Wednesday, November 10, 2010

America: From Paralysis to Optimist

It's been a while since I've read an optimistic, pro-America Op-Ed. Lately, an apocalyptic recession and an inept political system monopolize airtime. But yesterday, David Brooks reminded us that America is still the world melting pot of innovation. Our unique immigrant history and the prospects of social mobility and opportunity attract the world’s brightest minds to US soil.


The “American Dream” encourages entrepreneurial spirits and is accompanied by a social structure that rewards innovation. Accessible capital allows for good ideas to succeed. As technology, infrastructure, and creativity leaders of the world, Americans retain the skills and the cultural mentality to rise again from the ashes to greatness.


But with the state of the economy so low, as Brooks noted, “nearly two-thirds of Americans believe their nation is in decline.” When populations believe their country is spiraling downhill, they make risk-averse (recession-perpetuating) decisions: saving instead of spending and hoarding cash instead of hiring. With low morale and downcast expectations, we are stuck in a self-fulfilling prophecy of stalemate growth and decline. What the US needs is more optimistic thinking.


Brooks’s Op-Ed is America’s dove after the flood. This is the first sign of an up-shift in US mentalities. After bowing my head in shame with recent US developments, articles like this make me proud to be an American. Innumerable aspects of our entrepreneurial democracy are still the envy of the world. Not only is Brooks dead-on with his analysis of American potential, but his optimistic change of mentality could very well spark the positive expectations needed to restore the health of the world’s largest economy.


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