Cook on Concord: Friedman’s world view

New York Times columnist says we’re in the ‘third great period of human history’

Brad Cook

On a recent trip to Florida, we were lucky to be invited to a one-hour lecture by New York Times veteran columnist Thomas Friedman at John’s Island Club in Vero Beach.

Friedman, who has written for 50 years, has been an expert on the Middle East and observer of changes in the world. He summarized history and events brilliantly and concisely, and they were food for thought.

His opinion is we are now in the third great period of world history, which has just started with the advent of artificial intelligence.

The first period was from the beginning until the invention of the printing press, which enabled mass communication.

The second was from then until recently, with all of the great technological and material and physical advances.

The third, which he characterized as the period in which intelligence and nonhuman intelligence will exist, puts humankind in a position to “play God,” with the good and evil opportunities involved. Fascinating.

Friedman, in commenting on international affairs and America’s place in the world, made a number of observations. First, he said if a child came to a parent and said he or she wanted to be in the president’s cabinet, he would tell the child to take any job, “but please never be secretary of state.”

He meant that formerly that person could tell between the good guys and the bad guys, for example in the Middle East. Now, the person has to distinguish between many elements on one side, several on the other, many of each in every country, so to arrive at a solution to problems, it is like getting all of the same color on the same side of a Rubik’s Cube, almost too complex to solve.

He cited his access to the most prominent experts in many fields and what he has learned from them. For example, economists think tariffs do not work, because of the international nature of products, using an iPhone as the example of a common product that “could not be produced by one nation,” given the sources of its components.

His access to scientists have given him his understanding of the nature and promise of AI, and his access to educators provides him with knowledge of what the future of it may be. He cited the names of those inventing things in the U.S., with names coming from nations all over the world, unlike what you would find almost anywhere else.

During questions and answers, his analysis of major countries’ places in the world was instructive and different from what may be common knowledge. Concerning China, he said that nation is vulnerable, given that it appears strong at the very top, but recently has dismissed much of the leadership of the military, has little debate, spent billions on housing that does not have a use, and has many millions of people at the bottom with no wealth, social security, or access to improvements, so the base is built on sand, not rock.

On Russia, he was somewhat dismissive, asking who among us wears a “Russian watch, uses a Russian computer, or drives a Russian car?” He cited Putin as a throwback to the 1800s, trying to reestablish the Russian Empire when he should be concentrating on his people and future trends, not reestablishing the past.

Concerning Israel and its place in the Middle East, Friedman’s specialty given his years living there and reporting on its events, his comment was on the complexity of the groups competing, the fact that the recent Gaza attacks were the first war in which Israel was involved that did not have a name (“Six Day War” for example), and was motivated largely by the influence of the extreme right, an historic danger.

He described what happens when you decapitate a government, such as recently happened in Venezuela and Syria. While not lamenting the removal of the leaders, he said that sometimes a country “implodes” like Syria did prior to the fall of Assad, and sometimes it “explodes,” affecting surrounding nations negatively.

It is what comes next in Venezuela that is important. Regarding Iran, he indicated that the danger there is that, if its “supreme leader” were removed, the nation is likely to “explode,” having a very dangerous effect on surrounding countries, given the many minority groups in Iran that no longer would be under control.

Friedman looked back on his 50-year career as a columnist, commenting that the only journalism course he had ever had was with an extraordinary teacher in high school, and that he really had set out to be a professional golfer, having caddied for a famous pro in a notable tournament when in his youth. He went to Lebanon with United Press International before being hired by the Times, living there during the Lebanese Civil War, and told of the great cruelty and great humanity he experienced, simultaneously.

The time spent hearing Thomas Friedman, a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner and brilliant observer of the world, was one of the great hours of a lifetime. Thinking about what he said, however, was what sticks. If he is right, the world is in for a wild ride.

Brad Cook is a Manchester attorney. The views expressed in this column are his own. He can be reached at bradfordcook01@gmail.com.