We had an interesting experience visiting Planet X a few days ago. The entire time we were there, I was thinking that this exact location could be placed in San Diego, CA, and no one would be the wiser (consciously disregarding the difference in client demographic and the tacky dinosaur garbage cans). The entertainment (go carting, bowling, gaming [PS3], and dance area) and food (kebabs, pasta, Budweiser) were strikingly Western in nature. A entertainment location like this would be unheard of a decade ago.
While in the Planet X parking lot, I also noticed an interesting breakdown in car manufacturers among the parked cars, with Toyota SUV's and Ford sedans holding their own against traditional Indian manufacturers. Even just three years ago, an SUV not imprinted with the words Tata Sumo would have been a rarified sight to behold (in this area of India).
This experience really brought to the forefront the results of the ten “flatteners” (whether or not you agree with Friedman’s arguments, you cannot deny that India, and the world, has changed) that Friedman explores in “The World is Flat.” It is exciting to argue the causes of the forces which are affecting the world, but theory without personally experiencing the reality of the world we live in is hollow.
While in the Planet X parking lot, I also noticed an interesting breakdown in car manufacturers among the parked cars, with Toyota SUV's and Ford sedans holding their own against traditional Indian manufacturers. Even just three years ago, an SUV not imprinted with the words Tata Sumo would have been a rarified sight to behold (in this area of India).
This experience really brought to the forefront the results of the ten “flatteners” (whether or not you agree with Friedman’s arguments, you cannot deny that India, and the world, has changed) that Friedman explores in “The World is Flat.” It is exciting to argue the causes of the forces which are affecting the world, but theory without personally experiencing the reality of the world we live in is hollow.
