Paradigm Shift: Our Nation’s Decline and Needed Remedy

Published on Friday, 21 January 2011 23:00 Written by Michael Adeleke

 After the G-20 summit in South Korea, I found it appalling the media backlash both President Obama and the United States, as a whole, received. The chances that both the liberal and conservative media agreeing are as a fabled English Premier League commentator said, “few and far between.” .“Another chance has gone begging.” The United States is in decline. This is not a conservative or liberal opinion, this is a fact. Everything from education to the economy, from morals to income is decreasing at an alarming rate. But why? I truly believe America needs a paradigm shift.

But a paradigm shift is only achieved with many caveats. You see, the attitude of the American republic has shifted from self-determination to government reliance, victimization, and entitlements. We have changed the sentiment of “how can I create value?’ to “where can I make money?” to the increasingly popular “let’s just make money”. Now, my goal is not to ruffle feathers or demean ideology. I am neither an expert nor pundit. I am a simple, candid individual who looks at America and says, “What happened?” The world is saying he same thing, “what is wrong with them?” “What are they thinking?” You know you’re in decline when countries you would not give the time of day five years ago are ridiculing and literally laughing at you.

These “nobodies” in the global sense are now saying they do not want to do business with us. You know that you’re government is too big when you go to Europe and they say that you, you, are too socialist! Europe? Really? America has become a joke, a punch line if you will. Outside the U.S., we are portrayed as a herd of slobbering, blundering, impulsively spending idiots whose economy is ripe to exploit. As a son of two immigrants, I understand that America offers a unique experience to a better life. Now it is a nation of unlimited upside for foreigners to come, make money, and leave. While America is managing their money like a college hippie, foreign governments are balancing the budget and cutting the deficit. No longer do they scorn us for being too conservative. We need a paradigm shift.

“You will never change that which you are unwilling to face.” This principle by the author, pastor, and dean, Dr. Robb Thompson epitomizes the sentimentshared by a vast majority of Americans. We need to face   music and look at the facts. For goodness sake, we are twelve trillion dollars in debt. What happens China wants their money back? Ever since the 1960s or so, Americans have gradually increased their reliance on government. In turn, we have found that our leaders, both Democrat and Republican, have made a series of poor decisions. Yet, we continue to invest more faith in them. The more pressure and reliance we put on them, the more pressure they feel. The more mistakes they make to try to appease everyone.

We need to abolish this victim mentality and embrace the ideals of John Locke and self-determination. In my region of Chicagoland, I encounter many people who possess the victim mentality. Yet, when I spend time with my affluent friends, I am exposed to a much different mindset. Wealthy people, on average, have a different outlook on life. They are detail-oriented and painstakingly meticulous. Also they adhere to the message of “the buck stops here.” They are convinced that their ultimate success or failure is solely derived from the choices they make. The fact that they are wealthy is no coincidence. We need a paradigm, shift.

Again, I am not ranting or attempting to demean the liberal ideology. Regardless of my personal opinions, I highly esteem many prominent liberal economists and leaders who possess the ability to analyze objectively and face the facts. America, as a whole, needs to stop bickering, back-biting, and nitpicking and roll up the sleeves. The world does not need a bunch of philosophers and “old heads”; it is desperate for problem solvers. It is desperate for people who say to themselves, “How can I create value?” and “How can I improve myself and my position so I will be fully equipped to help someone?” These are questions we must all ask ourselves. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. We need a paradigm shift.

Now, I do not want to be another talking head who fails to act. In other essays of mine, you will see some of the things I am doing to put my work into action. Nevertheless, our nation, as a whole, needs to start to think long-term. Overtime, Americans have become short-term thinkers and slaves of instant gratification. But this type of mindset can never succeed. All successful people are, in some way, long-term thinkers. For America to prosper, it must do the same. We truly need a paradigm shift. 

Michael Adeleke is a high school senior and founder of the Young Conservative Writers Coalition. You can reach him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or follow him on Twitter