Is 'The World is Flat' meaningless for those without internet access or educational resources?

This is an exceptionally insightful question, as it zeroes in on the core contradiction inherent in the concept of "the world is flat."

Simply put, my answer is: This statement is not "meaningless" to them, but its significance lies more in "challenge" than in "opportunity."

Think of the "flat world" as a vast superhighway network spanning the globe.

For Those Who Can Get On The Road: The World Is Indeed Flat

If you have a car (computer/phone), fuel (internet access), and know how to drive (basic education and digital skills), then this highway is paradise for you.

Learning: You can take Harvard courses online, learn to code, or watch documentaries from around the world—all from home.
Working: You can design for a New York company while living in a small town, earning US dollars.
Entrepreneurship: You can sell local handicrafts to customers in Paris through e-commerce sites.

For these individuals, geographical location is no longer a massive barrier. The world has truly become "flat," brimming with limitless potential.

For Those Who Cannot Get On The Road: A Visible Yet Uncrossable Chasm

Now, consider those without internet access or adequate educational resources. They stand right beside this highway, but they have no car, no driver's license.

Their daily reality is this:

Opportunities are diminishing, not expanding. While city kids are learning to code online, children in the countryside might struggle to find even one extra book. In this situation, the "flat world" doesn't help them; instead, it widens the gap between them and others. This is the digital divide. Before, everyone moved at roughly the same pace (walking), so the gap wasn't as stark. Now that others drive cars while you're still walking, the distance between you accelerates rapidly.
They aren't "unaware," they keenly feel "left behind." They might not know the phrase "the world is flat," but they experience its effects directly. For example:
- The only small factory in the village shuts down because it can't compete with large international companies leveraging global supply chains.
- Their agricultural products fetch poor prices because they can't access the latest market information online, leaving them at the mercy of middlemen who undervalue their goods.
- When floods, pandemics, or other disasters strike, they receive critical relief information and health guidance significantly slower than city dwellers.

Therefore, for them, "the world is flat" is not an inspiring slogan, but a harsh reality. The very existence of this "superhighway" makes their local footpaths seem even more rugged and isolated.

So Why Isn't It "Meaningless"?

Even so, this "flat world" still impacts them indirectly.

Creates innovative pressure and drives change: The stark visibility of this divide compels governments and non-profits in many regions to recognize the urgency and push initiatives like expanding internet access, building network infrastructure, and improving basic education. This pressure for change itself is a consequence of the "flattening" world.
Offers potential solutions: Though they might not access it yet, the technology of the flat world (like telemedicine, satellite communication, mobile payment) offers some of the best tools to solve their problems. The issue isn't the tools themselves, but how to deliver them—much like the challenge of distributing a life-saving cure once it's been invented.

In Summary

For people lacking internet access and educational resources, the phrase "the world is flat" acts more like a mirror.

One side of the mirror reflects a world brimming with opportunity, seamless connection, and infinite potential for exploration.
The other side reveals their own reality: isolation, being left behind, and the immense chasm separating them from this new world.

Thus, the statement is far from meaningless to them. It pinpointedly highlights our era's greatest challenge: While one part of the world flattens, how do we prevent another part from being left further behind? How do we build more "on-ramps" allowing them to join this global superhighway? This is the crucial issue we must focus on when discussing "the world is flat."