The Twenty-first Century—Will you be a participant or an observer?

(Notes for upper school language students-2011)

Keep in mind Charles Dickens’ introduction to The Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”—because it is probably a good description of how your generation will fare in this new century! Which part of this equation you occupy will be determined to a large extent on how able you are to communicate your thoughts or just to understand what is going on in what Fareed Zakaria calls The Post American World.

Never since the Roman Empire has one nation so dominated the world’s economy, politics, and culture as the United States has these past seventy years.

China-born American publisher Henry Luce is credited with observing that the Twentieth Century was to be the “American Century.” Powered by an enormous and growing economy, America’s dominance became absolute as the world tore itself apart in World War Two. There was a long time from the late 1940s through the 1950s when most of the world’s manufactured goods, professional services, and advanced intellectual property in the form of computer hardware and software, music and films, as well as chemicals and disease fighting drugs came from US-owned and operated organizations. We got used to this didn’t we?

But then this US economic dominance gradually diminished relative to the rest of the world as first Europe’s and then Asia’s economies rebuilt themselves (in most cases with US help, along with adherence to the principles of free and fair trade), and we are coming to terms with the reality of where we place as a nation of 300 million people relative to a world of 7 billion.

Clearly the US will continue to be a major player economically. More ideas are patented here and more new business start-ups happen here than in any other nation on earth—and that is not likely to change anytime soon. As a nation we have and will have much to offer the rest of the world; but the nature of our relationship with the rest of the world will clearly change. In fact it is changing already. Project our economic growth figures against countries like China and India which are growing at double digit rates and see for yourselves where the US will place in another decade—about when you will be coming into the job market! What does this “Post American” world mean for you?

While American accented English has become the world’s lingua franca, this presents certain advantages and disadvantages to your generation. On the one hand we are using a language that is the first or second language to the major part of the world’s population. But on the other hand most of the world—including those fastest growing parts of it, do not speak English, have never traveled to the US and most probably have no expectation or desire ever to do either!

Speaking a foreign language fluently involves more than translating one thought or concept from one language into another. Fluent speakers of other languages know you actually think differently, as cultural context shades meanings in ways that non-speakers can hardly appreciate. Not having this educational experience is a great handicap in a Post American world.

Do you know the joke the Europeans tell about us? What is a person who speaks three languages called—the answer: trilingual. What is a person who speaks two languages called—the answer: bilingual. And what is a person who speaks only one language called—you guessed it, an American! We are living on a continent in a very large economy where you can travel in a straight line for 3,000 miles and find yourself surrounded by people who speak the same language and who share the same cultural values as you do. In such a country it is easy to be parochial without seeming to be uneducated! But when we step outside our boundaries we are at a clear disadvantage when compared to educated people in most of the rest of the world. Here’s why:

• The US and US-affiliated economies around the world are large, but non-US and non-affiliated US economies are larger and getting more so every year.

• Understanding foreign markets and foreign cultures used to be the domain of specialists—now it is a prerequisite of anyone who aspires to managerial positions of any kind in business or government.

• People instinctively like and relate to those who have made an effort to understand them and their culture. Ugly Americans were never very welcome in other countries—even less so now that our wealth is not as impressive as it once was.

• We learn from others—how much easier it is then if we can understand others in the languages they use to express themselves.

• People who have mastered foreign languages understand the difference between international and global—that “international” is anything that crosses national borders while “global” means being at home wherever you are in the world.


So you/we are entering a world in which those who know how to navigate in and through our globe’s many different national cultures and languages have a better chance of doing well professionally, of feeling comfortable with themselves personally and of knowing what it is like to be a global citizen than those who have not pursued this part of their education. This new world is one full of opportunities and adventures—or filled with dangers and threats, depending to a large extent on whether you are prepared for it. So what will it be—are you going to be a participant or an observer?