many people at work or in social conversations say, "Oh I don't know how to do all that fancy stuff on computers, I just do the basics." Well if you don't get on board now with what everyone else is doing then you will be left behind. Here and again whether people realize it or not; it is not just corporate people that are advanced in technology but common folk as well. To take an approach to new technology in a negative way as if you don't need to learn that stuff is just ignorant. The good learners are the ones that realize that their is always more that you can learn. The okay learners are the ones who feel that all they need to know are the basics.
Is it to much connection to other cultures and to people close to you? How would you feel if someone was always watching you. You see how now it is so easy to see peoples personal parts of their lives on the Internet. I have a MySpace page but I was very careful not to put a picture of myself or anyone else in my family or immediate circle of friends. I didn't want people to know all of those things about me. But will I have any control over this in the near future? Anyone could take pictures of you and you not be made aware of it. So many people have access to our personal information. We think oh its so cute! I can put pictures of my kids, the dog, or vacations and everything on my web page. Unknowingly you are giving people easy access.
There is light at the end of the tunnel! America is flatter than I thought it was. It is a good thing when we can go to other countries that are struggling economically and provide them with job opportunities. We are still dictating what is going on in the world. Why not allow other cultures in on the trade? Instead of countries being against each other, we need to come together and communicate on a positive level. Great minds think alike! When you combine all the technology of people throughout the world and create a broadband of flatteners then it is a small world after all!
3 comments:
Good Post! I too have a Myspace page but I have photos of myself, family and friends. Perhaps I should investigate more on how this can be unsafe.
As for the welfare of struggling coutries, I couldn't agree more. We can all benefit from a better educated global population and less poverty. At the start of this class...I was totally on the protectionism band wagon. I felt very frustrated that our government wasn't doing more to protect 'American' jobs. The truth is, that would only make things worse. Businesses would go under or move abroad all together. Overall, our best defense is one we have to take ourselves. We have to continue to educate ourselves in the new technologies as well as new subjects and prepare our children for the flat world.
i agree that the American government has to protect our jobs but at the same time I think that we need have free trade with many countries to help us compete in the Global economy
Thanks! - KJ
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