of daily life is much the same everywhere, but some people say there is still some inner essence, in Japan, and elsewhere, that never changes. Yes, but what is it? I find other legal cultures interesting, not only for the differences but also for the similarities. Some people like to emphasize the differences. That’s fine, but I find the similarities much more striking. Well, yes.That’s not abad way to talk.The dominance of English in the world is because of convergence. It’s necessary to have an international language. Those of us who are native speakers have an advantage which other people don’t have, to be sure. The example I always give is air traffic control. You have a global system of air travel. Here comes a Turkish airliner, into the Rio de Janeiro airport. If the pilot was going to talk Turkish, and the people in the control tower answer in Portuguese, the plane would crash. They have to have a common language. By convention it’s English, and this builds on itself. It’s a sign of the fact that we have and must have convergence – because of the conditions of modern life, and because of the speed of communication, email, jet airplanes, and so on, and international travel. Well, all these levels are interesting. Well, not that they will follow my advice. I could always tell them to be like me and do what I do, but that wouldn’t be helpful. So I would say part ii • legal cultures • kjell å modéer 24 Thomas L. Friedman, The World is Flat: A Short History of the Twenty-First Century (New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2005). 120 The world has become flat again.24 You are talking like Max Rheinstein now. He always talked about the similarities. So, now we have gone from the lumber industry in local Wisconsin to global communications. Finally, Lawrence, can you give a more general recommendation for the young generation of legal historians?
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