This chapter addresses some of the barriers to the flattening of the world. Essentially Freidman discusses some of the forces impending the flattening of the world and what we can do to stop them.
One barrier Freidman describes is a lack of hope. The hope that allows us to be middle class and allows us to believe there is something better out there for us. We see places lacking this hope are also lacking the ability to connect to the flat world. The world cannot become completely flat until HIV/AIDS riddled Africa or impoverished rural India are bought into it. The key is not to connect the sick to the flat world as Freidman points that will only cause greater problems. The key here is to help them get well so they can connect and that is why ned more social programs like the Gates Foundation.
Another barrier Friedman discussed was the disempowered. These people are between the flat and unflat world. They know it exist but benefit from it minimally. These people in rural India only have to spend a day in Downtown Bangalore to realize the world is indeed flat. So how do we create a pathway for these people to get on board? According to Friedman we must, “ refocus energies of the global populist movement on how to improve local government, infrastructure, and education in places like rural China so the population there can acquire the tools to collaborate and participate in the flat world.”
The frustration of the violent Islamist fringe and there tendency to lash out are another barrier to the flat world. This is an issue because if their were another event on the scale of 9/11 wall s would go up everywhere and the flattening of the world would slow tremendously. Freidman believes it is a fear of change and humiliation that has upset many Muslim radicals and caused the anger we see today. The way to address this is to try and collaborate with the progressive forces in the Arab world in every way possible. Some ideas he suggests are free trade agreements, stabilizing Iraq, and solving the Arab- Israeli conflict. That’s all! It looks good on paper but is easier said than done. Ultimately, this is battle for them to fight and win but these collaboration efforts can tip the scale in their favor!
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As I have been talking about throughout many posts, Friedman contradicts himself throughout the whole book, and he finally admits it here. Saying owe well the world is not that flat due to blah blah. He even is quoted "Indeed, this is the point in the book where I have to make a confession: I know the world is not flat". One thing that did come to my mind when he talks about all the donations to the "sick" people is, did they get all that money. More then half of the money to the Katrina effort was not received by the victims supposedly...and this is America, what about the corrupt countries?
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