David ex Machina

The current financial crisis has emphasized the deep impact of the economy. Which got me thinking, why do we live in a world where the avarice of a few can have destructive consequences for so many? Our world is controlled and driven by wealth. We have no choice in the matter, since the day we were brought into this world, we were actually bought into it. Everything we do revolves around money, from our first ice cream cone to our education; it is the currency for survival. No matter how we choose to live our lives, we are forced to play by the rules: earning, saving, and spending money so that we still have some left over for tomorrow. As capitalism has spread, there is no place left to go. We simply cannot escape. Don't believe me? For any other aspect in life we have choices. If I don't like oranges, I don't have to eat them. If I don't like my job, I can quit. If I want to leave the neighborhood I can move. If I don't like my country I can emigrate to a differen...

After reading Thomas Friedman's The World Is Flat , I felt a sense of wonder and duty. Wonder, in the sense that the world is truly an amazingly connected place with endless possibility. Realizing that we are only at the beginning of this age, wow, I was eagerly awaiting the next technological breakthrough. I started thinking about how our privileged lives have such quick and easy access to information, that I felt a sense of duty to make good use of it. More than just responsibility, however, it is now imperative to take advantage of information in order to succeed. The world is in a much more competitive landscape, where the people who can adapt to and understand information the fastest will be the most successful. Essentially, a meritocratic society where the best idea, innovation, or what-have-you wins. The book gave a realistic, but positive message. What is not in the book, and what I think the world is realizing, is the forces of globalization can be both beneficial and...