Must Reading: The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman

I've read several articles about and by Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century, but finally got around to reading it. It is one of the most important books on what is going on in the economic world that I have read in decades. It should be required reading for every policy maker in Washington, DC.

The book examines how the Internet, the massive changes in which items can be cheaply and quickly shipped, and other factors have made it possible for virtually any person at virtually any place to compete with others.

What the reader learns from this book is that there is little governments, businesses, and societies can do about these changes. "Resistance is futile." Rather governments need to figure out how to compete in this changing world rather than try to force this globalization to accommodate them. I will be doing more posts about what I have learned from Friedman's book in the future.

Friedman isn't a free market advocate, per se, and you can tell that he is puzzled and disturbed about the trends he is monitoring. However, his observations are excellent. As a strong believer in the power of the market to succeed, his book actually makes me quite optimistic about the future and hopeful about many economies that have been long term economic basket cases. This is predicated, of course, on our ability to comply with the changes that are taking place and not fighting them. If we comply, the US will be more powerful and influential, and the world itself could become a better place.

If you haven't read this book, I think you should consider it. If you want to check it out and other great books, please go through my bookstore at the Houston Business Show website. When you get there, simply click the Barnes & Noble button and start searching.