The Lexus and the Olive Tree From Chapter One “The New System”

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The Lexus and the Olive Tree
From Chapter One “The New System”
Question One
Thomas L. Friedman defines the Era of Globalization as a period when the inexorable integration of markets, nation-states, and technologies to a degree never witnessed before. It occurred in a way that enabled individuals, corporations and the nation-state to reach around the world farther, faster, deeper and cheaper than ever before. The period brought about the production of robust backlash from those brutalized or left behind by the new system. The author explains that the era entailed international systems that replaced the Cold War Era. He emphasizes that the system has its own rules, pressure, logic, and incentives that affect every individual, country, company or community. It features integration as the main component. Cold War period is a well-known period that featured division. States struggled to live on their own independently.
He opens his definition by basing on the structure of power. The Cold War Era in this essence was concerned with the balance between the US and the USSR. Globalization in this regard entails the balance between states and states, states and the level of investments, for instance, the supermarkets where “Millions of investors moving money around the globe with the click of the button.” The rules empowered individuals to work globally without restricting them. Besides, the author establishes that the Cold War is perceived to be a clash between communism and capitalism basing on the driving concept of power. Globalization, on the other hand, entails free market capitalism. The driving power of the Era of Globalization is Americanization while in the Cold War Era there was no dominant culture.
He further expounds that Globalization Era has its own dominant culture hence able to homogenize to a certain degree. The Era of Globalization involved the spread of (for better or for worse) Americanization from big macs to iMacs to Mickey Mouse. It has its defining technologies for instance computerization, miniaturization, digitization, satellite communication, fiber optics and the internet that reinforces its perspective of integration. The defining weight of Cold War Era was the throw weight of the missile while that of Globalization Era is speed- the speed of commerce, travel, communication, and innovation. The Cold War Era was about Einstein's mass-energy equation e=mc^2. Globalization tends to revolve around Moore’s law that states that computing power of Silicon chips will double every 18-24 months while the price will be half.
"If Cold War was a sport, both were the sport, if it were wrestling, it would be like two great giants in a ring with lots of stumbling feet but with little contact. Globalization if it was a sport could be 100 meters dash over and over and no matter how you win you have to race again", the author explains. Defining anxiety of Cold War Era was fear of annihilation from an enemy you all knew, fixed and stable while Globalization was the fear of rapid, dramatic change brought on by unknown and uncontrolled forces.
Question Two (2)
According to the author, Globalization round two entails the degree and intensity of which t...