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.
961 Responses
Amen🙏🏼
Vishen, I agree, this is a good conversation to have. I always admire your courage to initiate these topics. Your letter was very hard for me to read. While I agree with everything you are seeking and admiring about America, it feels like you are speaking from the perspective of the outer layer facade of America. I would invite you to do a little more digging. Live in curiosity as to why. Everything else I have learned from you has come from a thorough deep dive into a topic; here I feel you are barely scratching the surface. Regardless of the path we choose to
get there, I feel that we both are looking for the same thing. I hope you enjoy your travels with your son. That sounds amazing! And good luck with the college application process! Very exciting! <3
Vishen, thank you for your love of America and the open letter because America also believes in freedom of speech! 🇺🇸❤️
Will you please also teach your son the following: The land on which Mount Rushmore is located was originally part of the Black Hills, an area sacred to the Lakota Sioux Native American tribe. The U.S. government signed the Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1868, which recognized the Black Hills as part of the Great Sioux Reservation and guaranteed the land to the Lakota.
However, following the discovery of gold in the Black Hills in the mid-1870s, the U.S. government violated the treaty and took control of the land. This led to a series of conflicts and legal disputes between the Lakota Sioux and the federal government. The Lakota continue to assert their claim to the Black Hills, viewing Mount Rushmore as a symbol of broken treaties and cultural loss. Today, the land is managed as part of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which is a national park under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service.
It is important that we know and understand all aspects of American history as some we’re proud of and some we should never repeat!
Love,
MV Student
Thank you for writing this. The Americans I am closest to share my heartbreak and dismay about the way our country is being represented. We do not want this, agree with it, or support it in any way. We so deeply want moral leadership, and it’s nowhere to be found, and we can hardly hold on to what gentle, guiding wisdom might even look like. This is an anguishing time — seeing more clearly than ever the enormous planetary suffering caused by our willful, arrogant ignorance; veneration of financial wealth over community connection and cooperation; and our commodification of a shallow definition of power. Please know that so many millions of us stand forever united in peace and love with our brothers and sisters in Palestine, Israel, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Congo, and everywhere on earth.
A very honest open letter.
May love and light accompany and protect all beings on the path to a more peaceful future.
Namaste, dear family.
You’re not alone in feeling this way. Our country used to look up to America. Now we just shake our head in disbelief and dismay. Hopefully, US citizens will feel a responsibility to choose a leader who displays wisdom and compassion, morals and integrity. We can only hope.
I commend you for speaking your mind. I hope you can still visit with your son.
Thanks for sticking your head above the parapet. Brave. Insightful. Generous. Exactly what the world needs. Peace & Love to all who understand the brevity of this and are working towards a more loving, kinder space for all of us.
it is obvious Vishen that you dont have a clue about what is really happening in the U.S.A
This is a multilayered transformational era and at the basis of it is the age old war of Satan vs GOD which you dont acknowlede at all. Wake up and do some REAL research as it is apparent you know nothing about the real issues
Hi, Vishen. Thank you for sharing this. Your words reflect both the sadness I feel and the hope I try to tap into every day. I believe that as individuals we must look inward and take full responsibility for our lives and our choices. If we come from a place of gratitude rather than fear, every person can find their own personal way of showing up with optimism for a better world. Whether in big or small acts, it doesn’t matter. What matters is choosing to be a part of the solution.
Thank you Vishen! Beautiful, Im with you in these sentiments. There is much we can do, connect with our local communities and safeguard key institutions such as our local press and work across groups lawyers, academics, business leaders, community leaders, etc to discuss solutions to our pressing issues. We got here because we face significant challenges.
I get that you are talking about DT’s effects on the US but what election are you talking about? The next United States presidential election is 2028.
Thank you SO MUCH for your courage to speak up!
I truly hope America goes back to what ir was. From Europe, where I live, this looks like a horror movie, an unrecognizable country where terror and injustice govern. Half of my family are Americans from birth and I feel anxious about their future. We cannot understand why free citizens took so long to react. For me America was freedom, choice, opportunity. Now I see fear, sadness, corruption, dictatorship. It is so sad. And the changes are affecting the whole World. Those of you who can make the change from withun, please do. Too much is at stake.
Thank you for your support and eloquent way of sharing a truth we should all stand behind. I agree America stands for so many things – especially the opportunity to dream and dream big. I know we can all come together and redirect what has taken place, through continued peaceful action steps forward to reclaiming the truth of who we are. In our communities, we stand with each other, and we must continue to do so. May we reclaim our country and stand as one.
Vishen, very well said. Humanity across the globe needs a reset. It is heartbreaking that the “collective” we seem to be sliding into “mine” instead of “ours” because you were born into an arbitrary zipcode.
Well done on this. I’m in support of your words and sentiment
Thank you for writing this! It’s beautifully expressed and I applaud your courage in saying openly what so many of us feel in our heats (and have been screaming into the void). Your words remind us that love, whether for country or for one another, means holding ourselves accountable to our highest values, and not turning away when we falter. Thank you for lighting this beacon.
As a UK citizen, the bond with America has long felt like an unshakable alliance. One that has been built over generations, in our shared values and mutual respect. But watching current events unfold, that sense of certainty is sadly slipping. With a leader who appears to distort truth at every turn, driven more by ego, than statesmanship and showing little regard for the fundamentals of diplomacy, the once steady course of the United States feels worryingly adrift.
What’s most troubling, is that this isn’t just an internal crisis. The ripple effects are global. The politics of fear, division and misinformation are pulling the rest of the world along for a ride we didn’t choose and certainly don’t want!
Eloquent and brilliant, as always; however, so wrong. I can only believe your beliefs are influenced by the media who continues to push out lies and their radical agenda. I am sad that a leader and influencer, such as yourself, is misguided and will lead many into the undermining and division of our country. As I see it (and feel in my heart), it is Good against Evil. May God’s Will, not man’s, prevail. God bless America!
Wish I could upvote your post
Thank you for speaking out. This is what we need now – honest, open-hearted calls for redirection to leadership based on values and service. We can no longer be neutral or polite. Thank you for modeling honesty in a strong, clear, optimistic and kind expression.