Post-American Era

The topic of “Post-American era” stirred up warp discussions over how America can seize the moment of time, be it a golden or dyspeptic chance. Incensed views about the waning of the States, coupled with the rising of China, India, and other “third-world” countries, were commonplace on the Web along the Presidential campaign trail. More than once had I came across outrageous and bitter comments about the communist China, its lead contaminated products, and its brainwashed people, which will always be accompanied with the problem of illegal immigrants sprung from the long broken borders. Seldom did I hear about an alternative on how to replace the seemingly roadblocks with opportunities ahead.

Here comes this article, written by Fareed Zakaria, about how one/American should consider their “chances.” In brief, it paints the country as a major beneficiary over the years of globalization, capitalism, and freedom. He cited profusely the factoids that reflect a seismic shift in power and attitudes, but reinstating solid figures that these worries should be unfounded.

I took to his argument the grandiose effect the media has over the narration of what the world we are living in. Issues and problems, good and bad news, are all magnified within fingertips. The immediacy of the images and news garner all the intensities to a constant hype.
“Every weather disturbance is the "storm of the decade." Every bomb that explodes is BREAKING NEWS. Because the information revolution is so new, we—reporters, writers, readers, viewers—are all just now figuring out how to put everything in context.”

Nationalism, too, through the millions of blogs, discussion boards, and indigenous web sites, imbues the heat and unites the think-alike to pursue in full throttle for national pride and the world’s recognition. Sure. Militant groups are a real threat. China and Russia are surging. But their military spending are far less than America does—Russia’s military spending is $35 billion or 1/20th of the Pentagon’s, and the states has 40 times more of missiles than China do. Instead of feeling victimized under the threat of terrorism, antagonized at the double-digit growth of the impoverished “third-worlds,” and shadow of economic depression hovering the whole nation, the Americans should go back to where it’s strongest—“the open and most flexible society in the world, able to absorb other people, cultures, ideas, goods, and services.”

Looking around, Zakaria pointed out the truth the country “thrives on the hunger and energy of poor immigrants.” At those higher institutions, 75% of PhDs were awarded to foreign students by 2006. US should find ways to retain these elites, the innovations, and their brains leaving for their own countries.

Serving as outcries clinched to the end ropes, Zakaria cited the following two observations:

American society can adapt to this new world. But can the American government? Washington has gotten used to a world in which all roads led to its doorstep. America has rarely had to worry about benchmarking to the rest of the world—it was always so far ahead. But the natives have gotten good at capitalism and the gap is narrowing. Look at the rise of London. It's now the world's leading financial center—less because of things that the United States did badly than those London did well, like improving regulation and becoming friendlier to foreign capital.

To bring others into this world, the United States needs to make its own commitment to the system clear. So far, America has been able to have it both ways. It is the global rule-maker but doesn't always play by the rules. And forget about standards created by others. Only three countries in the world don't use the metric system—Liberia, Myanmar, and the United States. For America to continue to lead the world, we will have to first join it.

There are a great many facts and sources are yet to be verified. The fundamental problem Zakaria tired to portray is the “pride” issue dragging the country from moving forward. He is pinpointing the provincial thoughts Americans are having, that is: boastfulness. And, it is the media which manipulates our perception.

While the west can easily gloat at small trumps, the east (I would like to say Hong Kong) tends to search minor faults inwardly. It is something ingrained and culturally bound. Oftentimes, I was surprised by how some of my fellow classmates resumed quickly from failure a moment ago and felt good at "claiming" to achieve something which has not been even done. Reflection is peripheral; however, it's the openness and forgiveness we should learn from.