I just finished reading Thomas Friedman’s The World is Flat–a book about globalization and the history of the 21st century. In it, he attempts to deconstruct the world that we live in; a world emerging out of the Cold War, a world with incredibly “flattening” technology (i.e.: internet) that is breaking down all sorts of geopolitical walls and redefining how business is transacted everywhere in the world. In the process of globalization and the prosperity America and much of the West has enjoyed, the world has been catching up. Friedman sounds the alarm with a call for diligence and fortitude - academically, politically, and economically. He sees a dangerous complacency, from Washington down through the public school system.
Here is one snippet I found particularly relevant:
Lucky for us, we were the only economy standing after WWII, and we had no serious competition for forty years. That gave us a huge head of steam but also a huge sense of entitlement and complacency–not to mention a certain tendency to extol consumption over hard work, investment, and long-term thinking. When we got hit with 9/11, it was a once-in-a-generation opportunity to summon the nation to sacrifice, to address some of its pressing fiscal, energy, science, and education shortfalls–all the things we had let slide. But our president did not summon us to sacrifice. He summoned us to go shopping.
Friedman points out that one of America’s great moments was when JFK called on the nation to put a man on the moon. Surely there were many non-altruistic motives behind this agenda, but the effect was that by calling on the nation to emphasize education, particularly in science and engineering, a great deal of good and technical achievement came about as a result: computers, the internet, synthetic fibers, etc etc… Now, we live in a time when the only social agenda is to consume, and Friedman points out that while there is nothing inherently wrong with shopping, we have let many important priorities fall by the wayside as a result.
So what should our national priority be? What should be this generation’s “man on the moon?” I really agree with Friedman on this one:
If President Bush is looking for a similar legacy project, there is one just crying out–a national science initiative that would be our generation’s moon-shot: a crash program for alternative energy and conservation to make America energy-independent in ten years. If President Bush made energy independence his moon shot, in one fell swoop he would dry up the revenue for terrorism, force Iran, Russia, Venezuela, and Saudi Arabia onto the path of reform–which they will never do with $50-a-barrel oil–strengthen the dollar, and improve his own standing by doing something huge to reduce global warming. He would also create a real magnet to inspire young people to contribute to both the war on terrorism and America’s future by again becoming scientists, engineers, and mathematicians…This is not just a win-win, this is a win-win-win-win-win.
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