By Nathan Allen

That’s Arnold Schwarzenegger on his very first visit to New York in 1968.  It’s the face of a recent immigrant to the U.S. – one who sees nothing but unlimited possibilities before him…and somebody who fully explored those possibilities as he made the transition from professional athlete, to movie star, to best-selling author, to Governor of California – the eighth largest economy in the world. 

This face is symbolic of the “American Dream”; the potential that America used to hold.  Sure, it’s still attainable, but so many things seem different now.

A Changing World

By now, most of us are aware that China’s economy has surpassed that of the U.S.  Most recently, the “Father of Singapore”, Lee Kuan Yew passed away, and my Facebook news feed has been completely saturated with praise for both him and the country of Singapore.  Did you know that last year Singapore officially became the most expensive country in the world?  Even China has taken notes as this tiny country has risen to prominence.  

It’s hard to imagine, because Singapore pulled this off in the span of just 50 years.  So what’s the point of all this?  

The point is yes, America is a great country, but it seems like Asia is leaving us in the dust.  

A month ago I was in Cebu City, Philippines.  I met a young American guy who told me that he now lives in Asia.  When asked why, he looked at me as if it was a no-brainer.  His answer was straight to the point:

“Asia is the future.”

I have another American friend who speaks fluent Mandarin and has made a fortune doing business in China.

Myself, I have spent the last few years traveling all over India and SE Asia.  With this, of course, has come some interesting perspective on the world…but also on my own country, the U.S.  I’m particularly proud of our innovative and pioneering spirit, because I feel that’s what sets us apart more than any other country in the world.  

Improving On Our Success

Yes, in the past, that innovation defined us and propelled us to success…but Asia has been taking notes during our time in the spotlight, and it has carefully monitored what works and what doesn’t.  Among other things, Asia (and by that I mostly mean Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and increasingly, China) has mastered the art of making our innovations cheaper and more accessible.  Couple that with massive work forces (that, in some countries like the Philippines, Americans would describe as “paid slave labor”), and you see why Asia is running circles around us.  It’s not just Asia, either.  Dubai is another good example.  

In a throwback to ancient Rome, there are modern-day empires being built on the backs of armies of barely-paid workers.  

What’s hard for Americans to understand is this:  To these workers, any money is better than no money.  They are happy to have any job. 

These countries don’t always have the same concepts of equality and “fair” business practices…and they certainly haven’t always had the same opportunities.  They may be operating from a history of poverty.  Look at the Philippines.  Downtown Makati in Metro Manila is exploding with growth.  I came back after just one year and didn’t even recognize the skyline anymore.  

Yes, in the Philippines, shiny new skyscrapers are being built at an almost unimaginable rate.  We’re talking about a country about 2% of the size of the U.S., but with 33% of the population.  It is easy to exploit the workforce in overpopulated countries like this, but it’s ironic, because in many cases, the workers don’t even feel exploited!  Again, they are just happy to be working.

So how are we, a country which has worked so hard to fight for the rights of all workers (and in turn, made it prohibitively expensive to create and run businesses) to compete with THAT?

Should we?

These are difficult questions to ask, but of course, they are worth asking.  The U.S. may not be perfect, but when I look at the big picture in terms of global-leadership, it still seems to be the best viable option the world currently has. 

America, it might be time to face the music.  Perhaps other countries are no longer learning from us.  Perhaps it’s time for us to start learning from them.  

I only hope we won’t be too proud or arrogant to listen.

-Nathan Allen

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By Nathan Allen

I must admit, this video of U2’s “Bono” talking about how “America Is An Idea” has me brimming with patriotism.

Well, I didn’t always feel this way.

To be honest, when I first left the U.S. and ventured out into the world, I avoided other Americans like the plague. Growing up in California, I kind of absorbed the idea that my country was some sort of scourge on the face of the earth. I assumed that others around the globe would share this view (some do), but the reality turned out to be quite a bit more nuanced.

As much as I didn’t want to admit it, over time I realized that I definitely had been living in a bubble. The new friends I made in various countries helped me adjust the lens through which I saw not only myself, but also my OWN country.

Red, White, and…Bánh mì?

For example, I never imagined that I would see north Vietnamese youth plastering American flags all over their motorbike helmets, but indeed I saw just that.

Speaking of which, on one return trip to California I was invited to the beautiful home of a Vietnamese refugee family. As I looked around I couldn’t keep my eyes from welling up with pride. For now, not only did I have an understanding of the challenges they faced to get here, but also a deep appreciation for the opportunities afforded to them in the United States.

(Not only for them, but anybody with the determination to keep reaching for it.)

Immigrant Eyes

In fact, one of the greatest gifts I have been given is being able to view my country through the eyes of an immigrant. My wife is from the Philippines, and it was eye opening to hear her say “if we have kids, I want them to have what you have”. She was talking about freedom…not just having freedom, as many great countries of course do, but actually being free.

She sees it as a state of mind, something deep within the psyche of many Americans.

We are raised to think that anything is possible; that the sky is the limit. This of course could be seen as overconfidence, but I believe that real innovation and success comes from the ability to dust yourself off after repeated failure.

“You’ve got to learn how to fall before you learn how to fly.”

This is where the “plucky confidence” of Americans really comes into play (despite the fact that on paper, we clearly lag behind many other nations).

Honest Abe’s Prediction

Many years ago, Abraham Lincoln warned that the real threat to America would come from within America herself. Never has been this been more apparent to me. After all, before I began to see my country from the outside (and through the eyes of others), I was on the inside, constantly criticizing and apologizing for it.

Well, No more.

Years of living abroad (coupled with me advancing in age, I suppose) have given me a totally new perspective on things. There is no doubt that my country is flawed, just like many others. However, there is also no doubt that, overall, America has been a force for good in the world. Certainly a great, stabilizing force.

As Americans of all colors and backgrounds, we must stay vigilant and united. We should be wary of those who try to misrepresent who and what we are. Yes, we are struggling through an incredibly polarizing time right now, especially during another contentious election year. However, we’re tough and tested…we have a classic western expression: “this ain’t our first rodeo!”

(continued below)

A Distorted Sense Of Reality

It was a European friend that reminded me how American media often seems wildly out of touch with reality. “If it bleeds it leads”, isn’t that how the old saying goes? Well, in my humble opinion it seems to be true. I’ve spent over 20 years documenting life in the U.S. and other countries, and I barely recognize the world portrayed in our media.

The “State Of Jefferson”

In order to capture the incredible scenery in California’s Sierra Nevada, my wife and I moved to a sparsely populated rural county near Yosemite National Park. This area is over 90% white, and deeply Republican. In other words, “Trump Country”. In fact, this county is so “red” that most people here want to secede from California, creating a conservative new 51st state – “The State Of Jefferson”!

Given the hate and vitriol we’re led to believe that white America has for non-white people, we should be terrified, right? Even her friends in Asia sent concerned emails, worried that “Billy Bob” was going to try and hunt her down…all because they saw something scary on CNN.

Well not so fast.

Keep in mind that my wife is a morena (darker skinned) Filipina. To me, she’s as beautiful as can be. To them…well, she may be the same, but I can guarantee you they’re well aware she’s not white.

However, to our shock, they have been nothing but absolutely wonderful to her. Even the staff at her hospital checkups (which I can’t join, due to Covid) have been incredibly kind and helpful to her.

Does this mean that racism in America no longer exists? Certainly not. Does it mean that it’s purposely exaggerated for political / monetary gain? Well, you’re going to have to be the judge of that.

Sifting Through The B.S.

As asinine as it sounds, one trick I’ve learned is to simply use my own real-world experience to gauge whether or not something is true. I realized that every time I get online or turn on the news, I’m led to believe my country is this way or that.

If your real-world experience (or those closest to you) truly reflects what you see on the news, then by all means…continue believing it!

On the other hand, if it doesn’t…be skeptical. I think we owe that much to our country and fellow citizens. Whenever possible, I listen to the speeches of politicians (on the right and left) uncut and in full. I will never trust a media outlet to accurately deliver their message through tiny sound bites. I’ve given them way too many chances.

An Immigrant Success Story

Despite what it may seem, the America I see today is a decent and incredibly diverse nation. After all those years in Asia, I’m particularly proud of the accomplishments of Asian Americans. For example, for quite some time now, they have the highest median household income in the U.S., and are most likely to receive the best loans from banks. In my view, that is opportunity and hard work in action.

It’s especially impressive coming from the only race that at one point had an oppresive law on the books prohibiting them from even entering the U.S.

I Love Your Country – & Now I Love Mine, Too

To the Americans I met while living abroad, I’m sorry if I avoided you at first. To those I encountered after my “Great American Awakening”, you have no idea how much our interaction meant to me. I became incredibly homesick near the end there, and am over the moon to be back home with my wife now – especially after such an arduous wait for her immigration processing.

To my friends in the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Britain, Germany, and Netherlands, thanks for sharing nostalgic stories of your visits to my home country. Thanks for continuing to see America in a positive light – as a beacon of hope, even when I (and countless others) have neglected to.

I loved exploring and getting to know YOUR countries very much, thank you for helping me learn to appreciate my own unique culture and history. I’m honestly a bit embarrassed that it took me this long.

America, absence really does make the heart grow fonder. I took you for granted for oh so many years…I promise it will never happen again.

Happy birthday!

– Nathan Allen

www.idreamedofthis.com

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