During the past half dozen years, the book that has probably had the greatest influence on my thinking about education and many other issues has been Friedman’s “The World is Flat“. I carry the audio version on my ipod and still listen to sections from time to time. Part of the message is that all of us need to understand how we are interconnected. There is no way to isolate ourselves from the troubles that exist elsewhere or to worry that we are somehow being taken advantage of. The reality is that we must understand the flat world and adjust to its demands and opportunities. If you have yet to read the book, buy it for yourself as a holiday present.
Here is another suggestion. In the months ahead, keep your eye open for a documentary called “The Listening Project“. The film follows several Americans as they travel about and ask all kinds of people “What do you think of America?” The locations, the people, and the answers to the question are all interesting. Take a look at the trailer and some of the sample material. The documentary intends to create a dialog (see opportunities to contribute via blogs, Youtube) and it will be interesting to see what participation follows.
We are proud to say that our son served as an editor for this documentary.
