I’ve heard many different critiques about this book before; therefore I had many interests to read it. From writing and language, The World Is Flat is a very good book. I had got the author’s image before I finished reading his ten flatteners: an intellectual who stay in the mid-and-upper class and just focus on America. In my opinion, Mr. Thomas still didn’t understand other countries except America or let’s say, the first world, even though he was a columnist of the Middle East and frequently traveled around the world. He thought the only one economic model in the world is American’s. Whatever Japan, China, India or Eastern Europe, all of them should follow this model, as well as democracy. Actually democracy is another theme in this book. Mr. Thomas suggested developing countries should open their trade immediately and implement privatization. In his opinion, only Arabia and Muslim is the uneven world.
In terms of literature and communication, he definitely is easternism, the descriptions about eastern is his imagination in his book. Until the last chapter, ordinary people who live in narrow circumstances in China and India were just mentioned neglectfully. And he thought they didn’t join the wish of flatting the world by their own.
And Mr. Thomas was sure that the Indian youngling like working for call center in America or Europe because the conversation with only a few people there. That is the only way to earn their living but in his mind, that is a happy thing. And those Indians were only easternisms with brown skills.
Mr. Thomas simplified the complex culture and economy and used a plenty of rigid impressions. And the fresh 21st century in his book is just subsequence of some phenomenon from the beginning of the 20th century.
The point “world is flat” is repeated again and again and again…From it, we’ve known habits and lives of his family, teachers and friends. The first 300 pages basically is observation.
In my opinion, Mr. Thomas tried to write a book about world economy, but he interviewed the people such as Bill Gates instead of economists. Anyways, it was as good as to interview entrepreneurs. He had enough details but arguments.
He never leaves from five-star hotels or luxury cars or magnates or the conversations with ex-politicians. In my opinion, this book is just an advertisement; it sells a way of lives, capitalism and consumerism. Maybe it is one of the reasons why American entrepreneurs recommend this book.
And nowadays, the internet technique and telecommunications are highly developed, the thing which is low-budge and spread fast is information, not knowledge. There is not a big different from before of the speed to learn or cumulate or use knowledge, and neither in the future. Therefore it is difficult to flatten the world.
标签：读后感,World,Flat
