Imagine a world where reusable rockets connect the remotest corners of the planet, machines think faster than humans, and audacious companies don’t just sell products but transform entire ways of life. Now stop imagining – this is the world we live in, shaped by risk-taking, bold ideas, and an innovation-driven culture.

The extraordinary rise in US household wealth – $17 trillion in the last year alone – has drawn criticism for resting on what some call a fragile foundation. Some have argued that this growth is fueled by speculative bubbles, AI hype, and unsustainable borrowing. While these concerns aren’t baseless, they fail to recognise the deeper truth: America’s economic and technological prowess is rooted in its willingness to embrace risk, foster innovation, and dream big.

This isn’t just a lesson for critics in the US – it’s a lesson for countries like Pakistan, which has suffered from decades of stagnation. Unlike the US, Pakistan has shied away from bold decision-making, risk-taking, and innovation, and the consequences are evident: an economy in crisis, perennial dependence on IMF bailouts, social progress stalling, and missed opportunities in a rapidly changing global landscape.

In America, the culture of innovation is underpinned by the belief that failure is not the end but a step forward. Over the last 30 years, this ethos has made the US a global leader in technology, creating companies that have redefined industries.

Google has democratised access to information and fundamentally transformed how we search, learn, and connect. Tesla has revolutionised transportation and energy, driving the global transition to sustainable mobility. OpenAI is pioneering artificial intelligence, unlocking transformative possibilities in healthcare, education, and automation. Microsoft revolutionised the workplace and personal computing, Apple redefined consumer technology with the iPhone, Amazon revolutionised e-commerce and cloud computing, and Nvidia’s GPUs have powered advancements in AI, gaming, and scientific computing. It is hardly a surprise to see that the market cap of these companies runs into trillions of dollars.

These groundbreaking successes were made possible by a supportive........

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