Thomas Friedman on Charlie Rose last night.

[DG]

Posted: 12/22/05 at 10:52am

Did anyone else happen to see this? A full hour devoted to talk just between the two of them. Topics ranged from the situation in the Middle East (especially Iraq) to China to what the focus of humanity needs to be in the next century. Particular focus was paid to what the USA's role in all of this is/should be.

I've read Thomas for quite some time, but had never seen him speak before - I was intrigued and delighted by his passionate persona. And I became even more convinced that his may be the sanest voice among those who have a public platform.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 12/22/05 at 10:57am

along with kristof, the only reasons to read the times.

[DG]

Posted: 12/22/05 at 10:58am

And now you have to PAY to read them!

Damn Capitalism.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 12/22/05 at 11:01am

nah, i just meet a friend who works at borders for drinks on the days that i want to read the times and he brings me a copy. deep thoughts go better with bushmills and guinness.

[DG]

Posted: 12/22/05 at 11:04am

Especially free deep thoughts.

Something that impacted me greatly about him was that he talks about all these places using first person accounts - he's BEEN there, done that. I feel so much of world opinion is now being directed by people who don't know what the other people are living - or seem to care. And no, I'm not just talking about people in the US.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 12/22/05 at 11:39am

that's one of the things i love about both friedman and kristof, the fact that they are not content to sit back in a safe atmosphere and conjecture, but rather get out there and get their hands dirty. john burns is another one who's not afraid to do that. the latter two are often in my prayers with their adventures. have you read "the world is flat"?

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 12/22/05 at 12:00pm

Allow me to add my respect for both Friedman and Kristof. Glad to be in such fine company! I'm not familiar with John Burns, though. Thanks for bringning him up - I'll have to check him out.

[DG]

Posted: 12/22/05 at 1:32pm

No, I haven't read "The World is Flat" - just excerpts that have popped up here and there. But after last night, I think I'm going to pick it up today. It seems like something that talks with a sense of what could be DONE in the future, rather than wallowing in some sort of apocolyptic stupor - that I am as prone to be guilty of as anyone else.

The major point I got from everything he touched on in the interview was that the most important subject concerning the future welfare of humanity was energy. He really made me smile when he said he wished that the next patriotic catchphrase would be, "Green is the new red, white and blue."

[TheEnchantedHunter]

Posted: 12/22/05 at 4:52pm

I saw Friedman speak about THE WORLD IS FLAT on BookTV a few weeks back. The ideas are compelling and I do want to read the book but I found his personality and manner of speaking thoroughly obnoxious and off-putting. Certain writers should stick to the page.

Natasha Rostova
Moscow, Russia