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Summary: The book that will change your view of the world
Review: In 'The Lexus and the Olive Tree' Mr. Friedman has taken the task of creating the right lense through which we could look at the world today, and actually understand it. I must say, that in this he has more than succeeded. It have definitely changed the way I look at world events, and how I interpret them. And it all falls into place. Even though the book was written before September 11th 2001, the system that is described in the book can explain where those events came from. The fact that Friedman has dedicated a portion of his book to what he calls 'the backlash against Globalization', makes you feel that by analyzing the state of the world at the time, he almost knew that something against the US in particular, and the Globalization system in general, was bound to happen.
Even though one could say that Friedman is 'pro-Globalization', it doesn't blind him, and he fully understands that there is a lot to be done on the humanitarian and green-world fronts, in order for this system (and the world itself) to survive.
This book is a must for people that view the world only from a financial point-of-view, so they would understand that economy based solutions don't solve everything. It is also a must for all others, so they understand that the economy is the strongest force in today's world, and how it works.
Finally, the book is a fun read, full of anecdotes, but nevertheless, straight to the point.
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Summary: Good analytical content from a renowned editorialist
Review: Thomas Friedman, perhaps one of the best known editorial writers in the world, allays significant insight into emerging world economic and political issues. He is a very descriptive writer. Indeed this book is not for an academician who looks for intimate details on a subject, but more for a leisure reader who wants to learn about the effects of globalization in a simple, enjoyable, and understandable medium. A must-read for any new businessperson and for liberal arts college students. It was recommended to me by a bookseller I trust. I have since recommended it to many others.
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Summary: Friedman Sheds a hopeful glimpse on globaliztion
Review: The Lexas and the Olive Tree gives a hopeful glimpse of globalization and its affects on the world. While Friedman may, in fact, sound too optimistic he gives accurate examples of what countires may do to ensure their future in a globalized world and what they may also do to keep their culture. His style of writing keeps you interested throughout the book, and gives many stories as examples of what point he is trying to make. I recommend this book to all of those who feel globalization is going to be a downfall of the Earth. They may feel a bit better after reading.
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Summary: Good book, very disappointed with the Trade Monkeys product
Review: I was not expecting an edition of the book that is printed in 8 point type. What did they do in India? miniaturize? If so, they did it very quickly, as the book arrived promptly. I will probably never read it, though--the type is too small.
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Summary: Good, but not great book
Review: Thomas Friedman's THE LEXUS AND THE OLIVE TREE presents a rational but simplistic view of globalization. He sees a world in which national governments can no longer control the spread of information without serious economic consequences. In a sense, this book is all about the role new technologies play in altering the landscape of global politics, cultures, and economies. Throughout the book, he argues his points using an entertaining but somewhat speculative style. He constantly refers to personal anecdotes in support of his statements. However, these often don't serve as adequate proof, nor do they sometimes even relate significantly to the argument at hand. Instead of providing hard and irrefutable evidence, Friedman instead resorts to a sort of sensationalism which seems ready-made for mass consumption. Some of his more interesting ideas include the Golden Arches theory, which states that no two countries with McDonald's will go to war with each other. In his newly revised edition, he amends his theory to state that the costs of of going to war in a society with McDonald's will be increasingly high because of social liberalization. The main thrust of his book, however, is that technology has altered the landscape of the global market. Its power has become such that resisting change and the free market has become a sort of self-imposed death sentence. He uses what he calls an "Electronic Herd" to represent people operating under the new and ultra-efficient paradigm of global investing. These are two solid ideas that make THE LEXUS AND THE OLIVE TREE worth purchasing, although you may not be convinced by his "proof" of them. Overall, a good book that doesn't reach the level of greatness simply because of the lack of evidence. At least three hundred pages are devoted to personal stories, which make for great reading, but unfortunately aren't the most effective method of supporting Friedman's theories of globalization.
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Summary: The Lexus and the Olive Tree
Review: The lasting taste in my mind of this book is exactly what Freidman set out to accomplish, and that is to give people something to start with about globalization. There were many times when I felt like he was Americanizing things a little too much, and not giving other cultures a chance to be able to come to this new globalization era by their own path. Rather having to take the only way that Friedman saw, the path the US has taken, to get to the fully globalized world we are living in. The way the book was written was very easy to read. I enjoyed how the author used many stories to explain things that were going on in the different economies and countries. Even his names for the different parts that make up this new world were a great way to help visualize what is going on. Although at times it got difficult to follow because of all the stories, I would loose sight of what he was try to explain and get caught up in the great little stories of people from all over the world. With all the stories and characters he creates the book almost became a political cartoon, if you were to draw out the different characters and what they do. I felt that this made things easier to understand but also it got a little old after about four hundred pages of cartoon text. Overall this is a great book for the college and even high school economics or global classroom. The reading is not so difficult that only the highly educated would understand it, but that anyone that can read the news paper can understand.
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Summary: Lavish Writer, Lavish View
Review: In reading the last pages of Friedman, I was happy to see an element of realism that I had not previously noticed. However, combined with the earlier readings I was left with a pressing feeling of disappointment and discontentment. While it was obvious that Friedman was elated by globalization and therefore its loudest cheerleader, it always seemed to be lacking components of the average man's reality. Globalization, exaggerated and puffed up by Friedman, seemingly equaled perfection.
Through my lenses, globalization seems to be profiting the multi-national corporations, and those already wealthy. It does not seem to be too promising for the underprivileged or the environment. What Friedman describes as the groundswell, is not a new, emerging drive for innovation as a result of globalization. It is the classic example of the basic and ancient human will to survive. Humans will do what it takes to provide for themselves and their families, whether it is to charge to provide a weight measurement, or to start an Internet Café. Friedman grants too much undue credit to globalization.
Globalization is nothing more than the advancement of technology, and the adoption of the opened doors provided by it. It is not responsible for an anxious and innovative mind. An entrepreneur of the 15th century is the same as an entrepreneur of the 21st century; both will strive to create and succeed with whatever resources available. These are not new traits begotten by globalization. However, the trickling and polluting wastes of these advancements yield a foreboding cloud on the future's horizon.
While globalization has served as a sort of connective tissue of the world, I still put my hope in the hearts and souls of mankind. I see this era as a test of all humanity. Having been given free reign for the greedy to be greedier, and competition to be more stringent, I would envision, perhaps with naivete, that it would be the conjoined, inherent olive tree of every human heart that would prove to be the more laudable, pulsing factor of production in the sustainable development of this growing world. I believe Friedman would object and argue dependency on the uprising progression of technology, thus placing us on opposing sides. Furthermore, I would say he makes light of environmental concern, and focuses rather on an individual's failure to "catch the train." Friedman's definition of globalization can incite an entire spectra of emotions from exhilaration to panic. Forecast: calm down, kids - it's just acid rain!
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Summary: A thought provoking book
Review: Tom Friedman is an educated, well-traveled man who makes a very educated argument about the positive efects of globalization. Although Friedman does become a little redundant by the end of the book, I was left feeling as if I understood where globalization was headed and what I could do to help.
This book was an easy read considering that it provided an abundance of economic and political information about many countries around the world. Friedman's ability to tell short stories helped to make the book more enjoyable while still relaying his major points to the reader. Although I felt that the terms Friedman applied to globalization strategies were too cutesy and too often used, I do feel that they made the concepts less overwhelming and easier to understand.
Overall, I feel that this book is very thought-provoking and a great read. I am 20 years old and believe that this book broadened my view of the worlds economic and political systems and provided me with a better knowledge of globalization. With all the turmoil in the world right now, this book gave me hope and got me excited for the future.
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Summary: Understanding Globalization--Yes. Unbiased--No.
Review: I am in a 400 level English course entitled Major Texts of the Environmental Movement and our special focus is globalization. Mr. Friedman's book was our first assigned read. I approached this book with extreme curiosity and an eagerness to define the topic. As I began to read I immediately observed that this book was written in a clear, easy to understand manner. The structure for each chapter basically follows a formula of beginning with a basic definition of the topic followed by several illustrative stories to drive home the point. His style of writing, including much alliteration, flows. He uses metaphors to help define and adhere many often-abstract topics into one composite package.
The aspects of Mr. Friedman's book I did not enjoy were not many, but I must admit that Mr. Friedman often times seemed to be using his book as a platform for boasting about his distinguished career and name-dropping. However, anyone who has had such a lengthy and well-traveled career does deserve credit. Halfway through the book the metaphors become a bit onerous, but they still serve their purpose. Some of my classmates were even offended by the MIDS acronym, stating that it was too similar to the AIDS acronym. My last complaint is more of a warning. Be aware when reading this book that Mr. Friedman's political views and strong economic interest permeate the text. His claim of seeing the world through "a multilens perspective" is accurate, but a pro-capitalist, pro-America filter covers each lens. In conclusion, Mr. Friedman's subtitle, "Understanding Globalization," is aptly penned. I have gained insight into this deep and pervasive subject. Globalization affects every aspect of our lives and the world we live in. If a country or corporation stumbles and falls into the global economic pool, the ripples are immediately felt worldwide. The effects of finance and investment decisions now reach remote corners of the world. New technologies are being invented and adopted at light speed and are reaching more obscure places. Those who fail to adopt these new technologies or develop the skills to use them are left behind. Our access to, and ability to, share, gather, filter, and condense information through the Internet and other media is a major player in the globalization arena. As Mr. Friedman states, globalization does not come without "backlash." We must consider rampant crime by those who are left behind and know no other means of survival. We must be aware of the shift of power to private sectors. Those who have historically depended on communist, socialist, and welfare systems will have to switch to the globalization system or face being a "used-to-be." Some will attempt to participate in globalization, but they will fail and resultantly become anti-globalization. There is the fear of alienation and that our cultures will become homogenized. There is the fear that if more than one of these backlashes happens in one place there will be "political destabilization." Overall though, Mr. Friedman gives globalization a highly positive review with an understanding that it is an unstoppable force; so we may as well accept it, adopt it, or face being passed by and left behind.
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Summary: questions not answered
Review: In this book, Thomas L. Friedman, a historian by education and a journalist by trade, tries to analyze many of the socio-political, economic, environmental, financial, and human benefits and deficits of modern globalization. He uses several metaphors to illustrate his points, some more effective than others. For Friedman, the "Lexus" symbolizes the striving of nations, states, companies, and individuals toward globalization--striving to perfect their efficiency and success in an interconnected world. The "Olive Tree" represents a sort of grass-roots striving to preserve one's land, culture, and traditions and to move away from globalization. The "Turtle" symbolizes those who, for one reason or another, cannot "get with the program" fast enough for the globalized world. "MIDS," which stands for Microchip Immune Deficiency (an offhand manipulation of the AIDS acronym) is a disease nations, states, companies, and individuals have when they lack the infrastructure or inclination to quickly get globalized and efficient, often as a result of living in a Cold War system in a post-Cold War world. The "Golden Straightjacket" refers to the political, economic, and financial reforms and norms that must be adopted by any nation/state wishing to have continued success and growth in the globalized world. The "Electronic Herd" is the electronically super-connected, invisible force of the global market (actually investors and traders) which controls the success of the state or individual's economy or market. Friedman relies on extensive quotations from financial experts, heads of corporations, and statesmen; articles from sources such as The Economist; and on his own anecdotes and observations to support most of his generalizations and theories. These theories, valid or not, are not often supported by statistics. While there is an economic focus to the book--because of Friedman's numerous references to the many financial crises of various countries in the 1990s and how financial institutions and monetary systems influenced or were influenced by these events--there is also an undercurrent of concern over the social and environmental ramifications of globalization. It is difficult to make an overall judgment about Friedman's true opinion about globalization because of the book's disjointed nature and because of his seemingly changing and often contradictory opinions about the subject. Friedman himself says that globalization is contradictory, both as an inevitable force of destruction and rapid change and also as a potential force for good. When he refers to the good part of globalization, Friedman is often referring to the Internet. He says it can be used as a means of empowering individuals, and I agree. ... Friedman acknowledges that globalization does seem to empower nations like the United States which have had a much longer time to prepare for this phenomenon socially. ... Whether the fast-track "globalization" of these developed countries does more good for their residents than harm is not answered adequately by Friedman. His anecdote about a little old lady in Hanoi using a bathroom scale to weight people on the street for a dollar does not illustrate for me the success of globalization, it merely illustrates the desperation of people in developing nations to survive at any cost--... It also illustrates Friedman's emotional disconnect from the reality of the underclass. Friedman does comes up with some ideas about how to integrate globalization with the existing world cultures, melding the needs to the Lexus and the Olive Tree (he calls this "glocalization"). But, in my opinion, he does not focus enough on education. ...
Unlike Friedman, I don't think globalization is inevitable. ... While Friedman's book provides a unique perspective on the globalization of politics, finance, and economics, it leaves several important questions unanswered, such as: "Why aren't we educating the world?"
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