Thomas L. Friedman definitely gets it on how deep and systemic the problems with consumer culture are. Hot, Flat and Crowded explains a lot of the problems and puts them in perspective very well. I think his rose colored glasses obscure his view in some ways, but that's a minor bone to pick. For sure he's collected a lot of stories that are worth reading into his narrative. Yes, they do add up to a real need for change in the United States. Reading it, I was glad to see evidence of a journalist with mainstream pull "getting it."