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Examining nearly every critical global issue of the twenty-first century, the author delivers numerous "aha" moments that will undoubtedly be thought-provoking for all inhabitants. Pedersen opens the narrative with more of an analytical approach that, in no uncertain terms, emphasizes a calamitous collision course toward the end of civilization as we know it. Further, juggernauts like the United States must become more deliberate in working collectively on world trade. World leaders, from China and Japan to Germany and India, are progressing rapidly, particularly in the realm of technology, yet the United States exhibits tunnel vision. In Pedersen's work, a combination of sound research and engaging dialogue makes for a piece that, at the least, merits consideration and further thought.
At the core of this work is the notion that the U.S. makes up only 4.7% of the world's population. With an overwhelming majority of products—from clothing to gadgets—being manufactured overseas, it is imperative to embrace global integration. Pedersen provides an excellent example to prove this point: Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Amazon, all of which have unparalleled market caps, hold a dominant presence internationally. Using a series of charts and analyses, the author portends a grim future where the U.S. will be at the forefront of an environmental, pollution, and water crisis.
To get his point across more clearly, the author creates a fictional scenario where he assumes the role of a United States president determined to facilitate change with an eye on a prosperous, collaborative future where all nations are empowered. Whether it is discussions of debt, energy, climate, or, at a more root level, greed, Pedersen, as president, creates a nuanced plan that involves direct communication and compromise with world leaders. More specifically, the author suggests that our focus on oil must be substituted with a zeal for producing clean energy, clean water, and an overall green society. In the process, he tackles the downsides of Trumpian nationalism and vehemently pleads that governmental figures must look beyond partisan lines and take difficult but necessary steps like loosening the NRA's stranglehold on Congress.
From a narrative perspective, this portion seamlessly weaves in secret, purposeful, and albeit unconventional alliances with the emerging nations of Africa, South Asia, and Eastern Europe. The end goal is simple: a "priority toward natural gas" and a commitment toward educating youth while decreasing dependency on medications and allocating resources toward understanding neuroatypical and developmental disorders like Aspberger's and autism spectrum disorder. Throughout it all, Pedersen takes complex discussions and breaks them down into basic, laymen level arguments that are supported by his analysis, research, and concrete fact presentation, such as "China losing 4,000 people a day to pollution," the threat of terrorism, and the increasing division among so many lines that one loses count.
Overall, Pedersen presents one pertinent point after another in crystal clear terms, forcing audiences to at least give thought to his arguments. That being said, the author acknowledges that for real change to occur, leadership at the top will have to deviate from a short-term gain mentality and focus on creating a unified world that is empowered to make positive change and leave the world a better place for future generations. Relentless and unafraid, Pedersen challenges the status quo in his quest for root-level change.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review