It’s a Flat World After All
When Christopher Columbus said his intention was to sail around the world everyone assumed that he meant on a horizontal plane as in “the world is flat.” Not up, down, around and over which was inconceivable, ridiculous. Everyone wanted to back the illustrious adventurer as he charted a new course to India and the treasure-laden orient.
However, when his intentions and direction became known, Columbus’ backers deserted him. Queen Isabella of Castille – asserting her confidence that if the world was round, Jesus Christ would know about it – assessed the risk of loosing a few boats and some lousy low-life mariners well worth the rewards in heaven that awaited a sponsor of expanding Christendom. On the other hand, if the audacious explorer was right she would make some quick cash on this side of the heavenly proposition and everything would be hunky-dory. Well, of course, the inquisitor’s daughter was right and the rest is history.
Today, new “flat world” thinking is testing conventional beliefs about the world being global after all. My, how things come full circle. It must be the way of the world.
When I posted Leadership: Too Little Too Late? I suggested that immigrants from Mexico may be the answer to the impending disaster being heralded by homegrown Baby Boomer’s leaving the C-suites of America as they retire in droves. Imagine how stupid I felt learning that the answer is much simpler and being implemented ahead of the expected U.S. talent crunch: “outsource” CEO jobs to India! Doh! And I fancied myself a pundit too. Bugger!
We have much to thank Columbus and Queen Isabella of Castille for. Columbus lost his way and found a whole new breed of Indians to subjugate in the name of civilization, robbing them of their birthright, and repurposing the coca plant for subsequent use in fizzy drinks. And Queen Izzy de Fizzy? Her much more subtle plan unfolded quite some time later: Indra “I’ve-Got-The-Whole-World-In-My-Hands” Nooyi, newly appointed CEO of PepsiCo, is a graduate of Madras Christian College.
So, all’s well that ends well.
2 Comments, Comment or Ping
Recruiting Animal
I always thought that his book was called “The World is Fat” and that it was about “The New Obesity”. Thanks for setting me straight.
Aug 17th, 2006
gautamghosh
it’ll be a long time before the world is truly flat…
there will always be the have nots and haves
and differences that make some seem to be standing in judgement over others
Technology creates more hills and valleys even as it flattens some hills
regards
Gautam
P.S. Using my wordpress account which links to my non-biz blog…
Aug 31st, 2006
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