Tuesday, March 10, 2009

The Great Disruption

Here's Friedman's latest editorial:
We have created a system for growth that depended on our building more and more stores to sell more and more stuff made in more and more factories in China, powered by more and more coal that would cause more and more climate change but earn China more and more dollars to buy more and more U.S. T-bills so America would have more and more money to build more and more stores and sell more and more stuff that would employ more and more Chinese ...

We can’t do this anymore.

And, for those visual learners:

24 comments:

Eric Manzo said...

I like this editorial its very interesting but very true. We do need to stop doing what we are doing or like the Wall E clip. We are going to end up living in a dump and end up leaving the planet in desperation.

Anonymous said...

Crap you blew the plot!:)Just kidding but yeah Friedman is right except I think he is kind of saying it in hindsightconsidering the U.S. is pretty screwed financially as it is already.

kristine lefors said...

I love Wall E! I wouldn't want to work in a building made out of garbage. and most people would agree with me. But, is what Wall E doing considered Recycling?! The editorial is a good read.

Unknown said...

Wall-E does make a great visual to what could happen if we don't rein our little consumer selves in. But the amount of garbage they displayed on that movie will take many more years to accumulate and I doubt the human race will let it get that out of hand.

maryn said...

You can always hope the human race won’t let earth get to the point it does in Wall E. However, I think we are so caught up in the got-to-have way of life, and things are not going to change. Other countries wanting to be just like us seem to be getting into the mind set of got to have as well. I suppose time will tell. For now I am just doing what I can to cut down on waste. Like printing papers for peer editing on both sides. :)

Unknown said...

good point about printing the papers double sided. didn't think of that! :) i have an old friend that is crazy about preserving the planet...she used to freak out on me for buying plastic bottles. she'd go on about how i should buy glass and recycle it, how i should walk places instead of driving...i told her to shut up. but she is probably right! go figure! everyone, lets get planet friendly! :)

JCampos said...

Recycling is Bullshit!!!!!

Don't believe me? Check this out!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Sp8PzgY7XA


Check all three out they are really good!

Rated PG 13 for mild Language!...lol

Alycia said...

Well, I am more likely to pick up Wall-E now. But I really think that we [as a nation] need to pay more attention to the problems we are creating ourselves. If we come up with all these "solutions," shouldnt some of them be to discontinue what is starting the problems in the first place? Hm. Way to open some minds Friedman.

twfields said...

Wall E is a very funny and entertaining movie. But after watching it in the movie theatre I got home and started thinking about the concept of all that trash and trembled and a thought I had we could very well end up with an Earth like that unless we all change our ways here pretty soon!

JLYNN said...

Well. I don't recycle. Sorry guys. And I don't get Wall-E. But I DID like the World is Flat book. Very eye-opening.

Amy said...

I have to say that i really didnt like the WALL-E movie. I need there to be words in the movies i watch and this one just doesnt have many. It does have a good message though. I am sure that someday we will be living in a dump. Hopefully not though.

Jessica said...

I agree with Amy i didn't really like Wall E either. There was no talking like the first hour i fell asleep in the theater. It has a good message though, that if we don't change what were doing were all going to end up fat and living in a dump and i thought the robot was cute

Anonymous said...

I hope that Americans will look at what they are buying and ask themselves if they really need that product. Otherwise it may just end up in a landfill. I think now with the economy the way it is more and more people will buy the necessities and that may help decrease the junk that we are creating.

Unknown said...

I think Anna is on to something, since everyone is penny pinching these days, maybe people will start thinking about what they are consuming. but it has to go a step further, to thinking about how what they buy will affect the earth, not just how they can save a buck by not buying something.

Alycia said...

Something I saw on the news tonight slightly ties in, especially with the previous two comments. Washington State is currently trying to get a bill passed [Senate has already passed it, now its up to the House] to make your car insurance be based parcially on how FAR you drive. They think it will make people sonserve more, which will help wallets as well as the environment. Interesting idea, but I am a car cruiser, and go to Seattle several times a month. Not too sure how I feel about it all yet.

kayla said...

Recycle! its a great idea and its very healthy for the environment. I try and recycle as much as possible but sometimes it is hard not to be lazy and use the trash can conveniently next to you.

LindsyM. said...

I love that movie. It is super cute. Good video choice Mr. Peters. Wall E is so adorable. Do people really work in the buildings that he builds or is it just tall building shaped blocks of recycled stuff?

Unknown said...

Yakima broke a record the other night. It was the coldest night of that date since 1956. I hate global warming, don't you?

Brandon Root said...

Ok so i have a question about Walle, and i watched the movie but i may have forgot this. Is he the only one on plant earth doing this work? If there were other robots what happened to them? There are so many global problems, with pollution, global warming, over population, disease, and so on, but what is currently the worst?

JCampos said...

This movie does have alot of good eye openers but i do not think that it was meant for kids. It could have been something more educational without the little robot and for an older crowd. DOnt know what Disney was thinking about when they created this!

Brandon Root said...

I had no idea that people thought this movie was for an older audience. When Mr. Peters said something about and everyone was agreeing i was kind of suprised. I thought it was a good kid movie. Would kids really see anything past the humor and mistakes the little robot makes? I didn't think so.

Unknown said...

I saw this movie as more of a political statement than entertainment. However, I do think the overweight people and their handicapped situation will effect people who will watch this movie.

Unknown said...

i hear this movie is really good. i need to go watch it. Wall-e looks so cute.

Unknown said...

I havent seen this movie so, i have no idea what it is about. :p