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by Brenden Hendrickson

Say you are walking through the book store looking for something new, exciting, and interesting. As you pass by Thomas L. Friedman’s new book, “The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century,” you don’t give it a second glance. Who could blame you? The history of the past five years? You have been pretty well aware of what has been going on around you lately, so why would you need this book to recap for you? In truth, the book may be just what you were looking for. Friedman explores the way in which our economy and our everyday lives are being affected by rapidly developing technology. Friedman dives into the recent past to explain how we have reached what he prefers to call “Globalization 3.0,” which began in the year 2000.

Outsourcing and globalization are two recurring themes in the book. Businesses are constantly looking for ways to do things for less money and with more efficiency and in the era of “Globalization 3.0” the rate of outsourcing in various forms is increasing and sending the rate of globalization soaring with it. Friedman explains in what normal and slightly odd ways outsourcing is taking place in business today. It happens when an account sends out someone’s tax information to India to have the figures completed there then sent back for the accountant to take credit for it. It even happens when you pull up to some McDonald’s drive-thrus. You think you’re talking to the guy who is just inside the building but really you’re talking to someone who is potentially a few states away. Friedman goes into great detail to explain why such tasks are sent to be completed somewhere else. The overall answer is simple: greater efficiency at a cheaper rate.

Friedman discovers that the world is actually flat when he takes a trip that he sees as similar to Colombus. He and Colombus were both intent on traveling to India. Colombus found new land instead and discovered that the world was truly round. Friedman made it to India and while there saw the way things were being conducted. The countries that used to be falling behind in the technology race have quickly developed themselves and so “the playing field has been leveled.” Now most have acquired the same advantages and the world has become even more interconnected. Friedman explains that all of this leads the world to be a smaller place and also verifies that the world is flat because of “the playing field” being leveled.

Since globalization involves all of the countries, Friedman goes into depth about how different portions of the world have been affected, are being affected, and will be affected by the “flat world.” This book is a terrific read for anyone who is interested in how things work and what kinds of technology are out there and what we can expect to see. Seeing how the world actually became flat and moved into the era of “Globalization 3.0" and then getting a full description of what is becoming of the world because of that is enough to keep you turning the pages and saying “Wow!” Watching the world quickly grow from the time the Berlin Wall fell to pieces and Windows was created to now when everything has become “Digital, Mobile, Personal, and Virtual.” If you love learning about technology or just like to know what’s going on in the world, this is a must-read.