Quicklet On That Used To Be Us By Thomas Friedman And Michael Mandelbaum (Cliffnotes-Like Book Notes)
Description
ABOUT THE BOOK
That Used to Be Us is a book about America. Authors Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum borrow the title from the American phrase used when confronted with the successes and progresses made by other countries. The most obvious country that we compare ourselves to is China. In a few short years, China has transformed itself from a largely peasant agrarian society to a global economic powerhouse with enviable economic growth and a growing middle class. According to the Central Intelligence Agency, China now has the third highest gross domestic product (GDP) in the world, right behind the European Union and the U.S.
America used to be the envy of the world. It used to be a place where majority of the population had access to good public education and good jobs that sustained a comfortable middle-class lifestyle. It used to have public infrastructure that met the needs of the country and fostered economic growth. Americans used to trust their leaders and, most importantly, used to be willing to sacrifice individual wants for the greater good.
Now, millions of people are out of work. The housing bubble burst forced millions more out of their homes. Our roads and bridges are not maintained, as evidenced by the U.S. PIRG s 2010 report which revealed that the country has more than 70,000 structurally deficient bridges and 90,000 miles of crumbling highways. Young people are increasingly squeezed out of higher education because of the astronomical tuition bills. Those who do get a degree are often saddled with debt that will negatively affect their standard of living for years to come.
BOOK OUTLINE
Pt. I: Context and Overall Highlights
->Tom Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum's backgrounds and the overall significance of That Used To Be Us
Pt. II: List Of Important People
->The most important people and their significance
Pt. III: Key Terms and Definitions
->Explanations of prominent political, social and other special terms used in That Used To Be Us
Pt. IV: Additional Reading, Major Reviews, and Related Articles
EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK
If You See Something, Say Something
Indeed, that sense of resignation, that sense that, well, this is just how things are in America today, that sense that America s best days are behind it and China s best days are ahead of it, have become the subject of watercooler, dinner-party, grocery-line, and classroom conversations all across America today.
In China, the bullet train connecting the Beijing and Tianjin railway stations, both of which are equipped with the latest technologies and conveniences, covers about 72 miles in 29 minutes. The Tianjin Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center, which is of such magnitude and sophistication that few buildings like it exist in America, was built in a mere eight months. Compare this to the subway stations in New York City, where broken escalators take months to fix. As Friedman recounted from a trip to the White House a few months after his September 2010 visit to China, even the door handle to get to the White House driveway was broken.
People have simply gotten used to their country s inefficiencies and resigned themselves to the fact that China will be the world s next superpower. Friedman and Mandelbaum refuse to resign themselves to the viewpoint. As frustrated optimists, they still believe in America s greatness but are frustrated by the country s slow decline...
...buy the book to read more!
That Used to Be Us is a book about America. Authors Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum borrow the title from the American phrase used when confronted with the successes and progresses made by other countries. The most obvious country that we compare ourselves to is China. In a few short years, China has transformed itself from a largely peasant agrarian society to a global economic powerhouse with enviable economic growth and a growing middle class. According to the Central Intelligence Agency, China now has the third highest gross domestic product (GDP) in the world, right behind the European Union and the U.S.
America used to be the envy of the world. It used to be a place where majority of the population had access to good public education and good jobs that sustained a comfortable middle-class lifestyle. It used to have public infrastructure that met the needs of the country and fostered economic growth. Americans used to trust their leaders and, most importantly, used to be willing to sacrifice individual wants for the greater good.
Now, millions of people are out of work. The housing bubble burst forced millions more out of their homes. Our roads and bridges are not maintained, as evidenced by the U.S. PIRG s 2010 report which revealed that the country has more than 70,000 structurally deficient bridges and 90,000 miles of crumbling highways. Young people are increasingly squeezed out of higher education because of the astronomical tuition bills. Those who do get a degree are often saddled with debt that will negatively affect their standard of living for years to come.
BOOK OUTLINE
Pt. I: Context and Overall Highlights
->Tom Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum's backgrounds and the overall significance of That Used To Be Us
Pt. II: List Of Important People
->The most important people and their significance
Pt. III: Key Terms and Definitions
->Explanations of prominent political, social and other special terms used in That Used To Be Us
Pt. IV: Additional Reading, Major Reviews, and Related Articles
EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK
If You See Something, Say Something
Indeed, that sense of resignation, that sense that, well, this is just how things are in America today, that sense that America s best days are behind it and China s best days are ahead of it, have become the subject of watercooler, dinner-party, grocery-line, and classroom conversations all across America today.
In China, the bullet train connecting the Beijing and Tianjin railway stations, both of which are equipped with the latest technologies and conveniences, covers about 72 miles in 29 minutes. The Tianjin Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center, which is of such magnitude and sophistication that few buildings like it exist in America, was built in a mere eight months. Compare this to the subway stations in New York City, where broken escalators take months to fix. As Friedman recounted from a trip to the White House a few months after his September 2010 visit to China, even the door handle to get to the White House driveway was broken.
People have simply gotten used to their country s inefficiencies and resigned themselves to the fact that China will be the world s next superpower. Friedman and Mandelbaum refuse to resign themselves to the viewpoint. As frustrated optimists, they still believe in America s greatness but are frustrated by the country s slow decline...
...buy the book to read more!
