Reading Test #6
Prompt: What does Friedman mean by the equation CQ+PQ>IQ And what does this have to do with what Friedman calls "The Great Sorting Out"?
Grade: 50/50 pts.
Teacher Comments: Strengths - Clear
                                                 Comprehensive
                                                 Excellent Examples

Essay:

    Friedman utilizes his equation CQ+PQ>IQ to denote the change in the new global workforce and the importance of passion and curiosity. Since the world is rapidly changing, one must keep learning a variety of new skills and this requires a desire and passion rather than just simple intelligence. Previously intelligence was thought to be the prime factor fo rsuccess but now soceity has to deal with the fact that intelligence is now so pleantiful that on its own it is not enough.

    As Friedman writes in "The Great Sorting Out." societies will be affected by numerous changes and "they will affect how individuals, communities, and companies organize themselves" (234). Essentially, the removal of barriers that Friedman characterizes throughout his book have created the possibility for companies to reach all over the globe for knowledge and lower overhead. Through the chapter "The Great Sorting Out," Friedman describes the types of questions society will have to answer in the new global economy. One of them is how to be successful, and for American this means they "are going to have to come to grips with 'horizontalization'" (242). In other words American must learn new skills and become "people whose jobs cannot be outsourced, digitized, or automated"-or untouchables (279).

    The problem for people in the flat world however is the rate of change, people must forever be adapting and learning new skills. Rather than being a high intelligent and specialized worker it is better to be a 'versatilist' or as Friedman writes, "apply a depth of skill to a progressively widening scope of situations" (289). What this has to do with "sorting out" is that this has not been the norm in American. The role of what is a middle-class or middle-income worker has been completely redefined. Friedman's example of Marcia Loughry is a perfect display of this, she had not even received a bachelors degree but by being passionate and self-motivated developed the skills to succeed on her own. How to become more like Marci Loughry is what the new middle-class must figure out, and education is crucial if anyone is going to sort it out.

    As Friedman describes, the main purpose of education had been to create workers for structured positions but now those old jobs are gone (304). If Americans are going to generate the curiosity and passion to survive in the flat world then their educational system must reform as well. the Georgia Tech example Friedman cites is a good way to garner more than just academic performance out of students but also a level of creativity that will be crucial for them to succeed.

    Intelligence today it traded like capital, so it is crucial that if one wants to ensure their longevity in the global economy that they market themselves. "CQ+PQ>IQ" is all about adaptation and marketing. Americans have been educated to think that as long as they are smart they will be safe, but today it takes more. In "The Great Sorting Out" Friedman describes how society will be challenged in the flat world, and this is one way. The new generation of Americans that will compete in the global economy and to do that they must set themselves apart by always learning and adapting, and this takes passion. What Friedman means from these two sections is that society has to decide how it will protect the success of future generations and that the traditional way of thinking about employment needs to be changed and education needs to be reformed to encourage the new values of the flat word.