"New Rules" by Thomas Friedman

In the article “New Rules” that was published in the New York Times, author Thomas Friedman explains that children ages seven to sixteen are being given the opportunity to learn computer programming in schools in Estonia.  This curriculum was created because of how difficult it has become for companies to hire decent employees.  It is stated that unemployment rates are highest for high school dropouts and lowest for people with four years of college.  He refers to the phrase “work hard and play by the rules” that was coined by Bill Clinton in 1992.  Friedman talks about how President Obama has been using this phrase and he believes that if you live by it you can expect that the American system will deliver you a decent life and a chance for your children to have a better one.  It is said that in the future “illiteracy will not be defined by those who cannot read and write, but by those who cannot learn and relearn.”  This statement is very true if you compare it to the way society has been growing.  A lot of the jobs that you wouldn’t need a degree for are slowly diminishing, and a lot more are becoming available for college graduates.  These newer jobs are all because of technology advancement in the world.  The huge amounts of technology are raising the skill levels required for many of the jobs being offered, making them harder to get if you don’t have a degree.  At a democratic convention, Bill Clinton talks about how we need to invest more into our people through community colleges, Pell grants, and vocational-training classes.  By doing this, it is hoped to increase the amount of people graduating from college with degrees.