Thomas Friedman’s new untouchables
Thomas Friedman writes in the New York Times, on October 20:
“Those who are waiting for this recession to end so someone can again hand them work could have a long wait. Those with the imagination to make themselves untouchables — to invent smarter ways to do old jobs, energy-saving ways to provide new services, new ways to attract old customers or new ways to combine existing technologies — will thrive. Therefore, we not only need a higher percentage of our kids graduating from high school and college — more education — but we need more of them with the right education”
Friedman sites the example of a lawyer friend of his, who says that most of the lawyers being laid off at his law firm are those who just show up and have work handed to them. The lawyers who create new services and realize new income opportunities for the firm get to keep their jobs.
The U.S. public school system, Friedman argues, is partly to blame for this. It needs to do a better job preparing young people who work in the “middle and bottom ranges” of the workforce. These people need to acquire creative, analytical and problem-solving skills in order to be more competitive in the global economy.
School administrations, educators and parents everywhere should read this column by Friedman, as it touches on a fundamental flaw in the way students are educated these days. When students are more interested in texting their friends than reading a book, Goolging their way through essay assignments, and downloading Kanye West videos instead of learning how to play an instrument, there’s a problem.
A couple of years ago, Friedman wrote a book called The World is Flat. In the book, he talks about the rise of the telecommunications industry and how it has allowed China and India to be more competitive, and how the U.S. is dealing with that new workplace reality. He has a great quote that goes something like this: “In China, Bill Gates (co-founder of Microsoft) is Britney Spears. In the U.S., Britney Spears is Britney Spears. And that’s our problem.”
Mr. Friedman has sounded the alarm – I just hope people are listening.
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I agree with Friedman’s comments and yours on this subject. I see the education crisis in my sons and their friends.
A lot of people have stated that this recession will be more far-ranging and deeper than the political pundits will allow us to believe, including the former Governor of the Bank of Canada. As a result, education and the ‘right’ education (more importantly), are becoming absolutely necessary for our high schoolers and those bound for university. Reinventing yourself for those in the work force is now the ‘norm’. (As this excellent Blog points out). Everyone is tired of that expression, ‘Think Outside The Box’, but you know, it still has a lot of relevance in today’s marketplace!
Great article Mr. Fattori. Thanks, We do have a crisis in our education system. We have a crisis in our kids too. They have forgotten that one needs to work hard, stay focused, forget the ‘I want this & this”, and no matter what you choose as a career, be the best you can be, do it with heart and honesty.