As those of us in CWI know, Thomas Friedman is the author of "The World is Flat". This book is about how nearly everyone in the world (or at least those with technological access) is on the same playing field when it to things like business, revenge, shopping, outsourcing, insourcing, supply-chains, 15 minutes of fame, and much, much more regardless of age, location, geographical position, language, distance, or time of day. "Hot, Flat, and Crowded" is Friedman's second book which expands on his first book, and also touches other major topics of our day including: GLobal Warming, over population, energy crisis, ethinic freedom, and more.Our CWI (Current World Issues) class was assigned to listen/and or watch a video/podcast of Friedman giving a speech about his new book that takes place in Europe. So, what does he mean by HOT? Well, as we all know, there are many people and groups who are trying to spread the word about global warming. Global WArming is when the Earth literally gets hotter, and the climate and ecosystem of the entire planet is sent spiraling into a chaotic mess. Friedman says that the Earth has gotten one degree hotter since the beginning of the industrial revolution which started in the early 1800's. Most people would scoff at the idea of only one degree. In reality however, that one degree has dramatically damaged our ecosystem. An example of this would be the melting of the polar icecaps.Friedman also talks about being Green. To him, the majority of people and companies, corporations, and businesses uses the term "Green" as a gimick. On the internet there are thousands of sites and products that claim that they have the answer for easy and quick ways to save the planet. No, it's just not like that. Everyone needs to buckle down and work hard for the continuation of life as we know it. It wont take ten easy steps, it will take many hard and tiresome years to achieve, but when we achieve it, the results will be undoubtably rewarding. Friedman thinks that Al Gore should apologize to the world for underestimating Global Warming, or as Friedman calls it, "Global Wierding".This ties in with energy crisises as well. It seems as if countries like China are doing all that they can to produce the dirtiest and enviromentally hazardous sources of enrgy that they can without recognizing the conciquences. When we as Americans discover a truly cheap, reliable, and clean energy source, and we will, our economy will have a boom like it hasn't seen in decades. The rest of the world will follow suit. Overpopulation is also a major source of energy crises. By 2020 there will be more than 1 Billion more people on this planet. Tons of more energy than we currently produce will be needed to provide power to the next billion. If we are going to be able to cope with that new wave of people, we absolutely need a new source of power and energy to rely upon, otherwise, our planet will be utterly destroyed.With the fall of the Soviet Union, America has lost it's greatest competitor. With this loss, we have become fat, lazy, and stupid. We just don't have that competitve edge that we need to survive. After the 911 attack, the U.S. Consolate in Turkey, was moved, and fortified so much that captured terrorists admitted to not wanting anything to do with attacking that Consolate, so instead they attacked the British one. Friedman tries to express his view that yes, we do have enemies, and we do need to be wary, but when such things become more pressing than anything else, ideas abd feelings cannot be mixed, and collaboration to achieve the achievable cannot be done. He says that 9/11 should just be considered as the day between 9/10 and 1/12.-My two cents- This was a great podcast speech thing. I would like to read the book if I could. Friedman expresses points in his speech that I really have never thought about. I don't know what I will do to greet the next Billion people (shiver). As Americans, we need to strive to do our best to find the answer to global warming, energy crisises, global collaboration, and unity for all. I did not discuss the topic of Oil as he had in his video. I feel that I have breached enough topics for one blog.
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