Aamir Hussain (Georgetown) on Economic Inequality
March 16, 2012
Is Economic Inequality the Single Greatest Problem in America Today?
Conflicts over income inequality are only symptoms of the much wider phenomenon of pessimism, which is by far the greatest challenge facing America today. Dr. Eboo Patel once said, “America isn’t perfect, but America is great because it’s perfectable.” Indeed, throughout history, Americans have continually improved our country through their own hard work. However, a culture of pessimism undermines this paradigm and stifles progress in an era when ordinary American citizens are needed most to rise above new challenges.
In my opinion, the culture of our political system is completely to blame for setting this national trend. Our political system, once touted as a model for the rest of mankind, has fallen into dysfunction due to a crisis of negative leadership. Indeed, our politicians—our supposed role models—are more concerned with discrediting their opponents and discussing what is wrong with American society rather than providing concrete solutions. Disgusted by this negativity, the American people now disapprove of their government at record levels, therefore undercutting the government’s popular mandate to actually tackle these issues and perpetuating this cycle of pessimism.
The culture of negativity also suffocates another invaluable American characteristic—the ability to find innovative solutions by adapting foreign ideas. Politicians’ demonization of Europe is detrimental to American progress because it is entirely possible that American problems could be solved by learning from European nations. For example, Americans would rely less on fossil fuels if we followed France’s example and developed more efficient public transportation in our cities. Also, we could perhaps curtail the skyrocketing cost of higher education by applying German methods. Devaluing the successes of other nations ultimately harms Americans because it makes the American public more apathetic, resistant to positive change, and perpetuates the worldwide stereotype that Americans are, by nature, parochial.
Pessimism is the antithesis of American identity. Indeed, Americans succeeded in the past because the people believed they could. When the Civil War was tearing our nation apart, a young generation, immortalized at Gettysburg, made the ultimate sacrifice so our nations’ founding ideals might endure. When President Kennedy challenged Americans to put a man on the moon within ten years, a generation of young, optimistic scientists answered the call.
The culture of negativity has made socioeconomic, religious, or racial identities more salient than our unifying American one. A revived spirit of optimism, unity, and confidence is all our generation needs to help America succeed.
The culture of negativity also suffocates another invaluable American characteristic—the ability to find innovative solutions by adapting foreign ideas. Politicians’ demonization of Europe is detrimental to American progress because it is entirely possible that American problems could be solved by learning from European nations. For example, Americans would rely less on fossil fuels if we followed France’s example and developed more efficient public transportation in our cities. Also, we could perhaps curtail the skyrocketing cost of higher education by applying German methods. Devaluing the successes of other nations ultimately harms Americans because it makes the American public more apathetic, resistant to positive change, and perpetuates the worldwide stereotype that Americans are, by nature, parochial.
Pessimism is the antithesis of American identity. Indeed, Americans succeeded in the past because the people believed they could. When the Civil War was tearing our nation apart, a young generation, immortalized at Gettysburg, made the ultimate sacrifice so our nations’ founding ideals might endure. When President Kennedy challenged Americans to put a man on the moon within ten years, a generation of young, optimistic scientists answered the call.
The culture of negativity has made socioeconomic, religious, or racial identities more salient than our unifying American one. A revived spirit of optimism, unity, and confidence is all our generation needs to help America succeed.
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