1. Thomas Friedman describes the ten forces which made the world a global village(flat).

How
important these flatteners are?

It's important enough that the world had to get flat and enough people had to have the
tools to compete, connect and collaborate. And now that that is happening it is starting to
get very fast. There is a change in the pace of change and it has enormous implications for
jobs, governance and commerce.  Globalisation with high speed IT & communication
services has lowered down the barriers between states and people far away from each
other. The world wide web with real time update has decreased the need of travelling
'round the world' and hence made the world 'flat'.

2. Explain and identify which among the flatteners made essential in adapting the challenge of
the new normal?

When we hear “new normal” I hear that someone has suffered and are in the transition of
choosing what to learn and how to adapt to the challenges of life. I know, from experience,
that we have a highly evolved ability to rise to challenge, to adapt and learn, and I hope that
that person can find that power in their own soul.

What will the new normal be like?

 Food: A lot of people are going to have learned to cook at home. People
are going to be out of the habit of dining at restaurants, and with the need
to live frugally on tight budgets for a long while still, fewer people will be
dining out, less often, and at fewer places. Home cooking is going to
become the new normal, at least for a while - maybe supplemented with
carry out/home delivery when one is too busy to cook.
 Clothing: People are going to be out of the habit of going out in public,
either for business or for pleasure. Dressing up to impress will become
much more infrequent. Instead, the next step from “business casual” will be
“online casual.” People will dress comfortably for working or engaging in
activities from home, but with some attention to how they look above the
waistline (and within camera range).
 Shelter: A lot of people will lose their homes, unfortunately, and many more
will not be able to afford the typical single family detached house .
 Health Care: After this disastrous pandemic , people might finally be ready
to get serious and do something constructive about our health care system.
That does not mean that it must exactly be “Medicare for All” or that it
must be a huge centralized government bureaucracy.
 Transportation: With working from home becoming the new normal for
many people, there will be less commuter traffic, and thus less demand to
expand metro expressways. Mass transit and taxis/Uber might not do so
well, though, due to concerns about infection and safety. The vacation
travel industry will have taken a huge hit, and a lot of airlines, cruise ships,
hotels, resorts, tourist attractions, etc. will no longer be in operation.
Staying in will be the new normal. To the extent that people need to make
a short local trip for an errand.
 Education: Homeschooling and online education will get a big boost. So
will community colleges, as many people will be looking to train or retrain
for the jobs of the new normal, and need to do it cheaply.
 Entertainment & Recreation: Fewer people are going to be able to afford to
travel for vacation, and there will be fewer places or ways for them to go.
Spectator sports are going to be slow to come back and may never be like
they were; watching them on TV will be the main thing. Concerts, shows,
movies, etc. are all going to be slow to come back as well, and watching
these on TV is going to become the new normal for many people.
 Technology: High-bandwidth internet access will be the highest priority for
almost everybody, and will be a major item in most budgets. A smartphone
and either a tablet, laptop, or desktop will be essential equipment for
everyone.