Renowned author, commentator and reporter Thomas Friedman spoke at Bicknell Performing Arts Center as part of the H. Lee Scott Speaker Series on Thursday April 3.
Friedman's been a writer, reporter, and commentator for 30 years.
He is best known for "converting English to English." The writer has a gift for explaining complicated topics like globalization and artificial intelligence (AI) in a simple and accessible way.
He said he writes for three reasons – to learn, teach, and bend.
During a press conference before the event, Friedman discussed many topics, including President Donald Trump's recent tariff announcements, his view of social media and his accomplishments as a journalist.
His reasoning for becoming a journalist is like a famous song from the Broadway play Hamilton.
"I wanted to be in the room where it happened. I wanted to be close to the action," Friedman said.
His reasoning is also coincidentally what he recommends for budding journalists.
"Go out, report, and get printed; develop a pile of clips that you can show people," he adds.
The writer is most proud of his Pulitzer Prize-winning commentary on the 9/11 terrorist attacks and how one of his columns was the basis for the 2002 Saudi Peace Initiative.
He said as a columnist and reporter, each job serves a specific purpose.
"A news story is meant to inform, a column is meant to provoke. Those are two very different things," he said.
On April 2, President Trump unveiled a list of what he called 'reciprocal tariffs' on imported goods in almost every country. Friedman believes President Trump's decision to announce the new tariffs was likely too quick.
"Complex devices that solve complex problems require complex supply chains," he adds.
The writer is in his 70s and strongly opposes social media and its relationship to his job. Without social media, he has no idea what people think of him—and he's okay with that.
"I've never looked at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok – and I've never smoked a cigarette. And I plan to die saying all five of those things," he explained.
While his press conference spoke about his professional achievements, his speaking engagement was more personal.
Friedman discussed how his upbringing led him to his career. He grew up in Minnesota and said the so-called 'Minnesota nice' made him eternally optimistic. This mindset helped his career, as he was sometimes known as the only optimist in some newsroom jobs.
Before his career, he had some notable memories—like caddying for professional golfer Juan Antonio "Chi-Chi" Rodriguez or his father knowing someone who was part of the Minnesota Jewish mafia.
Friedman's first column was merely a coincidence. He saw a headline about former President Jimmy Carter and then Secretary of State Henry Kissinger that sparked an opinion. He took that opinion and wrote his first column, which was later published in The Des Moines Register.
The writer described what it was like to report in areas like Beirut or Syria during the 2011 Civil War. He learned to listen instead of talk when interviewing, encouraging equal respect. He has a breadth of knowledge and was not shy of sharing it during his speaking engagement.
Friedman is a proud husband, father, and grandfather. He has many accomplishments in his professional and personal life. He is a three-time Pulitzer Prize winner, the bestselling author of "The World is Flat," and a New York Times foreign affairs columnist since 1981.
This was this year’s second speaking engagement for the H. Lee Scott Series following former Saturday Night Live cast member Melissa Villaseñor.
