Hard Work: Even More American Than Apple Pie

Is apple pie really as American as everyone says it is? Probably not.

When something is loved and celebrated enough by a certain culture, it will likely come to be heavily associated with that culture—like apple pie is now associated with American culture. However, pie is not the only thing we have come to celebrate in this country since its founding. We are proud of our freedom, our military, our progress, and our hard working citizens. At first glance, it is easy to ask whether today’s America is really as hardworking as the America we once were. This is an easy question to ask, but perhaps not an easy question to answer.

George Washington, our first president, was appointed official surveyor for Culpeper County when he was just seventeen. This was a position that carried with it significant responsibility and good wages. Paul Revere, famous for his midnight ride during the American Revolution, developed a successful post-war ironwork business. This was an expansion of his existing silversmith outfit. America’s history is filled with similar stories of entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial success.

Today we have access to exponentially better education and infrastructure—resources that should make sustainable business growth easier than ever before. However, these amenities also come with a more saturated market and fiercer competition. Regardless of the way these changes affect business owners, they certainly have major affects on the consumer, as well. When large corporations supply the majority of commodities needed to survive, consumers no longer have to be as industrious on an individual level. Specialized skills become more important than diverse skills, changing cultural norms.

Although this shift is not inherently bad, it could mean a decrease in innovative ventures. Disruption caused by low-capital startups can be extremely healthy for the economy and consumers. There is certainly plenty of this going on in Silicon Valley, with companies like Pinterest and Uber shaking things up, to much acclaim. However, startup culture should extend beyond software, and beyond the Pacific Northwest.

There are many initiatives focused on forming entrepreneurial tendencies in American youth. Initiatives like the Thiel Fellowship, Intel’s International Science and Engineering Fair, and Foundation Capital’s Young Entrepreneurship Program  Make no mistake, networking and exposure are important, but there are some virtues vital to success that are not often the focus of startup incubators. These include patience, integrity, and honor. 

Photo: www.nwlink.com

Success is often about well-roundedness, and it is our responsibility to rear a well-rounded youth. When multi-tasking is inevitable, we should teach focus. When efficiency is paramount, we should also stress quality. When times get tough, we should teach thriftiness. It is up to us to prepare our children for a diverse future—a future not wholly secured by corporations or government