Teach Your Children Well; Our Future Depends on it

Not that long ago, my son came home very proud of himself. He showed me a $5 bill and explained, "Dad! I bought a poster at the book fair for four-fifty and then gave it to another kid for five dollars!" I was definitely a happy father and told him I was just as proud of him as I would be if he made a big tackle for his football team or an important bucket in basketball. It made me proud because, despite all the unlearning about competition and capitalism that the educational system and media for children attempt, he gets it.

Adam Smith and the ideas he discussed in 1776 lie at the foundation of how the world works. Furthermore America itself is defined by the values of liberty and capitalism that give each one of us the opportunity to earn the lifestyle we desire. The opportunity is our right, working hard for that opportunity is our right, the desired end product is not. All too often our children receive the message that fairness only occurs if everyone ends up the same at the end of the process. They also rarely learn the sting of failure. Even in youth sports efforts are made to erase the distinction between winning and losing. All participants are winners regardless of ability or effort. What incentive do children have to work harder and develop skills and talents when incentives to get better are constantly removed from the table?

Last year BB&T invested in our state's future by creating an endowed professorship at West Virginia University. Professor Russell Sobel now occupies the position that requires teaching and research in free market studies. Although this is a tremendous and very admirable step, we need to teach children necessary lessons at a younger age. Competition is valuable. Failure can be the best teacher. Profit is not evil. With these intellectual tools, the greatest nation with the highest standard of living and most opportunity of any in the history of the world was built. Forgetting these lessons means our nation declines, period. Maintaining and continuing to develop our nation's way of life requires that we get back to basics and teach our children well.