The World is Flat

[Fredl]

I saw this book (Thomas Friedman's) at our local Barnes and Noble and, BOY!!, am I happy I decided to pick it up. I'm so impressed that I'm close to saying, "If you haven't read this book, I don't want to talk with you."

The thesis of the book is that modern communications has changed the world so much that a qualitative change is in the process of taking place which is changing forever how work gets done and value is created. It is at least as significant (probably more) than the Industrial Revolution and the rise of the modern Nation-State.

I don't think a person can read it without re-evaluating what (s)he thinks is important and what is trivial.

Friedman does not really focus on the issue of religion, making only the briefest of comments on it, saying that it, too, will be profoundly impacted by the "flattening of the world".

For myself, I found this book very helpful in creating for me a better understanding of why I want out of Mormonism. In a nutshell, I have come to find it profoundly boring. Not destructive, not dangerous, not evil; simply very, very boring.

If anybody cares why, I'd be happy to say more.

Fred

[peter_mary]

If anybody cares why, I'd be happy to say more.

Fred

I'd like to hear more. I'm always on the hunt for books that help me shift out of outmoded ways of thinking...

Peter_Mary

[noodle]

Ha! I just posted a bit about this book on another thread (the Dr. Laura one). I am enjoying it. And I like Thomas Friedman. He writes great Op Ed stuff for the NY Times.

mamajama

[hamar]

I saw this book (Thomas Friedman's) at our local Barnes and Noble and, BOY!!, am I happy I decided to pick it up. I'm so impressed that I'm close to saying, "If you haven't read this book, I don't want to talk with you."

The thesis of the book is that modern communications has changed the world so much that a qualitative change is in the process of taking place which is changing forever how work gets done and value is created. It is at least as significant (probably more) than the Industrial Revolution and the rise of the modern Nation-State.

I don't think a person can read it without re-evaluating what (s)he thinks is important and what is trivial.

Friedman does not really focus on the issue of religion, making only the briefest of comments on it, saying that it, too, will be profoundly impacted by the "flattening of the world".

For myself, I found this book very helpful in creating for me a better understanding of why I want out of Mormonism. In a nutshell, I have come to find it profoundly boring. Not destructive, not dangerous, not evil; simply very, very boring.

If anybody cares why, I'd be happy to say more.

Fred


I'd be very interested in hearing more. My TBM son recommended it to me and I've been meaning to order the book.

[Fredl]

Well! Well, well!! It's so nice to be asked to say more! Hardly ever happens here at home!

I think there are three things (probably lots more, but three occur IMMEDIATELY to me) that I could mention right away:

1. The heirarchical and very authoritarian structure of the church.

This is REALLY not what's going on in the world today, as Friedman so vividly explains. I knew I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable sitting at attention so much of the time listening intently to people who didn't really know a whole lot about what they were talking about, lecturing me on one subject or another but I just couldn't quite articulate what I found so distasteful about it. I found, for example, the 12 Step Program format SO MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE. No one in authority, people sharing their experience and not giving advice. Well, I guess it's not all THAT surprizing: The 12 Step format at least fast forwards us to a Mid 20th century model from what, the 1830's?

2. The entire 19th Century world view and mind set captured like a bee in amber.

The Book of Mormon, with its whole 19th Century mentality, the underwear, the "Brother Wilson, Sister Jones", church architecture, the whole 19th century outlook on the world. At first I found this endearing and reassuring. Now, I just find it dated and boring.

3. The attitude of suspicion and rejection of Modern America and the modern world.

All the crap about Satan working so hard in the world today. The failure to see what a wonderful world, full of amazing possibilities and promise has been created, for the most part, by non-Mormons.

Friedman's book does a terrific job of showing what a wonderful and promising world we live in. I am left feeling that Friedman's world is the one I want my children living in, not the 19th Century Fantasy that TBMs are living in.

Fred

[hamar]

Well! Well, well!! It's so nice to be asked to say more! Hardly ever happens here at home!

I think there are three things (probably lots more, but three occur IMMEDIATELY to me) that I could mention right away:

1. The heirarchical and very authoritarian structure of the church.

This is REALLY not what's going on in the world today, as Friedman so vividly explains. I knew I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable sitting at attention so much of the time listening intently to people who didn't really know a whole lot about what they were talking about, lecturing me on one subject or another but I just couldn't quite articulate what I found so distasteful about it. I found, for example, the 12 Step Program format SO MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE. No one in authority, people sharing their experience and not giving advice. Well, I guess it's not all THAT surprizing: The 12 Step format at least fast forwards us to a Mid 20th century model from what, the 1830's?

2. The entire 19th Century world view and mind set captured like a bee in amber.

The Book of Mormon, with its whole 19th Century mentality, the underwear, the "Brother Wilson, Sister Jones", church architecture, the whole 19th century outlook on the world. At first I found this endearing and reassuring. Now, I just find it dated and boring.

3. The attitude of suspicion and rejection of Modern America and the modern world.

All the crap about Satan working so hard in the world today. The failure to see what a wonderful world, full of amazing possibilities and promise has been created, for the most part, by non-Mormons.

Friedman's book does a terrific job of showing what a wonderful and promising world we live in. I am left feeling that Friedman's world is the one I want my children living in, not the 19th Century Fantasy that TBMs are living in.

Fred

Thanks for that, it has inspired me to order Friedman's book. I just read a post on another site that left a pretty depressing outlook of the world. After reading that post, I'm looking forward to reading something that paints a little brighter picture.

[miss taken]

Well! Well, well!! It's so nice to be asked to say more! Hardly ever happens here at home!

I think there are three things (probably lots more, but three occur IMMEDIATELY to me) that I could mention right away:

1. The heirarchical and very authoritarian structure of the church.

This is REALLY not what's going on in the world today, as Friedman so vividly explains. I knew I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable sitting at attention so much of the time listening intently to people who didn't really know a whole lot about what they were talking about, lecturing me on one subject or another but I just couldn't quite articulate what I found so distasteful about it. I found, for example, the 12 Step Program format SO MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE. No one in authority, people sharing their experience and not giving advice. Well, I guess it's not all THAT surprizing: The 12 Step format at least fast forwards us to a Mid 20th century model from what, the 1830's?

2. The entire 19th Century world view and mind set captured like a bee in amber.

The Book of Mormon, with its whole 19th Century mentality, the underwear, the "Brother Wilson, Sister Jones", church architecture, the whole 19th century outlook on the world. At first I found this endearing and reassuring. Now, I just find it dated and boring.

3. The attitude of suspicion and rejection of Modern America and the modern world.

All the crap about Satan working so hard in the world today. The failure to see what a wonderful world, full of amazing possibilities and promise has been created, for the most part, by non-Mormons.

Friedman's book does a terrific job of showing what a wonderful and promising world we live in. I am left feeling that Friedman's world is the one I want my children living in, not the 19th Century Fantasy that TBMs are living in.

Fred

I'm off to Border's to order the Book Fred. Thanks.
Mary