The Greatest Country on Earth

In the spirit of full disclosure, let me start by saying that I am a huge Aaron Sorkin fan.  The West Wing, Sports Night, and The Social Network are, for me, must see entertainment.  The reason I bring this up is because as I reflect on yesterday’s Independence Day, I am struck by the brouhaha Mr. Sorkin has created recently with his newest endeavor, The Newsroom (HBO).

In the first episode of The Newsroom, the lead character, a news anchor with a reputation of being a bit vanilla in his news commentary, is challenged by a college student to provide his views on why the United States is the greatest country in the world.  His response:  It isn’t – at least not anymore.  If you haven’t seen the clip, it is a worthwhile conversation piece.  (warning: contains language which some may find offensive.) 

Now, whether you believe the sentiment Sorkin presents or not, he certainly has struck a nerve, enough so to lead CNN to publish a series exploring the concept of American exceptionalism.  I certainly won’t claim to be enough of an expert to debate the merits of Sorkin’s position either in favor or against here.  But, what I can say with some level of authority is that what has, does, and will make this country great is insuring an educated citizenry.  This is not just an economic imperative; it is also a moral one.  There are reams of data that show conclusively that higher education results in significantly higher lifetime earnings and lower unemployment.  The difference in earnings and unemployment between college degree earners and non-degree earners is intensified when isolating groups such as lower socio-economic status, underrepresented groups, and first-generation Americans.  But what about the other impacts of education?

For starters, people with higher education are healthier, live longer and are less likely to be smokers, a benefit both to the individual and to our health care system.  They are also far more likely to engage in volunteerism and are more politically active and aware, resulting in higher engagement in the democratic process through voting.  Conclusion:  Higher education benefits our society.

As we look back on what we have done and look ahead to what we will do as a nation, education is a cornerstone to that once and future success.  Whether you believe America is or isn’t the greatest country on Earth, it certainly can be going forward if we are intelligent enough to invest in ourselves by insuring an educated citizenry.