"The World is Flat" is an excellent read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who's interested in understanding how the world became the enormous connected global market it is today. It does get quite repetitive towards the end, but the points made in each chapter are really worth noting.I would like to introduce a concept from Chapter 6 (which is coincidentally, or not so coincidentally, the one I am going to present in class if we ever get through all of them...*unconvinced sideway-lip expression*)
The chapter is called " The Untouchables", and it's talking about what kinds of workers we must become in order to be "untouchable", which is to be in a position where your job will not be outsourced (since nobody wants to be replaced in this increasingly globally competitive world). Outsourcing is sending work to be done elsewhere, like call centers or accounting for the U.S. being done in India, made possible by phone lines and the internet.I find this extremely vital for all of us right now, especially since we will be all too soon entering the workforce.
The four categories of untouchables are:Special, Specialized, Anchored, and Really Adaptable. Special = Michael Jordan, Barbra Streisand, Bill Gates (you get the picture). Obviously it means you are so talented that your "self" is irreplaceable and your job is something that only you can do the way you do it.Most people cannot be special, but they can become specialized. This applies to knowledge workers, specialized lawyers, brain surgeons, cutting-edge computer architects and software engineers, etc. These are all skills that are always in high demand and not easily transferred to lower-wage locations. If you cannot be these, you want to be anchored. Barbers, waitresses,plumbers, nurses, and many doctors, lawyers, entertainers, electricians, etc... because these jobs must be done in a specific location, involving face-to-face contact with a customer. But even these contain some portions that will be outsourced someday. So what you want is to become really adaptable. Constantly acquire new skills, knowledge, and expertise which enable you to constantly be able to create value. Friedman compares this to vanilla ice cream. You don't just wanna know how to make ice cream, you want to learn how to make the latest chocolate sauce, the whipped cream, or the cherries on top, or to deliver it as a belly dancer. (lol)In conclusion, being really adaptable means to "learn how to learn", which is one of the most important assets a worker can have because jobs will change faster. Obviously this may not apply directly to those planning on becoming teachers, but it does teach us something important. Now that everyone in the world is looking for jobs all over the place, we have to be able to push out of our boundaries and LEARN MORE. In the near future, excellence will matter. Mediocrity is no longer acceptable because it will be replaced easily by someone who can do the job better. I guess this makes me nervous because I feel I don't fit into any category, but I think what I want to try is to become adaptable, because I like acquiring new skills and I feel I am often very passive, accepting what others have to teach and give, but not seeking knowledge out by myself. I want to grow as a person, and though God has given me a few talents, I am not always using them to the best of my ability. Why are we always lazy and trying to do less, when the real satisfaction lies in being able to gain a lot from little? Why should we not improve ourselves when we have the chance? I think sometimes man settles for what he has, not because he is satisfied, but because he cannot be motivated to do much, perhaps because he hasn't found out any reason for his existence. Most times motivation isn't intrinsic, sometimes it is ambition, it is drive to be famous, to succeed, to be rich. Though these can bring people to do extraordinary things, they are shallow, and they cannot bring happiness or fulfillment. But what does fulfill is when you know that you are maximizing your potential, and giving it all that you've got. This all connects to Freedom Writers in some way. They were struggling and felt stuck. Then they were freed, so they were pushed to excel. But many of us are just stuck somewhere, our life isn't that bad, we're not struggling enough to want to get out of our bad habits (conformism). So we just go with the flow and decide mediocrity is fine. But the truth is, in a little while, it will become obsolete. Frightened? Me too. Lets get our lazy selves away from online entertainment and LEARN more. LIVE more.
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