The Lexus and the Olive tree

In one line:
One of the best books I have ever read.

Tom Friedman is a genius at using simple examples from life to make a relevant point- even in the complex world of globalization.
I don't always like his habit of "I like to call this phenomenon....". It tags things in too simplistic a manner but he makes up for this by making a ton of very relevant points, which are insightful and instructive in one go.
Lexus and the Olive tree is a simple portrayal of the tug of war that many countries are now facing- culture vs scientific/economic progress. These two need not be, and are not, mutually exclusive but one does come at a significant cost to the other.

Socialism/communism vs capitalism may be likened to two trains.

The former has many people at the control...the direction governed by the intentions of its drivers/motormen. There is no scheduled destination though the hypothetical destination is some Paradise on Earth. There is no specified departure time nor an ETA. "Need to go" will get you a ticket on this train...and the "can pay"s would pay for those who "need to go but can't pay".
The train hardly ever gets to the destination. Hence the passengers are destined to go wherever the motorman pleases to go and hope to God he/they know what they are doing.
In this train there is no luxury or first class car or even a sleeper compartment. The only luxury car is the motorman's cabin.
Everything is "standing only" with no bells and whistle.
And a window seat doesnt count for much since the windows are bolted shut, lest the passenger see outside and figure they are going nowhere...or worse they see the capitalist train.

Capitalism, on the other hand, is a train with no motorman. There is no one in control. But it is a luxury train, mind you. It is run, in large measure by the whims and desires of its passengers. This again, has no specified destination. It's joy is in its journey. And it tries to go through the prettiest, nicest locations possible. But not all locations have tracks on which this train can run well (or in some places run at all).
This train doesn't come within miles of such places.
This train has tons of bay windows, luxury dining cars and parlors...but every joy has a price. There is a second class and even a third class for passengers who can't (or wont) pay the premium price. "Need to go" has to tango with cash (pun intended) to get you a ticket here.
From this train you can see the socialist/communist train, a relic of the past, gasping in the distance.


The appeal of the book also comes from the fact that it is not a rabid proponent of unchecked globalization and evil capitalism.
It talks more of a better, more desirable system- capitalism with a social and global conscience. Of keeping cultures alive. Of allowing uniqueness its right to survive. Of protecting our environment. Of helping neo-capitalists get onto the fast moving capitalist train. Of creating safety nets for those who take the risk and fall. Of empowering those left far behind...so they may be able to board this train as well.

This train will pass through an olive groove and all olive tree huggers, eventually, would have to board this train. How they do it and how they pay for the ticket is the million dollar question.