The un-American Private Sector Pt 1

What happened to patriotism?

By Darryl Weng

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The millennials and Gen Z are quite the innovative generations among those existing. Young people, from teens to young adults, are founding companies, leading humanitarian efforts, and becoming millionaires, if not billionaires, through ways unimagined by those who have lived the majority of their lives in the 20th century. Simply dominating the private sector. And, unsurprisingly, most of those young innovators are from America.

However, since the past decade, the such innovators of our time seem to be consistent in their disapproval of America. In an IOP poll in 2020, only 29 percent of 18-29 year olds labeled themselves as patriotic(1). Such a low percentage of patriotism among millennials and Gen Z could possibly answer the sour relationship between the private sector and the U.S government.

In recent years, or perhaps decades, the private sector of America has been engaging with Chinese markets, supporting ends to America’s recent dominance in oil production, supporting extreme political policies, and highlighting America’s dark past of slavery and racism. All of which are detrimental to America and its future. Nevertheless, the private sector has not waned in its efforts. The U.S government now struggles to keep its dominance in utilizing technology for both military and civilian use. With China already stealing the top spot for AI integration, America may be pushed further behind in the AI industry - an important industry that will take a major part in the determination of the future of America’s dominance in technology.

If the sour relationship between the private sector and the U.S government continues, other malignant nations like China, Russia, and Iran will weaponize at an increasing rate, creating physical weapons and new cyberwarfare. Perhaps the average American has become too therapeutic to realize how dangerous the threat China and its allies pose.

1. Harvard Institute of Politics/Ipsos, September 23-October 11, 2020