Rude Wakeup Call.

• Author: Schroeder, Christopher

I remember reading recently in the memoir of Lee Kuan Yew--the remarkable founder of Singapore--him noting that independence in Malaya began the day the British surrendered to the Japanese in World War II. Up until then, the Brits were viewed as demi-gods, unbeatable, elite. But when an Asian army--often on bicycles and outnumbered something like three-to-one--defeated them, structurally and psychologically the region never viewed Great Britain in the same way again.

In recent years, America has taken a very different role and tone in our engagement in the world, one that may forever change the way the world views us structurally if not psychologically. Joe Biden's first tweet once learning he had won the 2020 election was, "America is back!"

But back to what?

Today's world has shifted profoundly since well before Covid-19. A fraction of shifting events well in process and only accelerated by the pandemic include the rise of China and Asia more broadly; Brexit and a rethinking of a new future in Europe; and astounding technology and new generations pushing societies bottom up across the globe and in parts of the world America often ignores.

As a global venture investor who once flew 250,000 miles a year and now tours the worlds of innovation through hours on Zoom each day, I have a very specific lens on this shift. And it is right at the heart of where historically America has had its greatest strategic advantage--technology and innovation leadership.

I'm often asked what are the most important tech revolutions today, and certainly spend much time thinking of the ramifications of artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, genomics, and more. But for me the greatest and least-understood revolution is not the tech itself, but the near-universal access to it.

Across the world, 70, 80, 90 percent of mobile users have a smart device. This of course is not merely a phone or way to check social media, but a super computer in each device many times more powerful than all NASA had in 1969 to put a man on the moon.

This has meant--globally--unlimited access to all human knowledge, insight, and experience. It has offered an unparalleled ability to share and learn from each other and collaborate. It has unleashed an unprecedented period of empowerment where the more individuals see people like them building something and succeed, they believe they too can achieve it. As talent is everywhere, so innovation to solve problems is anywhere. And...