Tom Friedman is at it again, igniting a bunch of worn-out clichés and drowsy aphorisms to launch another one of his hot-air balloons. This time he’s getting his consciousness raised (and his “clock cleaned,” as he might say) by the Chinese–of all people!! Doesn’t that just beat all?–about energy technologies (E.T.). He used to lecture them about their polluting ways:
Grow as dirty as you want. Take your time. Because I think America just needs five years to invent all the clean-power technologies you Chinese are going to need as you choke to death on pollution. Then we’re going to come over here and sell them all to you, and we are going to clean your clock – how do you say ‘clean your clock’ in Chinese? – in the next great global industry: clean power technologies. So if you all want to give us a five-year lead, that would be great. I’d prefer 10. So take your time. Grow as dirty as you want.
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