Larry D. Lauer

Public diplomacy is a topic I have discussed several times in my blog over the past few months. This is because I think doing a better job of it is critically important to our future as good and productive citizens of the world.

Simply put, public diplomacy for the U.S. is using integrated marketing and communication strategies and tactics to explain the “idea of America” directly to the citizens of other countries.

This week I had a thought-provoking conversation with a colleague who happens to be a Washington correspondent for one of the major Arab news networks. He has been living in the U.S. for ten years, and owns two cars and a house in the suburbs. Right up front he asked me: “How do you describe your idea of America?”

I responded by explaining the joy of living in freedom, and the superiority of a democratic form of government.  But he countered by saying that while this is true, these factors do not make the U.S. unique. Many other people feel they live a free life, and many governments practice some form of democracy. Then he abruptly and confidently asserted: “I believe there are three other factors that make the U.S. unique in the world,” and he startled me by proceeding to list and explain them! Obviously, he had been thinking about this for a long time. And I was impressed!

Here are his points, and his reasoning: 1. Individualism and self-reliance are fundamental. Most other societies see the family, or even a religious or social commitment, as far more important. 2. The admired role of the entrepreneur. Having an idea, finding the support to implement it, and taking the necessary risks, is not valued nearly as highly in most other societies. 3. Small government. Most people in other countries want more, rather than less, from their governments. While in this country we debate how much government we think we need, my colleague argued that all of us would agree that we prefer the least amount necessary to regulate greed and meet basic social and defense needs.  

There is no doubt that this conversation has had me thinking ever since. I must say that while I know my characterization of America was true, most of my factors did not really differentiate us from the rest of the world. However the three points, so clearly articulated by this Arab living in America, just might come close to doing so.

There is a big lesson to be learned from this conversation. Just what are the American values that truly differentiate us? My international colleague certainly has me thinking about this question all over again.