Fear of being flat?

"This is crazy. There has to be one totally interconnected network."(p 66) That quote came from "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman. I came across the book as an assigned reading for Computer Science 404 class. Which is a class on ethics and current events relating to the computer science field. Reading about India's desire to break into the American economy and work force brought up a perplexing question. Who else is benefiting from a flatter world?

Let me explain with an example. I can interview a client at 4:00pm on Monday and, after emailing information to a team in India, have results the very next morning. This kind of global connection and speed is incredible and might very well change America's working demographics. Criminal activity has plagued mankind from the earliest of times. What benefits could they achieve from a flat landscape.

Small crime is local and arguably a result of poor social status and broken homes. Organized crime rises and falls in the public light from social events and most importantly powerful leaders. Inevitably, large crime rings fall apart after the head of the league or gang is brought to justice. Earth has a history of extremely violent and secret societies attempting to grasp at power and wealth. To take down the group, you attacked. It was plain and simple.

But there is a difference now. Something toying with the age old recipe. The great and evil leaders of today do not need to be with their followers. They might not even need to ever meet them. Similar to the office described earlier, they can command an illegal operation from across the globe in one night and be in zero danger from consequences. Their followers empowered by the rhetoric of corrupt media and failed religions.

The world is getting flat, and it is taking its toll. For so many years developed countries have been safe from extreme crime and corruption by keeping it out of their borders. Take down the gang leader and gang disappears. Now the fight, call it a war if you must, is raging everywhere. These leaders hide in underdeveloped countries preying on the weak of our societies.

Unable to attack the head of the problem, we will jump from every town and every country in a desperate attempt bring peace and freedom back to home. Each loss of a soldier or civilian is a major loss and an embarrassment. The evil rhetoric is emboldened by these losses and it is difficult to stop the cycle. How can we defend our freedoms against criminals in every part of the newly flattened world? They don't play by our rules, are awake when we sleep, and yet play on a level field.

I have a suggestion. It is not easy, but it is a start. Make the world round again. Not all of it, just the parts that don't play by the rules. If a country cannot enforce international laws, it cannot join the flat world. A few large developed cities do not qualify a state to join the flats. The Internet, satellites, and most telecommunications in rogue states would not be allowed in or out. This is a very strong position, but it could be done and I think it has potential.