Big Boy
Where Does America Lie in the New Order?
My name is Bradley Morris and I am working toward a degree in Biochemistry from the University of Texas. I am currently a CAP student and a freshman in college. I am interested in sports related activities, but I also enjoy reading and surfing the net. I was born and raised in Houston, Texas where I attended and graduated from Humble High School.
In a lot of modern day fiction films, the amazing site of “flying cars” seems to get the imagination of the American public thinking; when will these high flying and fast paced cars become a reality? While the actual concept of a “flying car” may not be a reality yet, the gradual advancements in technology, communications and globalization may make the dazzling cars a not too distant prospect. Thomas Friedman based his intriguing novel “The World is Flat” on what he calls the “Flatteners”. These ten flatteners are what he believes started current trends towards “off-shoring” and “outsourcing” of work. In the recent rise of eastern powers in economics and technology, which India and China are the two nations he describes in great detail, is some of reason Friedman gives for the decline in these areas from America.
Friedman blames the current decline of America to our fading emphasis on science and engineering, as well to our academic systems as a whole. Friedman explains the decline in Americans majoring in science and engineering by the way American Youth is portraying role models. “In China today, Bill Gates is Brittany Spears. In American today, Brittany Spears is Brittany Spears—and that is our problem” (Friedman 2005, 351). This could have a great deal of affect on young Americans in a negative way. Instead of our youth being interested in what Bill Gates has done as an individual, not only by what he has done with technology but also by his generous contributions to charities, we are more interested on what Brittany spears wore to the MTV music awards. Not all of the...
View Full Essay