Introduction
This article analyzes Thomas Friedman’s concept of the “flattened world” in the context of global technological and cultural shifts. The author deconstructs the forces flattening the world, presenting them as a system of interconnected mechanisms. The thesis posits that globalization is evolving toward a radical democratization of access to knowledge and tools. The key question concerns the conditions under which the technological revolution can lead to equitable development rather than merely deepening inequality.
Friedman’s Metaphor: Leveling the Global Playing Field
Friedman’s metaphor defines the modern order as a “level playing field” where barriers to entry into the global economy are disappearing. Netscape and network protocols (TCP/IP, HTTP) became the foundation of this connectivity, creating a universal medium accessible to everyone. The physical backbone of trade was built by fiber optics—the result of overinvestment during the dot-com bubble, which drastically lowered data transmission costs. Meanwhile, workflow software integrated supply chains, allowing for the modular atomization of work and its execution in the most efficient locations.
Knowledge, Politics, and the Triple Convergence
The open source movement revolutionized knowledge production, replacing hierarchy with meritocracy. The phenomenon of in-forming (search engines) democratized access to information, though it created a new form of distributed control. The contemporary era is shaped by the tension between the imagination of 11/9 (the fall of the Wall and opening up) and 9/11 (the era of fear and new walls). The engine of these changes is the triple convergence: the alignment of technology, horizontal management models, and the entry of three billion new participants from China, India, and the Global South.
Economics, AI, and the New Flexibility of Work
The Dell Theory suggests that integration into supply chains minimizes the risk of war, though this is a probabilistic correlation. Success in this world depends on reform retail—the modernization of education, law, and infrastructure at the micro level. Adaptation models vary: Israel focuses on innovation and R&D, while France chooses the role of an active regulator. Today, artificial intelligence automates the in-forming process by synthesizing knowledge, while no-code platforms and the gig economy redefine the labor market, offering extreme flexibility at the cost of new social challenges.
Just Coordination: Ethics in a Flat World
In an ever-flattening world, the question remains: will technology lead to true equality, or will it create subtle forms of exclusion? Can we build bridges instead of digital walls? The answer depends on our ability to shape tools in the service of justice and solidarity. In the age of AI and platform work, just coordination requires not only innovation but also institutional safeguards to protect individual dignity within the global data stream.
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