According to Thomas L. Friedman, the world is flat and so is the future. As I read his book, The World is Flat, I am intrigued by his assessment of the future. He writes that "it was never good to be mediocre in your job, but in a world of walls, mediocrity could still earn you a decent wage. You could get by and then some. In a flatter world, you really do not want to be mediocre or lack any passion for what you do."If Mr. Friedman is right, that the future will be filled with global competition, then we better prepare our students for this future.
Mr. Friedman writes of the advice he gives his own children regarding this flat future:
"Girls, when I was growing up, my parents used to say to me, "Tom, finish your dinner - people ... are starving. My advice to you is this: Girls, finish your homework - people ... are starving for your jobs. And in a flat world, they can have them, because in a flat world there is no such things as an American job. There is just a job, and in more cases than ever before it will go to the best, smartest, most productive, or cheapest worker - wherever he or she resides."
Is he right? At the moment, he seems more right than wrong, but does it really matter to those of us who walk in Christ? I would have to say...absolutely. We are commanded to care and to be the best, smartest most productive workers that there is and all for His glory. Mediocrity should have no place in the Christian or ever be a goal of the Christian for one simple reason: we are to be reflections of Him. He is never mediocre.
Mr. Friedman may be right; we, in America may not be ready for this flat world, but, we, Christians, should, not only, be ready, we should, also, not be surprised. It is as scripture states:
Zechariah 14:9
The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.
2 comments:
"If Mr. Friedman is right, that the future will be filled with global competition." It already is and has been for years. I've been booted from 2 jobs, not because I wasn't good enough but because I wasn't cheap enough. "We are transferring work to low-cost centers." ...another euphamism for "layoff." I always the more mundane work would only go overseas but r&d, testing, and manufacturing are all exiting. I am a minority in my PhD classes as well and even in my defense related job I see the majority of components being manufactured overseas. I fear that our students will be discouraged from technological fields while manufacturing jobs are mostly gone and service jobs are being taken by immigrants. It is a very scary time right now and I think we export our technological prowess in exchange for a quick buck.
There is little incentive for corporations to place a priority on US jobs because of regulation and confiscatory tax rates which drive up the cost of a worker.
I got over over my job security naivety about 20 years ago but I fear for our children's future.
Todd,
I agree. We have become a pragmatic people only concerned with the here and now. That lack of concern for the "later" and the ramifications of current decisions coupled with a loss of general morality and the strive for the greater good will eventually erode away goodness and virtue until all that is left is mediocrity. And, when all is mediocre there will be no recognition of what is good and excellent.
Troubling forcast, I know, but it is what I see coming unless something changes. My hope is found in the Lord Jesus who can turn the hearts of men and women. Change will only happen through Him. And, that is why I am doing what I am doing...educating students in Christ. They will change the world through Christ! Blessings!
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