Dear America,
I want to begin with this:
I love you.
I really, truly do.
I lived in your cities. I walked your campuses. I sat in your coffee shops, dreaming of building something that could change the world.
America was where I studied. Where I discovered my voice.
Where I fell in love with ideas that reshaped my life.
Where I started Mindvalley, with nothing but ambition and a belief that anything was possible.
For a full decade, you were my home.
And in many ways, you still are.
I may live elsewhere now, but I still identify as American more than anything else.
Because America—the idea of America—isn’t just geography.
It’s a frequency. A dream. A promise that inspired not just me, but billions of people around the world.
What we loved about you
We loved your optimism—the way you believed anything was possible.
We loved your rebels—the ones who spoke truth to power and rewrote the rules.
We loved your Martin Luther King Jr., whose voice still echoes across continents.
We loved your Silicon Valley, that dared to invent the future.
We loved your Apple, born in a garage, changing the way we connect.
We loved Burning Man, a wild celebration of freedom, creativity, and community in the desert.
We loved your poets, your scientists, your dreamers.
You were never perfect. But damn—you had soul.
You were the lighthouse.
The messy, brilliant, complicated beacon we looked toward for what was possible.
But lately… that light feels like it’s flickering.
What the world sees now
In just six months, this is what the world has seen:
– Threats to abandon NATO, the alliance that preserved peace for generations.
– Pointless trade wars where everyone loses.
– Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Treaty, while the Earth burns.
– And now—bombs falling on Iran.
Another unwinnable war in the Middle East.
A war your people swore they’d never allow again.
Not after Iraq.
Not after Afghanistan.
And it’s not just the outer world we see you destroy.
We see you tearing yourselves apart from within.
- Immigration raids that tear apart families and have caused LA to burn.
- Politicians who sound like children while openly taking bribes.
- Tax cuts for billionaires, while those struggling now actually have to pay more in taxes.
- A climate movement abandoned by the very country where it was born.
And yet—I’m writing this letter with an open heart.
Because I haven’t given up.
This week, I’m helping my son apply to U.S. universities. We’re preparing for a tour of East Coast campuses. Then, I’m driving from South Dakota to Yosemite, with stops at Mount Rushmore and the great open spaces I fell in love with.
I want to show my son America. Because I still believe in what America can be.
But I also cannot stay silent—not as a lover of your culture, not as a global citizen.
This spiral you’re in?
It must be named. And it must be stopped.
Because true friends don’t stay silent when they see you crashing.
The spiral was not a mystery. It was a choice.
Every war.
Every broken treaty.
Every erosion of trust.
It didn’t just happen. It was chosen through voting decisions.
By people who, often unknowingly, chose:
- Ego over empathy.
- Charisma over character.
- Soundbites over substance.
And I don’t blame you.
You were caught in a storm of propaganda. You were tired, misled, afraid.
But we need to be honest:
When you vote for leaders who enable war, destabilize peace, and govern through vengeance, you are not just voting for policy. You are voting for self-destruction.
What happened to service?
A great American president once said:
“Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” – John F. Kennedy
Another said:
“We must never remain silent in the face of injustice.” – Barack Obama
Even Ronald Reagan once called America a “shining city upon a hill.”
What happened to that America?
Now we see leaders who sow division instead of unity.
Who thrive on conflict rather than compassion.
Who look not to serve, but to rule.
And as Sun Tzu warned:
“Some men would set their own nation ablaze, just to be king over the ashes.”
Can you recognize them?
Because now more than ever, you must.
America, you’ve always known how to tell the story. Now it’s time to live it.
Think of your heroes.
The ones you’ve shown us on screen for decades.
Will Smith in Independence Day.
Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible.
They save the world, not just themselves.
They protect their families, but they also rise to a higher mission.
That’s what made us fall in love with you.
Your heroes were never selfish.
They were flawed, yes. But they stood up for something bigger.
So why, in real life, do you so often vote for the opposite?
Your vote is not just yours
I say this with love—and urgency:
Your vote doesn’t just affect your neighborhood. It affects the entire planet.
- It affects the air we all breathe.
- The treaties we all depend on.
- The peace we all hope for.
- The future our children will inherit.
This is no longer about party loyalty or economic policy.
This is about consciousness.
This is about whether the most powerful country on Earth will continue to operate from fear and ego —
Or rise into wisdom and service.
What the world needs from you now
We don’t need another American empire.
We need an American elder.
Not one who dominates. One who guides.
Not one who fears. One who serves.
Because you were never meant to be a fortress.
You were meant to be a lighthouse.
But a lighthouse cannot fulfill its purpose if it forgets to shine inward first.
You taught us to dream. Now we’re asking you to dream again.
The world doesn’t hate you.
We’re not laughing at you.
We’re just watching… and hoping.
Hoping that the America we believed in is still in there.
The next time you march in the streets,
March for all of us.
Not just for the poor or hungry in your zip code.
But for the citizens of our shared planet who need you to shine again.
And when the time comes…
Vote with your heart. And with your higher self.
The choice is yours
Not every election is a turning point.
But some are.
And the one you’re facing now?
This is that moment.
You can vote for leaders who turn the world into a battlefield.
Or vote for those who understand that true power is service.
You can choose:
- Ego or evolution
- Division or destiny
- Fear or future
The world is not asking you to be perfect.
We are simply asking you to remember who you are, at your best.
The America that marched with MLK.
That wrote the Moonshot speech.
That created iPhones, NASA, jazz, and the dream that all humans are created equal.
That’s the America we still believe in.
That’s the America the world needs.
Let that be the America you choose.
— Vishen
Founder, Mindvalley
Citizen of Earth.
Forever shaped by the promise of America.
PS: This letter isn’t just mine—it’s a conversation we all need to have. I’d love to hear how this landed for you. What do you believe America still stands for? What does it need to stand for?
Share your comments below.
Let’s make this a space for reflection, dialogue, and hope.
612 Responses
Your statements are so so true. They break my heart for America. I love our country, but people have taken up political corners and totally missed the point of the right person, not party. We need to come together and vote for someone who actually cares about our country, humanity, not their own egos.
I am very disappointed in this article. How could you live in the USA for one decade and not see the poverty and class discrimination? I am not talking race discrimination because for the majority of people that is a thing of the past. But the biggest issue now is class discrimination where people of all colour are discriminated against for being born in poverty. One thing you never mentioned was the health system in the USA. It is the worst in the world. Charging extortionate prices for drugs and operations which are infinitely cheaper in other countries. Have you never heard of medical bankruptcy? Multiple families face that every year. The USA is not and never was an example to be looked up to.
The Paris Climate Treaty is nothing to do with the climate. Its a money laundering scheme. The people who support the Climate Treaty are the same people who kill marine life and bird life with windmills. Who convert agricultural land to solar panels, which takes the land out of the food supply. Who execute deforestation on a massive scale to convert the land to either solar panels or windmills. That is not friends of the earth. That is enemies of the earth.
What about all the children who work in mines in 3rd world countries to extract minerals for solar panels and batteries for electric cars? Google children mining Lithium. Google children mining Cobalt. You will see that even the MSM reports this news. Have you never seen the dumps of solar panels after their life ends? Have you never seen the graveyards of old electric cars in China? Solar panels and electric batteries are not earth friendly. At end of life they are not recycled, and already they are being dumped in massive landfills.
When you say immigration raids do you mean the South American gang members who have infiltrated the USA in the millions? Where do you get your news that you are not aware it is gang members that Donald Trump is trying to deport? I am not a Donald Trump fan, but I do agree with him on some issue i.e. deportation of illegal criminals.
I am guessing you have never heard of the Uniparty either. That means Republicans and Democrats both vote for war and on some issues are identical eg supporting the elites at the expense of the working class people. You can count on one hand (maybe 2 hands) the number of good politicians in the USA. The rest of them are in it for themselves.
Finally back to the children. Don’t you know that parents are being attacked for wanting to protect their children from groomers? The biggest most important reason the majority of people voted Republican is to protect their children from Democrat groomers. How can you be so out of touch with politics to not know about the sexually explicit material that Democrats are pushing on young children? It is the number one issue for parents. I am very disappointed by your article because it proves that you never read the news. All the points raised by myself (and others) are very well known, so it is beyond belief that someone running an educational website never takes the time to educate himself about what is going on in the USA.
Vishen,
Dear God, I have read a few posts and am highly concerned.
You have identified and expressed concern about the most unbelievable monstrous political decisions the US has ever had to come to grips with. Monster is the key word. There is no mistaking that the key person is a monster. He does not care for anyone no matter who they are. The people who support him are blind and closed off to their own consciousness. And to their own well being. We can only hope that the majority see the idiocy and Maliciousness that the party in power now are perpetuating on the American people. God help us.
Well said Vishen. Totally agree with your comments. That said, its not hidden that our US government has been taken over for many, many years by corporate America looking solely for profit and not the well being of its citizens. Whether its drug companies pushing vacines and hiding cures because they prefer to make money off treating the symptoms rather than the cause of the illness. Food companies poisoning the soil and selling us food that has lost its nutrition. I can go on and on, but that Americans are now the most healthy group in the world is not a surprise. The current administration has added to the challenge by seeking to undermine the constitution, and unfortuantely our congress is bending over, joined by some of the Supreme ccurt justices, to turn a blind eye. I have hope, however, that the current status of the US was necessary and similar to an earthquake and bad tornado to awaken the true believers and citizens who believe in justice for all, race equality, for women’s right to choose, and for keeping religion out of government.
Vishen, you have recently made a post that saddened me, and this post warms my heart. That is the way of the world. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I wish for a new day in the USA. The world needs consistent, leadership from my country.
OMG Vishen! I am so glad you spoke out, and sooooo eloquently! I feel the same as you, as the words you spoke in this letter. I am a US Citizen and deeply want to change my country’s trajectory. We all need to listen to each other and hear what those who are troubled and angry cannot clearly say – they matter too.
Thank you for this timely and important message. Half the country is in a cult though and I fear it will land on deaf ears blocked by cognitive dissonance. I appreciate you putting it out into the world though!
Thank you Vishen and others for such a heartfelt post and also for many comments. As a global citizen, American, and Californian, who lives Oceania as my current home, I watch the unfolding as of my native land from afar and right now with horror and deep deep sadness. I cast my votes at each election, but as with the due process, sometimes the side I chose with mine isn’t the outcome. I travel back regularly to see dear family and friends. But things in the political climate and culture have changed. Politics and attitudes of self centeredness of leaders who don’t lead with heart, compassion, and higher self principle are very sad to feel and witness. May the gentle and decent strength awaken in many, instead of fear and silence of retribution. We need a compassionate and caring America again.
I live in Los Angeles, and see first-hand every day the reality of what is going on.
You obviously know nothing about America and what actually happens here besides what the major media outlets propagate, who are 90% anti-the-current-executive-in-chief.
You should take the time to research beyond the same ol’ propaganda and division that has been pushed for nearly ten years at 100,000,000x repetition.
Just because they repeat this stuff over and over on the channel that you got to host on, does not make it true.
I would expect someone of your experience would understand how beliefs are massively influenced through repetition, and at least be wise enough to question the narratives that are being strategically pushed day in and day out. And question the root of the beliefs you have formed.
America is amazing, and getting even better, and the current guy is doing a nice job of moving things in a positive direction for ALL Americans.
Check your sources and quit falling for propaganda. Your son will enjoy life and prosper in the USA more if he understands how to not get sucked into the Media’s propaganda like you have.
There is tremendous opportunity and prosperity and joy right here right now, in spite of the goofy divisive messaging blasted on repeat by a certain group of manipulative people.
Thank you, Vishen for your powerful, truthful and compassionate speech. I agree wholeheartedly with what you have said. I am Australian and am grateful I live in this great country.
Thank you for your post. We need you and the world to help us fight the evil and corruption that has taken over our country. Unfortunately I am very discouraged and uncertain what to do and whom will help us. Unfortunately many American’s have turned against what our Country has stood for. The Judges and elected Representatives are paid for or fearful. The media is basically worthless and not telling the truth. I hope the world will continue to see the good in America and sends us messages of hope that we can regain what we have lost. Not sure who will end this or how it will happen but at 73, I have lived through many things I didn’t think I would. Hopefully this will be another bookmark of forgotten awful time. Praying for a bright future.,
Well said, Vishen.
As a US Citizen, I also want to thank you and commend you for having the courage to speak out — something that, unfortunately, is sorely lacking in many members of the Republican Party. At least, I hope it’s just silence and not a collective complicity or ideological infection, because hate, when unchecked, can become contagious.
Now more than ever, we need strong voices to push back against the wave of misinformation being spread by the president and his close-minded circle. Thank you for being one of those voices. Voices willing to rise above the noise and stand for truth, empathy, and global responsibility.
Thank you for using your platform not just to inspire, but to challenge and lead with heart. I’m hopeful that others will do the same.
Sincerely,
Héctor J. Villares
Alex Krainer is one of the sane voices analyzing what is going on in Ukraine now Iran. With a listen!
E we really don’t know what is going on but I don’t think Trump will get us into a big war. He is from Croatia and lives in Monaco. He uses his geopolitical knowledge to guide gods investment strategy. Trend Compass on Substack.
Thanks
Sue
Western capitalist patriarchal systems are the problem. They have represssed the feminine and devalued the qualities related to this great frequency/archetypal energy. They exploit the earth for their own benefit and focus on the individual over the community.
You write with passion but to invoke the great American dream and hero’s is to miss the point that these systems have reached their used by date and are now imploding. The work is to face the consequences and to focus on restoration of the feminine with the masculine. I say this as an elder woman who has lived my whole life under a system that didn’t value my qualities.
It appears that the world is holding its breath, to see what happens next. From great to sad and unstable. But optimism prevails before the breath is released and the Earth keeps on spinning one revolution at a time.
The road to where America is now has been a long one. It started decades ago with ideologies that were ego driven and made worse by greed. The shaping of the courts, the state legislatures, the Congress, and the erosion of our rights have been part of this long term plan. Even though each political party has it’s faults, one party has been the main driver of this. They are now in control of the country. I was a volunteer during the elections for the opposing party. In my interactions with people, I was shocked to find such extreme levels of anger. Some people’s hearts were filled with hatred. I have come to realize that this country is one that I no longer recognize. Maybe I really never knew it at all.
Your letter is beautiful and it made me cry. I pray that your words will fill hearts with love and compassion. I pray that what little hope I still have will grow. I pray for America and for the world.
You have a political party in the United States that is closely aligned with – and whose members have become extremely wealthy involving themselves with – the Chinese Communist Party, an entity which incarcerates and tortures leaders of the Fulan Gong, because they are offering something other than worship of government.
As someone who at least attempts to meditate, it is a no-brianer as to which political party i support and vote for and which one i vote against
Vishen , Thank you sincerely for your thoughts and comments. Most Americans share your concern over where America currently stands. Thank you for not taking a political stand , but unfortunately you cannot comment on Americas direction without making it political.
Let me say that America is going through a painful correction of sorts right now that has been decades in the making. I personally feel that once we get through the hard part ( which may even take years) , I believe America will be stronger and better than before once all of these changes and challenges shake out. What you see happening, HAD to happen. Many upset people are seeking a respite from this huge change and huge shift in our culture. What America REALLY needs right now is supernatural healing that only GOD can provide. I pray for America daily. I pray for our President. I pray for all hurting Americans , and I pray for the world too. Thank you sir for all you do. I admire your work and look forward to the day we meet to share a meal together.
Thank you Vishen! “The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens” Bahá’í Faith. I agree with you and I hope our country (and world) finds unity.
I hope you visit University of Virginia – your child will love it. It’s just the place for your family!!!!