John Wayne and the "Cowboy Narrative"
Last Tuesday night President Obama took to the Oval Office to reassure the nation of the government’s concerted efforts to solve the oil spill problem in the Gulf Coast. In between hitting the right measure of sympathy for Gulf victims and scorn for BP executives, the president managed to briefly mention his not-so-distant vision for America. We heard the calls for America to wean itself off of its obsession for fossil fuels and a short point on creating a stronger clean energy industry. Most outstanding however, was how the president noted that this time signifies a chance to, “seize the moment.” But what moment are we supposed to be seizing and how?
Many of the greatest achievements in American history are all related to “defining moments” that follow a specific narrative. The Manhattan Project was commissioned under FDR as a response to the perceived potential of the Nazi regime’s destructive power. As a narrative, it was a moment where the U.S. could harness its greatest minds to defend U.S. soil. An imminent threat was involved in large-scale modern warfare and the U.S. was ready to face that challenge with a modern response: science and technology. Subsequently, the Manhattan Project planted the seed for the first real modern national laboratory system, which today still includes many non-weapons-research laboratories.
After Sputnik was launched in 1958, the U.S. mobilized in an effort to beat the Soviets and win the upper hand in the Cold War. The ensuing 1950’s and 60’s space race revolved around a push to the “final frontier,” a narrative that invoked the same frontier spirit that led to the mid-19th century expansion of the United States. Its invocation of the “American cowboy” was accessible to Americans who were already drawn to this same narrative through Hollywood westerns and the ubiquity of its fearless hero, John Wayne. In the 1950’s and 60’s, “the expansion” in this case was not only landing a man on the moon, but also the expansion of funding for engineering initiatives, scientific research, and technological innovation.
A resonating narrative punctuates each of these moments in history. Today, we wonder, “What is the narrative behind the current BP oil spill?” As Jason Linkens from the Huffington Post writes in his critique of the president’s speech Tuesday night, “what was the point?” Clearly, at this stage in the energy debate, we have lost (or perhaps we never had) a strong narrative that resonates with the American people. President Obama pointed to a myriad of measures to changing U.S. energy-consumption patterns. He mentioned the need to create higher efficiency standards for buildings and invest in wind and solar power, but he was not able to pinpoint a specific story that can motivate Americans. There is no clear message coming out of this White House or Congress on how we should view the need for alternative energy. Where is our imminent threat? Who is our John Wayne equivalent? What is going to be the defining message of this generation’s greatest innovative endeavor?
While the president did not go in depth on the subject, he did mention China and other nations’ rapidly growing clean energy industries. While other countries are definitely competitive friends to the United States, their current and future global dominance in the clean energy field has the potential to pose problems for the U.S. Countries like China, India, Japan, and South Korea continue to grow their clean energy industries while the U.S. remains stagnate.
As the Washington Post points out, South Korea recently announced a plan to invest 2% of its GDP annually in environment-related and renewable energy industries over the next five years for a total of $84.5 billion. This same article notes how China and India are ahead in the race for solar power. China already dominates the worldwide solar industry, by creating 35% of the world’s cells and 49% of its polysilicon wafers (the main material for solar cells). The U.S. makes 5% of cells in comparison.
These countries also give large incentives for clean energy companies to build plants in their respective countries by providing large future tax breaks and guaranteed future implementation. China’s share of global clean tech investment increases each year, and has already surpassed the United States for the first time in 2008. In comparison, the U.S.’s tax policy can be daunting for companies. Plus, RD&D, the area where companies struggle the most, is constantly under-funded forcing many RD&D firms to move to countries like China.
The U.S. has already lost its standing as being the center for science and engineering development. The day of substantial funding for academic research in engineering and science ended years ago. Clearly, we have lost our momentum from large public investments like the Manhattan Project and the Apollo Mission. In the wake of America’s dying innovative spirit, perhaps Fareed Zakaria might be right in saying that America could be, “losing its mojo.”
In the wake of the decline of American innovative prowess, the current oil spill narrative is one of anti-corporate outrage. This same sentiment arose in the 2008 automotive industry crisis and the financial crisis that same year. Instead of using this moment as a time for partisan finger wagging, this should signal a time for collaborative action.
At the height of the financial crisis in November of 2008, White House Chief advisor, Rahm Emanuel, stated in an interview that you should, “never allow a crisis to go to waste.” After the colossal effects of the BP oil spill we cannot allow this crisis to slip away without a significant shift in the way this country views its own energy consumption. Some say the President’s tacit retreat on cap and trade proves that the debate on energy is dead. However, we must note that he did open the door to discussions about growing the clean energy industry in America.
In previous American innovative narratives, there has always been a strong policy agenda that is attached to each respective inspiring story. Both the Manhattan Project and the Apollo Project were heavily subsidized by governmental funding and carried a message of integrity that Americans at the time found easily accessible. In contrast, convincing people that setting a carbon tax on big companies to spur a clean energy economy does not seem to hit that same inspiring note today.
Relying on the market as an indefatigable solution to creating any sort of innovation has run its course. While the dominant myth of the “lone inventor” permeates the contemporary story of American innovation, we must remember that the federal government played a significant role in funding large-scale projects that have led to breakthrough creations including microchips, the Internet, and nuclear power just to name a few.
As BP’s oil spill continues to rage on, this moment should signify a time to galvanize support for more funding for clean energy research and development projects. It should serve as a time to restructure how the U.S. does business with the clean energy industry.
If the spewing of as much as 60,000 barrels of oil a day in to the Gulf isn’t enough of an imminent threat to the future of energy in this country, then what is? The president should seize this moment and create a lasting narrative that Americans will remember as a reason to support alternative energy. Americans always love a “comeback kid” story and the underdog image. As the President calls for a clean energy “national mission,” this moment can be the catalyst for creating a coherent American energy initiative.
Today marks the time to start a new American narrative. Sending a clear message for clean energy can be the beginning of this generation’s “final frontier.”
