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Dr. Elyse Demaray
English 105
21 February 2006
Have you ever been forced to wait on for hours on end on a technical support
hotline only to be transferred to someone from India whom you can scarcely understand?
If you haven’t experienced this yet, chances are you will sometime soon. This
outsourcing of call-centers and other jobs to less developed nations is only one element of
a global trend that is being referred to as “globalization”. In his essay, “Prologue: The
Super-Story”, writer Thomas L. Friedman addresses the issues raised by this trend in an
attempt to inform and persuade his audience: the same people who have become
disgruntled due to scenarios like the one mentioned above, Americans. Through his
thoughtful use of figurative language, subtle humor, classification, and supporting
evidence, Friedman effectively paints a picture of the modern face of globalization and
motivates his audience to accept the coming change.
Friedman, an author and op-ed columnist for the New York Times, is a well
known supporter of modern globalization. He has a Master of Philosophy degree in
Modern Middle East Studies from Oxford and a B.A. in Mediterranean Studies. He has
written a number of books on the topic of globalization, including the recent best-seller
The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twentieth Century, The Lexus and the Olive
Tree, and Longitudes and Attitudes: Exploring the World After September 11 (from
which this piece originates). He has won three Pulitzer Prizes and was granted the
honorary title of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II ("Columnist
Biography: Thomas L. Friedman”). Clearly, Friedman is a qualified individual.
One of Friedman's primary techniques throughout the essay is the use of analogies
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and metaphors to better convey his main ideas. For instance, Friedman begins the essay
by introducing the idea of a “lens” through which we view the world and determine what
is important and what is not (Friedman 165). Friedman focuses on two of these lenses:
the antiquated Cold War lens of the past, and the modern globalization lens of the present
and future. This idea of the lens helps to bring Friedman's points into perspective and
make the seemingly dry subject of globalization significantly more approachable to your
average reader.
The primary effect of the lens analogy is to divide past and present into a
dichotomy, with the past being characterized by division between states, and the present
being characterized by total integration. This skillful separation helps Friedman better
illustrate the sweeping change that has occurred in the transition from one system to
another; where once we lived in a world where distrust of and separation from
neighboring nations was commonplace, today we depend so much on our neighbors that
we rely on them for many of our daily needs. Metaphorical divisions like this play a large
part throughout the essay both to help simplify the complex subject matter and to make
the subject more interesting.
After going into detail about the dichotomy between past and present, Friedman
continues on to classify the balances of globalization into three different categories: the
balances between nation and nation, nations and markets, and individuals and nations.
(Friedman 166). Through each of these classifications, Friedman provides insight into the
nature of the subject. Of particular note is the balance between individuals and nations.
Through elucidation of this balance, Friedman adds a personal element to the concept of
globalization. It's not just about huge multinational corporations and world governments;
it's also about the people of those organizations and nations. Friedman's classifications,
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like the lens analogy, help to simplify the complicated forces of globalization. By taking
the different complex forces of international diplomacy, economics, and others and
fusing them into a system of checks and balances, Friedman relates the complexity of
world politics to the far simpler and more easily understood concept of checks and
balances.
Another example of Friedman's use of figurative language is “the Electronic
Herd” (Friedman 166). With this analogy, Friedman compares the investors moving
money between different countries and companies to a herd of cattle following their food
source. The primary purpose of this analogy is to explain the connection between nations
and markets. According to Friedman, “The attitudes and actions of the Electronic Herd
and the Supermarkets can have a huge impact on nation-states today, even to the point of
triggering the downfall of government” (Friedman 166).
The analogy of the Electronic Herd is also representative of another aspect of
Friedman's writing that makes it so enjoyable and approachable. Friedman uses a subtle,
perhaps almost transparent, tongue-in-cheek humor that lends very well to his writing
style in general. The use of the term “Electronic Herd” is just one example. For further
examples, one need only look as far as the titles of some of Friedman's other books.
Friedman's unique use of humor is probably one of the things that set him apart the most
from other authors. In general, Friedman's humor greatly improves the reader's ability to
recall the concepts he discusses in this essay.
In addition to his use of humor, Friedman uses a technique seldom seen in many
essays: the word “I”. This uncommon practice lends a certain conversational atmosphere
to Friedman's essay that further serves to improve readability and approachability. By
speaking directly to the reader, Friedman makes it feel like you are directly involved in
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the discussion. The feeling is not unlike having a discussion with a professor or expert in
a field they are interested in. Although you don't understand everything the person is
saying, you want to listen; the person's attitude towards the subject makes it interesting.
This is the feeling that is evoked by Friedman's eloquent use of the personal voice.
With all these analogies, classifications, and abstractions it could seem
that Friedman is attempting to skirt the issue for the sole purpose of getting the
uninformed on his side. This is not the case, however, and Friedman takes care to avoid
this trap by including concrete examples that back his claims and abstractions. For
instance, Friedman includes the interesting example of Jody Williams: “When Jody
Williams was asked, ‘How did you do that? How did you organize one thousand different
citizens’ groups and nongovernmental organizations on five continents to forge a treaty
that was opposed by the major powers?’ She had a very brief answer: ‘E-mail.’”
(Friedman 167).
This example helps Friedman prove that his claims aren’t unfounded; his concepts
actually apply to our world today. Through the use of examples in his essay, both
concrete and general, Friedman lends his ideas credibility that might otherwise be
construed as the ramblings of another market analyst predicting something that never
actually happens. Without the examples it is likely that Friedman's essay would not be
nearly as effective as it is in its current form. By using examples people can identify with
and comprehend, Friedman's theories gain a level of believability that would be absent
otherwise.
Friedman's essay is a very effective composition not for any one specific reason,
but for his combination of different stylistic elements and different rhetorical strategies.
The essay serves to drive home the point that globalization is coming. Through
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Friedman's masterful instruction, the reader becomes prepared to face the winds of
change. Friedman's prologue serves not only as a prologue to his book, but also as a
prologue to the global future. Friedman's excellent essay gives us not only the perspective
with which to see what's ahead, but the comprehension to understand it and embrace it.
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Works Cited
Friedman, Thomas. “Prologue: The Super-Story”. The New World Reader. Ed. Gilbert
Muller. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2005. 164-167.
"Columnist Biography: Thomas L. Friedman” NYTimes.com. The New York Times. 17
Feb. 2006 <http://www.nytimes.com/ref/opinion/FRIEDMAN-BIO.html>.