Success often sows the seeds of future failure. That’s the danger America faces now.
America is a great and powerful country. But this shouldn’t blind us to historical reality. Great empires rise — and fall. Just look at the history of the Roman Empire.
Success often comes with a temptation to abandon what made you successful. Think about an athlete who has spent a decade training for six hours a day, six days a week. He makes it to the pros and signs a big contract. He’s a multimillionaire.
The opportunity cost of his rigid workout schedule is much higher. The temptation is even higher if he’s exceptionally talented. Most teams will accommodate some rule-breaking from their stars. If he neglects his training, he’s even likely to be able to perform at a high level — for a while. But over time, this lack of discipline will erode his skills and ability.
You can see the paradox. His success led him to failure.
This pattern is also apparent among some families. One generation comes from poverty — scrapping and sacrificing so their children can receive an education. The second generation knows the pains of poverty and has better opportunities to succeed. These children do well financially. The third generation has a plethora of opportunities but not the pressure to make the small daily sacrifices that lead to success. They squander the family fortune. There’s a term for this pattern — the “third-generation curse.”
But what’s happening isn’t a supernatural hex but a change in circumstances.
It’s another example of this paradox. The family’s success set the stage for the financial deterioration of future generations.
Now, consider America. Everything we take for granted today — the freedoms, prosperity and scientific innovations — rests on a foundation poured over centuries. Its pillars include Western civilization, Christianity and institutions such as the family. Key figures include Homer, Aristotle, Jesus, William Shakespeare, Christopher Columbus and George Washington.
America’s military is too strong to be defeated in a conventional war. But America has vulnerabilities. If you wanted America to crumble, you would spend decades undermining what made this country great.
Look around. Teachers and professors now tell students that America is systemically racist. Never mind that slavery was a universal institution and our country fought a bloody Civil War to eliminate it. Many universities stopped teaching Western civilization. Professors replaced Shakespeare and other dead white men with authors who check more intersectionality boxes.
This garbage wouldn’t have lasted long in the marketplace of ideas, but it has thrived in government-funded educational institutions.
In many places, the left has replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Leftists have removed statues of American heroes such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Columbus. Many even refused to honor the American flag.
Christianity and the family have faced decades of cultural assault from elite institutions. The Founding Fathers appealed to God for help and urged their fellow Americans to do the same. The left kicked God out of public schools. Now many kids struggle to read, but they sure are familiar with the letters LGBTQ.
A flood of illegal immigrants has further weakened America’s foundation. Cultures aren’t fungible. Simply placing someone in America doesn’t make them an American. Assimilation is much harder when the melting pot is boiling over. Some immigrants want America’s money, but not America’s values.
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction,” Ronald Reagan wisely warned. “It has to be fought for and defended by each generation.”
He was right. Next week, we’ll look at how to preserve America’s greatness for the generations to come.
Contact Victor Joecks at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698. Follow @victorjoecks on X.
