TheWorldIsFlat:ABriefHistoryoftheTwenty-firstCenturyAuthor:ThomasL.Friedman 　　ListPrice:$27.50 　　Pages:496 　　Publisher:Farrar,StrausandGiroux(April5,2005) 　　Dimensions:9.2x6.3x1.6 　　ISBN:0374292884 　　|Bookdescription|ThomasL.Friedmanisnotsomuchafuturist,whichheissometimescalled,asapresentist.Hisaim,inhisnewbook,TheWorldIsFlat,asinhisearlier,influentialLexusandtheOliveTree,isnottogiveyouaspeculativepreviewofthewondersthataresuretocomeinyourlifetime,butrathertogetyoucaughtuponthewondersthatarealreadyhere.Theworldisn'tgoingtobeflat,itisflat,whichgivesFriedman'sbreathlessnarrativemuchofitsurgency,andwhichalsosavesitfromtheEpcot-stylepolyestersheenthatfuturists--theoptimisticonesatleast--areinevitablypreyto.WhatFriedmanmeansby"flat"is"connected":theloweringoftradeandpoliticalbarriersandtheexponentialtechnicaladvancesofthedigitalrevolutionhavemadeitpossibletodobusiness,oralmostanythingelse,instantaneouslywithbillionsofotherpeopleacrosstheplanet.Thisinitselfshouldnotbenewstoanyone.ButthenewsthatFriedmanhastodeliveristhatjustwhenwestoppedpayingattentiontothesedevelopments--whenthedot-combustturnedinterestawayfromthebusinessandtechnologypagesandwhen9/11andtheIraqWarturnedalleyestowardtheMiddleEast--iswhentheyactuallybegantoaccelerate.Globalization3.0,ashecallsit,isdrivennotbymajorcorporationsorgianttradeorganizationsliketheWorldBank,butbyindividuals:desktopfreelancersandinnovativestartupsallovertheworld(butespeciallyinIndiaandChina)whocancompete--andwin--notjustforlow-wagemanufacturingandinformationlaborbut,increasingly,forthehighest-endresearchanddesignworkaswell.(Hedoesn'tforgetthe"mutantsupplychains"likeAl-Qaedathatletthesmallactbiginmoredestructiveways.)Friedmantellshiseye-openingstorywiththecatchyslogansandglobe-hoppinganecdotesthatreadersofhisearlierbooksandhisNewYorkTimescolumnswillknowwell,andalsowithasternsortofoptimism.Hewantstotellyouhowexcitingthisnewworldis,buthealsowantsyoutoknowyou'regoingtobetrampledifyoudon'tkeepupwithit.Hisbookisanexcellentplacetobegin. 　　TAG标签：