Flat Essay

Lisa Andersen Jeff Kosse, Instructor ENG 105: English Composition I March 13, 2010 Our Modern World The world is flat! One unsuspecting person might think that I’m very naive to make such an assertion. In fact, I’d argue that the other person was rather naive after reading The World is Flat by Thomas L. Friedman and The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsid Hamid. In this essay, I will be explaining how I have come to conceive this notion. Now, what about the companies that do keep their businesses domestic? We, the United States, being a country where many ethnic groups and nationalities have come together, can still face stiff competition. We have immigrants wanting to live in the â€Å"greatest country in the world† so the reputation says. Companies can find people who will do the labor for less, just to have a job. Not only is there competition in laborers, but there’s competition in â€Å"white collar† jobs, as well. It’s all coming down to who has the best education, the ability, and the flexibility. For example, if the demand to relocate or travel is there and if one prospect won’t do it, the company or business will find a candidate who will. There are people in society today who know no boundaries and will do whatever it takes to climb the corporate ladder and if it means going to another country to obtain their desires or dreams, that’s exactly what they will do. This leads to a compelling point in the book, The Reluctant Fundamentalist in which the main character, Changez- a Pakistani, succeeded in earning a coveted job with a prestigious American company (Hamid, 5. This position was not necessarily sought upon because of a yearning to be an American, but rather as a vehicle to success and fortune. The drive for his success with this company was fueled by his desire to prove himself better than the American counterparts as opposed to the success of the prestigious company, itself. Changez had no emotional connection to the United States as evidenced by his indi fference to the attacks on the World Trade Center (Hamid, 72. ) As illustrated by Hamid, if the drive for success is possessed, then no boundaries will get in the way.