When this book first came out in 1999, I was fortunate to go to a local bookstore and see Friedman give a talk about his book. He talked in general terms and not just about his book, and the large crowd was enthralled. I had arrived early and so did he and I actually chatted with him for a few minutes. I was impressed his politeness and he seemed humble considering that he was already a celebrity, having appeared on numerous talk shows.

In hindsight now there is plenty that Friedman got wrong. But I don't see Friedman as an academic at all. I think he's very plugged into how people think and he expresses that and educates us mainly about ourselves. This makes sense when one considers his background as a correspondent and reporter. He has always excelled at communication. Wikipedia reports that he now commands fifty thousand per speaking engagement. He's come a long way since publishing this book. He's just so darn likeable in person that one naturally feels glad for his success (in my opinion).

At the time of The Lexus and The Olive Tree, globalization as a topic was relatively new and as it's such a magnificently large topic, nobody could really understand it. Therefore, I can't find fault with it but I don't know if I'd recommend it now. Better to read Friedman's articles, as he's still a prolific contemporary writer.
— by Citizen John

The Lexus and the Olive Tree, by Thomas L Freidman, leads the reader to a new understanding of the term "globalization". The author uses examples from his own experiences, as a traveling/writer for the New York Times, to paint a picture of the world in the new era. This new world will increasingly rely on technology for economic stability and growth. Friedman argues that globalization is not a trend. It is an international system that directly resulted from the fall of the Soviet Empire and the destruction of the Berlin Wall. The old Cold War system was replaced with globalization because no walls or barriers could deter its growth from spreading. This new system has its own rules and is a major force influencing politics, the environment, and the economics of virtually every country in the world.
Friedman attempts to explain this new international system by introducing colorful new terms such as: Microchip Immune Deficiency; The Golden Straightjacket; The Electronic Herd; DOS Capital 2.0; The Backlash; The Groundswell. He also analyzes two biblical stories, with no proof to base his argument, to manipulate the reader into realizing the greed for land and ownership has been an overriding force for humanity since the slaying of Abel by Cain.
Freidman's main premise is to divide the world into basically the haves and have-nots. He explains this in many ways, but first it is described as two struggles: the drive for prosperity and development, symbolized by the Lexus, and the desire to retain identity and traditions, symbolized by the olive tree. I got the feeling, the author thinks, cultures still hanging on to their olive trees would be trampled by the Electronic Herd if they weren't careful. Friedman suggests, "if you can't see the world, and you can't see the interactions that are shaping the world, you surely cannot strategize about the world." He also states "you need a strategy for how to choose prosperity for your country or company" (p. 232).
His argument can be summarized quite simply. Globalization is not just a phenomenon and not just a passing trend. It is the international system that replaced the Cold War system. Globalization is the integration of capital, technology, and information across national borders, in a way that is creating a single global market and, to some degree, a global village. Martin and Nakayama (2007) actually cite Freidman when defining globalization in their text. Actually, I was slightly disappointed they didn't have a contradictory definition to Freidman's.
As I read this book, there became this growing feeling of nostalgia. These new technological advancements have brought about more awareness regarding the rest of the world. But, at what cost, an increased need for greed, power, and money? The author describes this new era as Darwinian "only the strong survive". What a completely morbid thought. Instead of peace and free will, we will be in constant competition with foreign countries over capitalistic ideals.
The author points out in his sister novel, "The World is Flat", (actually, it talked about exactly the same things but has a different title) that countries and cultures are becoming Americanized. This makes me sad to think that cultures are increasingly following the path of the United States. This culture has some serious flaws. Americans have this rare need to keep up with the "Jones's", or the people next door. It appears no one is happy being average or merely content. It seems as if there is always a need for more goods, income, or TV channels. This sadness extends to my liberal views that if every country lived like the United States, planet earth would not be able to provide enough natural resources to fuel, or feed the population.
This reading has a couple of implications for the classroom. First, technology must be enforced as an educational tool in our schools. American children will need to keep up with current technological trends in order to compete with the rapidly changing global markets. Next, a need for cultural understandings should be increased in our schools. The internet should be used to communicate with other students from other countries. This will help our students get a better picture of the world around them. Class projects and lessons could be collaborated through the utilization of other classrooms across the globe. Our students could learn first-hand about cultural issues direct from the source. Finally, a need to teach foreign language early should be required. This will reinforce further understanding and communication with other countries and cultures.
Globalization, to me, is not about "Big Business". It is about intercultural communication in the realm of your house or local internet café. It is playing chess with an opponent on the other side of the world in the comfort of your own home. It is about learning Chinese from a Chinese student in China while you are still in America. The sky is the limit. Peace and unity between countries could be a welcome and wonderful experience with this onset of advanced technology. But, as history repeats itself, America is caught up in wars they can't win, and the quest for remaining a super power. Instead of unity, it seems as though everyone is out to get us and can't wait to see the USA fall flat on its face.

References
Friedman T. L., (1999). The lexus and the olive tree. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Freidman T. L., (2007). The world is flat: A brief history of the twenty-first century. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Martin J. N., & Nakayama T. K. (2007). Intercultural communication in contexts (4th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill Companies, Inc. — by Charles T. Schmid

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