The Lexus and the Olive Tree

The Lexus and the Olive Tree

Introduction

Thomas L. Freidman's book The Lexus and the Olive tree is very clear in its motive for symbolizing the development of the world and human thought and traditions with respect to this progress. It was published in 1999, and received critical acclaim especially since the author did not use half-cooked notions of what the traditions and cultures around the world are actually like. Having travelled to the four corners of the world as part of his employment as foreign Affairs correspondent at the New York Times, Friedman interviewed individuals from varied backgrounds and gained valuable insight enough to be able to make compelling arguments over the effects of globalization and the development of the modern world. In this paper, I will be discussing the book as well as the point that it tries to put across to the reader. Ever since it was published, the book has faced criticism as well as praise for the author's ability to put across points about globalization that were its foundation but that have now evolved. There are several well-thought out anecdotes in the book that relate to the concept of globalization, but it has received critique over its lack of scholarly resources over citations by people that the author has connections to personally.

Discussion

Through this book, Friedman attempts to draw through his years as a Foreign Affairs correspondent a thorough debate about the new international system that is being utilized by the modern world, sharply disintegrating the distances in global culture through the concept of globalization. His argument is quite simple in its essence, as it suggests that globalization is not a passing trend, and cannot be ignored as it is something utilized by the better part of the modern world. He argues that through globalization, the ruthless system of the cold War has been replaced. It not only integrates capital, but technological advancement as well as information on a global basis, hence shaping the world into becoming a “global village” as everyone has access to the same global market. The symbolization in the book, i.e., the Lexus and the olive tree, is explained through the imagery that the Lexus is a symbol for development and the constant need and drive for betterment of life in general and prosperity. The olive tree symbolizes the traditional aspect of the individual, i.e., an individual's need to retain some parts of their cultural identity intact even if they are adapting to the concept of globalization. This holds true on an organizational level as well, as Friedman later goes on to iterate.

The author often uses his own experiences from his travels to give a better understanding to the reader of what he means by globalization, since there are general misunderstandings of the term in use. He proposes that globalization has succeeded in creating its own central rules as well as logic that is effectively influencing the modern world since the end of the Cold ...