Analysis of The Lexus and The Olive Tree by Thomas L. Friedman - Book Report/Review Example

 THE LEXUS AND THE OLIVE TREE Introduction Looking at the new system of the world, the cold war has been replaced by globalization. The replacement is through the integration of information, technology, and capital. This integration has made it hard for people to understand where to invest their money unless they understand the new system which is very complex. The new global system is affecting all the countries the today’s world. The other clearly brings out the tension felt between the historical, cultural, tradition, geography and community forces with that of the globalization system. The author has also explained that for the people to see the success of globalization must balance between globalization and historical culture to be attained. The book will enable a person to understand the way the world of today is. The title of the book “The Lexus and The Olive Tree” is symbolic as Oliver Tree is used by the author to symbolize what is old like our identification, our rituals, cultures, family, believes, and many more. While Lexus, on the other hand, is used to symbolize what is new, and what every person is thriving to have. The use of Lexus is because, it is among one of the comfortable vehicles that most people dream of driving. In this book, the author uses it in the title to symbolize the need or push for improvement, thriving and modernization in the system of globalization. The Lexus involves the computer technology as well as the global market that is experienced in the life of today (p.28). The use of Lexus and Olive tree were an exquisite example to use in explaining the era of the post-Cold War. The use of Lexus also symbolizes the first half of the world population who are very determined to move forward by trying hard to improve their economy by modernizing it in order to thrive. The Olive tree presents the other half of the population. This is a group that is slugging behind by not embracing the new technology hence they are still caught up in the over who owns which olive tree. The biggest challenge that faces Olive Tree is the rate at which most of the day's world is technologically changing. For efficient operation of the world's activities, there is a need for technology for technological involvement hence the characterization of today’s globalization system (p.29). The challenge the Olive Tree is facing calls for the need to put aside the old life like, beliefs, culture, tradition and embraces the new life like technology which will enable survival in the today’s globalized system to be bearable (p. 35). The author of this clearly talks about how globalization dictates most of the world’s activities and practices. He defines the today’s globalization as world integration of the national state, finance market, and technology. Globalization has forced the selling of commodities by observing the right time and place for a business transaction. For example the seller of stocks, currencies, bonds and multinational corporations investing only when opportunity are realized. This system is very harsh as it majorly rewards the winners and punishes the losers. The today’s globalization provides a good opportunity for only those people who are willing to take risks. The today globalization in which electronic herd moves across the whole world in search for making profit, threatens to destroy both environment diversity and cultural tradition. The drive by human to become rich (Lexus) is destroying human identity and tradition (Olive Tree). The author believes that for globalization to be successful there must be a balance between the electronic herd (Lexus) and the identity (Olive Tree). The author cautions that the danger is greater if the country decides to rely majorly on the identity at the expense of the electronic herd. The country will face a serious globalization rejection. Hence, the chances of the country thriving in the today world are very minimal and can even perish The introduction of the term Electronic herd by the author is clearly used to explain how globalization has an influence in the world today. For instance. Multi-national Corporation like IBM, General Electric, Intel, General Motors and Siemens have been influenced heavily by technology. Countries that embrace peace, good policies, corruption free, will attract this big company companies to invest in their countries hence improving in the economy of the country. Countries will always be in conflicts. For instance, Iraq, North Korea, Afghanistan and Iran that continues with conflicts, will face the globalization consequences as the big companies will come and withdraw all their assets and money. The withdrawal will in turn affect the economy of that country hence making survival in the globalization system harder. It is, therefore, safe to argue that globalization also shapes the world by embracing peace. The author was not stupid as he realized that even though the globalization had many advantages in shaping the world by instilling discipline in most countries, it also had some disadvantages by destroying some traditional culture. This is the part in this book where the other brings out the conflict which is between the globalization system which is the Lexus and the tradition which is the Olive Tree. This is by encouraging people to stop their tradition practices and embrace globalization system. Conclusion The authors opinion and argument on the today’s world globalization is true, looking at the world today, there is a big different between the country. We have the developed countries and the third world countries. The develop country economy is at par as compared with that of the third world countries. This difference is majorly caused by the rate, type, and quality of production. Developed countries are always more efficient in their process of production as compared to the third world countries. The secret in the efficiency in the processing lies on the world globalization. The developed countries embrace technology in their production process hence reducing time, cost of production and maximizing on the profit. This is a clear indication that for the third world countries to prosper in their economy, there is a need for them to embrace the world globalization which will be the key to their prosperity. That is; what the author refers as the today’s globalization, which dictates most of the world’s factors from the processing to marketing and finally the selling. The point the author is trying to communicate to the readers is that, for a person to survive in the today’s complex globalization, he or she needs to understand it first. Those who understand the system are finding life to be much easier as compared to those who do not understand the system. Work Cited Friedman, Thomas L. The Lexus and the Olive Tree. New York, N.Y: Anchor Books, 2000. Print. Read More