American Exceptionalism needs to be at the center of every American’s heart today. A standard of excellence is missing from our social construct. Perhaps this stems from a spirit of collaboration rather than competition, which should promote the pursuit of excellence. Nonetheless, our society lacks a desire to be the absolute best in every aspect of American culture.
Beginning with a simple example: the service industry. Conversations are happening around tipping culture. Some people believe that consumers should not dine out if they cannot afford to tip generously.
Servers are paid below minimum wage and rely heavily on tips to supplement their income, so this camp believes consumers should consider that when deciding whether to tip. The consumers who choose not to tip are shamed for not being considerate of the server’s financial situation.
Listen, I understand the argument being made about the servers’ income; however, I am aware that I live in a capitalist society, one of the greatest at that. Why would I assume the producer’s responsibility as a consumer and worry about how they’ll support their family? I am the consumer and should be expected to behave as such.
Now, as a consumer, I participate in tipping culture, but how generous my dollars are depends on… the exceptionalism of the work. Ultimately, this is what the conversation should center on. The conversation should center on exceptional service and its reward, which helps the producer as a byproduct of consumer satisfaction.
There is a distinction between setting a societal norm that encourages consumers to reward out of pity and one that rewards exceptional merit.
This is just a small aspect of American society. Neglecting excellence out of pity for those who refuse to be exceptional is a concept that seeps into American society and governance, and it destroys the greater American spirit.
American society needs the best service in the world. American society needs corporations that desire to produce the best products in the world. American society needs the best military in the world. American society needs the best infrastructure in the world. American society needs the best democracy in the world. American society needs the best primary education in the world. American society needs to produce the world’s pioneers and visionaries. American society needs to be the world’s standard.
We must abandon the values of, and our subscription to, the spirit of pity. America must move beyond this age of regressed stagnation. The time has come for American society to rise to its exceptionalism, and we must embrace the natural momentum of our growing exceptionalism in all aspects of American society.
