“When I was growing up, my parents told me, 'Finish your dinner. People in China and India are starving.' I tell my daughters, 'Finish your homework. People in India and China are starving for your job.'” PeopleJobsMotherParentEducationGrowing UpGrowingDaughterIndiaChinaDinnerMy DaughterStarvingHomeworkChina And IndiaWorld Is Flat Author:Thomas Friedman
“Basically all the world's computer parts come from the same supply chain that runs from Korea, down through coastal China, over to Taiwan, and down to Malaysia.” WorldRunningComputerChinaChainsTiesKoreaTaiwanMalaysiaCoastalSupply Chain Author:Thomas Friedman
“Hillary Clinton has decided to line up with John McCain in pushing to suspend the federal excise tax on gasoline, 18.4 cents a gallon, for this summer's travel season. This is not an energy policy. This is money laundering: we borrow money from China and ship it to Saudi Arabia and take a little cut for ourselves as it goes through our gas tanks. What a way to build our country.” WayLittlesCountryEnergyLinesCuttingPolicyTaxesSummerDecidedSeasonsClintonChinaShipsOur CountryGasPushingCentsTanksArabiaSaudi ArabiaSaudisMccainGasolineGallonsEnergy PolicyMoney Laundering Author:Thomas Friedman
“Even if America tomorrow - and it won't happen overnight - but if we did reduce our demand for gas and natural gas and crude oil by a significant degree, that does have an exponential effect on producers in the Middle East, everything else being equal. But if China's demand is growing and India's demand is growing, they are not going back.” IfsDoeHappensAmericaNaturalGrowingMiddleEffectsTomorrowDemandEqualDegreesIndiaChinaOilEastSignificantProducersGasMiddle EastCrudeNatural GasBeing EqualCrude Oil Author:Thomas Friedman
“Oil is a tangible commodity, so there is a global market. The fact that we may need less may affect the global price because we're big consumers: we probably take about a quarter of global demand. But if suddenly, let's just use a crazy example, fighting in the Middle East led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and no oil could get out through the Strait of Hormuz, well that would affect China, India, Europe, it will affect the whole global economy. It will affect us, too, then.” IfsNeedsWellsMayWholeFactsUseBigsFightingEconomyCrazyMiddleExampleDemandEuropeIndiaChinaOilEastConsumersQuartersMiddle EastCommodityTangibleClosureGlobal Economy Author:Thomas Friedman
“I'm a radical pro-immigration advocate. I'm not saying we just look at the Muslim world or we just look at China, we just look at India as a source of our talent. But, one thing we know... first or second generation or new immigrants or children of immigrants have started about 40% of the Fortune 500 companies. For me it's always been a really very important issue that I want America to be open to the most energetic and talented people from around the world.” PeopleKnowsWorldWantFirstsLooksChildrenImportantAmericaCompanyIssuesGenerationsOne ThingTalentSourceIndiaFortuneChinaImmigrationAround The WorldRadicalImmigrantsEnergeticImportant IssuesMuslim World Author:Thomas Friedman
“Obviously China is clearly taking the lead in some areas, but when it comes to the most advanced innovation, it's still America.” StillsAmericaAreasInnovationChinaLead In Author:Thomas Friedman
“I could see America playing a slightly smaller role in the Middle East but I would not see us abandoning the region and just say "Oh," like I said, "China, Russia, it's yours now. Global focus is just on our hemisphere." I don't see that happening.” SaidAmericaRolesFocusMiddleHappeningsChinaEastRussiaRegionsMiddle EastHemisphere Author:Thomas Friedman
“In China today, Bill Gates is Britney Spears. In America today, Britney Spears is Britney Spears-and that is our problem.” ProblemTodayAmericaBillsChinaGatesSpearsAmerica TodayWorld Is Flat Author:Thomas Friedman
“Remember, in China when you are one in a million, there are 1,300 other people just like you.” PeopleHumorFunnyRememberMillionsLike YouChinaOne In A Million Author:Thomas Friedman
“Watching both the health care and climate/energy debates in Congress, it is hard not to draw the following conclusion: There is only one thing worse than one-party autocracy, and that is one-party democracy, which is what we have in America today. One-party autocracy certainly has its drawbacks. But when it is led by a reasonably enlightened group of people, as China is today, it can also have great advantages.” PeopleHardCareTodayAmericaEnergyPartyDemocracyOne ThingGroupsStupidDrawsAdvantageClimateCongressFollowingChinaDebateConclusionHealth CareEnlightenedStupidestAmerica TodayDrawbacksAutocracy Author:Thomas Friedman
