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America, Please Wake Up...You Are Great!
A friend of mine suggested that I watch the television series “The Newsroom”. The show is about a fictitious news show based in New York but it cleverly weaves in real life stories and issues. Jeff Daniels acts brilliantly as the anchor man and he has a staff around him that provide information for the sixty minute news segment.
The opening scene in the first episode was Aaron Sorkin (the writer) at his absolute best. Daniels’ character had always played it safe when it came to the balance between ratings and telling the truth….deep inside it was killing him. During a town hall meeting at a college he was asked to answer the question in one sentence, “Why is America the greatest country in the world.”
After a number of platitudes Daniels’ character finally cracks and gives a tirade of facts that proves that America is no longer the greatest. He finishes his speech with almost a cry from his heart that it could be again….
Now I find myself in a strange predicament….I’m Australian, watching an American show that is essentially decrying the downfall of America. I want America to be great and I am sick and tired of Americans pulling down their own country….let alone foreigners.
America was built on principles that inspire, challenge and reward individuals to believe that anything is possible. I lament the fact that America’s leaders have become so wrapped up in winning the next election that they’ve forgotten to present a big vision to the people.
A number of years ago I had the privilege of going through President John F Kennedy’s library in Boston and during that time I viewed one of his most famous speeches that he made in 1962. In it he inspired America by saying, “We choose to go to the moon…..not because it’s easy but because it’s hard.”
About ten years after that speech a six year old was sitting in the living room watching Apollo 17 lift off and I said to myself, “WOW, America can do anything it puts its mind to!” America has relinquished its place as the world leader in many fields not because of a lack of ability but a lack of desire.
I regularly go to the USA to attend or speak at conferences and inevitably the subject of politics gets brought up around the bar. Overwhelmingly there is a feeling of despair from my US friends as they talk about the future almost not being there for their country. Corrupt politicians, business leaders and justice for those with money seems to settle like a wet blanket on the conversation…..it’s sad.
So why do I want America to rise up and be great again? As I said, I’m from Australia and although I love my country, I’m also a realist. Although globally, Australia punches above its weight our population is that of greater Los Angeles.
The difference between Australia and the USA is that Australia was given birth as a penal colony while the USA was from pilgrims. Australia is a nation that prides itself on pulling down our leaders and cutting down anyone that is successful. In fact, if someone is successful then by and large we assume that they got there by doing something wrong. Yes, we have the sense of “mateship” and many other good qualities but we don’t have the vision to strive for a better humanity. For that, we really do need the USA.
You can ask my wife that whenever I go to the USA I get inspired and reinvigorated that anything is possible. I think that many people that live in the USA have become accustomed to this environment and risk looking down rather than looking up. The moment that I step off the plane in LAX I feel like there is one opportunity after another and all I have to do is reach out and grab them. Seriously, it’s the most amazing feeling you could ever possibly wish for.
As a foreigner, I actually don’t have much faith in the current crop of American leaders to pull the country around and inspire the world forward. What I do have is an incredible faith in the American people. Many of you need to reacquaint yourself with your entrepreneurial drive and stand up and say to your politicians that, “enough is enough!”
Back in the 70’s, a generation marched on Washington and filled to overflowing the area between the capital building and the Lincoln memorial. They weren’t happy with their leaders and said, “We’ve had enough!” It wasn’t long afterwards that the Vietnam War ended. My encouragement to the current generation is to stop looking at your smartphones and look at the world around you.
From my perspective, America can be great and more importantly America is still great….to all Americans, you just need to realise it. It’s an incredible country that is currently wrestling with some really tough issues. If the people that recently had friends massacred in their local church are any indication of the latent strength of character of the average American then I believe there is hope. They forgave the mad gunman and took the higher road that wasn’t down the path of revenge. What an incredible inspiration to the world!
The most wonderful thing about America in the past is that it was doing good not just for America but for humanity. It assumed the role of world leader and rose to the challenges that the world presented. Scientific breakthroughs, medical advances and technological wonders enriched the nation and provided all humanity with marvels that would appear more like magic a few generations ago.
This entire post came from a television show…..and yes, that came from America as well. You were once a great nation, you still are a great nation and will be into the future. I implore you to stop looking inwardly and set your sights on another great big vision that is inspirational to the rest of us. Let the world envy you at your audacity to “do things not because they are easy but because they are hard.”
Have a great weekend!
Here is the link to the Youtube video that has really inspired this post.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zqOYBabXmA
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Michael Gilmour has been in business for over 32 years and has both a BSC in Electronics and Computer Science and an MBA. He was the former vice-chairman of the Internet Industry Association in Australia and is in demand as a speaker at Internet conferences the world over. He has also recently published his first science fiction book, Battleframe.
Michael is passionate about working with online entrepreneurs to help them navigate their new ventures around the many pitfalls that all businesses face. Due to demands on his time, Michael may be contacted by clicking here for limited consulting assignments.
Comments
Wow....Great read!!!!!...In America we have had many great President's...Washington, Lincoln, Kennedy and Reagan, to mention a few................Regarding America's present situation, "Houston, we have a problem".......
correct and correct!!
Houston you have a very big problem, bigger than you currently know.
I like this Michael. I also love going to the U.S. For the positivity of the people and the uplifting atmosphere. Thanks for going against the tide and giving them a thumbs up. Refreshing! Kirsten Jack
A brilliant thought provoking article and assessment of America.. Your writing endeavors are bearing fruit as witnessed in this sure to be historical document.
Thanks for the reminder of how and why America can and will be great again.
Sorry Gilmour, I only read your title.
title.
But knowing you as a smart guy, you just probably goofed in the
America is the greatest country ever known to mankind. That's just the fact.
"I regularly go to the USA to attend or speak at conferences and inevitably the subject of politics gets brought up around the bar. Overwhelmingly there is a feeling of despair from my US friends as they talk about the future almost not being there for their country". - Gilmour
You will need to spend more time in the US, outside the bars and conferences in order to write this kind of thesis. United States is a big place. Last week, I drove around Southern California alone, and was astonished at the diversity from Beaches to Deserts; from small cities to big ones; some of the cities in this part of the State are bigger than Australia in terms of economy, technology, and such! Yet the Northern part of the state have cities such as San Francisco rank even higher.
Now, I don't care what rubric, or yardstick that you're employing, the United States should not be demoted to not being Great. Whether the "politicians" do not measure up to past ones, that is a global phenomenon. And by that, I'm sure we're not speaking about artificial qualities, such as race, or gender. Here in the US, we consider those as PROGRESS.
I believe the article here made many references to "Great Again", as we hear from Donald J. Trump's campaign, and I like the Trump, but an outsider could easily malign his message. I don't think Gilmour is doing so, I'm just trying to make sure the readers don't.
I'm definitely NOT trying to pull anyone down that has the gumption to stand up and provide a clear direction. Like him or not, Donald Trump is doing his best as are the majority of the leaders in the world. It's the bad apples that need to be weeded out.
Thank you for all the great comments.
I love the USA and more than that I love the people of that great country. I have so many friends there that I can't possibly count them all. The biggest issue for the world is that we need a leader and the US has been exceptional in standing up to the plate and playing that role. I look forward to hearing about some great big vision for a better future....I know that I will do whatever I can to cheer!
Hi Michael,
I haven't watched the program, The Newsroom (the videeo you mention comes from the first season opener), but I have seen the video you mentioned. The first time I watched the Youtube video, it seemed very negative about America, but in truth, watching it again after your article, sadly, much of what he says is true. If you pay attention, the actor expresses a deep love for an America that WAS... and sadly, most of his statements are correct. I'm assuming that the statistics he mentions are (or at least were) correct (I haven't tried to verify them).
I don't like that he is demeaning to the poor sophomore who asks the question. A lot of young Americans are optimistic about our country like she seemed to be.
But his contentions are true. We have an electorate today who is making terrible decisions on leadership because they no longer understand or appreciate what made our country great. That fictional News Anchorman is right on most of his points and he makes the great point that recognizing problems is the first stage to solving them.
Some things he said I don't understand. He states that we used to wage wars on poverty not on poor people. That doesn't make sense to me; maybe to someone else it does.
And although he mentions a lot of other free countries, he doesn't suggest which countries are better. I happen to like it here a lot.
I'm going to rent The Newsroom to check out the series. I understand that it's about a cable channel network guy who is trying to improve the sad state of the media in our country. Trust me when I say the media is messed up here too.
As a closing note to my comment, I read a short book recently called "How Do You Kill Eleven Million People" It's a short book that every free person in the world should read (The short answer is you lie to them). There was a statement in there that I'll never forget. It said something like, A country can recover from a bad leader or two, but it can never recover from a bad electorate. That seems to be where we're headed.
Sorry if I sound negative. I typically stay away from things political online (and don't plan to spend any time debating my comment here), but I think you may have missed the real point that was trying to be conveyed by this television scene.