The Power of the Individual

In an age when Americans seem to be divided, Paul Johnson and Dr. Basha, focus on the important idea that “It’s we, not me.” Service and belonging are connected! They help answer the question, “With all the things I have going on, with everyone else seemingly looking out for themselves, why should I focus on giving anything back? What is it for me?”

They examine what makes being an American special, and why owning who we are, being proud of our past, and giving back is a key part of your path to owning your agency. The discussion starts with why the wealth and prosperity in the USA are second to none, then it goes to the individual vs the collective.

The power was created when our founders decided to break from the monarchy and to create a “more perfect union”, not promising to create a Utopia, but instead to prioritize the individual. This results in the benefit to the greater good over time.

Individuals have the innate ability to determine their destiny, however, so many Individuals put the collective over their interests. Firefighters, police officers, teachers, people who serve in our military, and ordinary people, who struggle to pay their bills, and keep their kids in schools, but who work hard to make ends meet. Lastly, the entrepreneurs who test the standards, who challenge the status quo, who push the thinking to cure cancer, extend human life, and create cars that drive themselves.

The idea of self-made men is a myth. No one has made it alone. How do we repay these great debts? By being kind to other Americans! We pay it back through service in our jobs, to our friends, families, our customers.

We are The Optimistic American, and we are in the business of promoting what is going right in our country. Every day, there is tremendous progress being made in America — across technology, public policy, science and medicine, and much more — that will set current and future generations up for success. Our goal is to highlight these advancements and tilt the scale of news and information from pessimism towards optimism.

This interview reflects the best themes of The Optimistic American, that our best days lie ahead.

You can listen to this episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcasts!

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0mfMCiR0Jtqs8lr4JeuYwA

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-optimistic-american/id1615223090

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL29wdGFtZXJpY2FuL2ZlZWQueG1s

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