260-400 "The World is Flat" The Ever Continuing Economy

1) What is free trade? Do you personally think free trade is important? Why or why not?

Free trade is essentially and open market across the globe.  This means there are little to no restrictions on imports and exports around the world.  Some governments will still include tariffs or taxes, to imported or exported goods, but essentially you are free to buy are sell to anyone in the world.  When it comes to if it is important there are two points of view.  One says that the global economy does better when we are free to trade amongst one another without government regulation.  The other point of view says that with so many countries emerging into the global economy it cannot self sustain itself due to the variation in cost of living and manufacturing.  I happen to side on the point of view that the world economy works best without regulation.  I think this because it is currently working just fine and once restrictions get put on the market it typically hurts the market share.

2) What skills and personality traits make a "new middler?"

First I will give background on what a new middler even is.  Now that the world is becoming more automatized and digital, a lot of middle class jobs are now being fulfilled by electronics.  Thus creating the new middler’s, which must adapt to this more technological world.  New middler’s must become familiar with technology now that, most jobs are going into this category.  These jobs take a lot of patience and fewness, so a new middler must have an open mind and be willing to learn.  Which I fully believe is necessary in this new world.

3) What is CQ + PQ > IQ? And why is it important?

What Friedman is arguing is that CQ or Curiosity Quotient and PQ or Passion Quotient is more important that Intelligence Quotient.  With the world changing so quickly now days, it is more important to be willing to learn then to hold on to your past knowledge.  You’ll always have to keep continuing your intelligence with each continuation of technology.  This is of course very true, but it also helps to have smart people doing smart work.

200-259 "The World Is Flat" Triple Convergence and Intellectual Freedom

1) What is the Triple Convergence and why is it important?

 Convergence 1: Is basically that the Internet has allowed us to connect to one another to share our work, ideas and knowledge, regardless of distance between one another.

Convergence 2: States that walls or ceilings no longer bind companies, employees can be utilized from all different locations across the globe based on the needs of the company.

Convergence 3: Describes the world as a global competition, anyone in the world can technically do each other’s job.  We are no longer bound to occupations or work that is in our geographic area.

This is an important idea because it gives connects the world in a multitude of ways.  It tells us that no longer where we are living we can work, and do what we want to do or connect to whomever because geography is becoming less of a restricted element.

 2) In the story about India and Indiana, who is the exploiter and who is the exploited party?

 The story between the two is definitely a cluster of conflicts.  On one hand you have Indiana who is looking to upgrade their technology and become more advanced and on the other hand you have India who is looking to make a profit and help advance the world.  When it comes to who is the exploiter and who is the exploited I find it kind of difficult but in the end it seems one slightly exceeds the other for each title.  In my opinion I believe that Indiana is the exploited party.  My conclusion is based on the fact that even though Indiana didn’t get their technology they still had to pay a hefty amount of money for work they didn’t really get.  I mean I believe they needed to pay for the work of those employees but not at the sum total they paid.  As for India, I think they are the exploiter because they were looking to make a profit and they undercut everyone else just to seal the deal and didn’t fully deliver and still expected a hefty payment for incomplete work.

 3) What is intellectual property and why is it important?

 Intellectual property is a series of “laws” that give credit to people for their knowledge and work but still allow it to be available for use by other individuals.  It protects those who were the creator and gives them the proper credit.  However, by giving credit where it is due, it also helps other people utilize the knowledge.  It’s important because the creators deserve the credit for the work that they do, but it’s also cool to be able to utilize the work and knowledge for other projects or work.