In my discussions with others, either with my peers or those older than I, I often hear the tired refrain that the American century is over. Soon, we will fall, dominated by the Chinese and the coming wave of the developing world. Our students are lazy, our economy is languishing, our infrastructure is deteriorating, and on and on and on.

To these naysayers, I say, “Please, get out of our way.” Because this is our century. When you say this is the end of American dominance, what you are really saying is that my peers and I are going to drop the ball. We are going to give up. We are going to say forget the brass ring, I’m going to take a nap instead. This is simply malarkey.

Because I think about my friends. People I went to college with. People I met in China. People I met here in the Houston Startup Community. I think about SpaceX and Facebook and 2nd.MD. I think about the college students I met this weekend at the Rice Owlsquad Entrepreneurship Summit. You mean to tell me that these people, myself, the hardworking individuals I meet on a daily basis, are going to let it all fall apart? If anyone is to blame for the current American malaise, it is the older generation, not the younger one. And given the recent political breakthroughs on the fiscal cliff, the debt ceiling, and immigration reform (though the last one is pending), the older one my be getting their act together as well.

The young people of the US are going to build a future we haven’t even dreamed yet. They are going to solve problems we did not even know existed. To say they are going to give up is an insult. It is ridiculous. It is pessimistic luddite nonsense.

So to those who nay-say, I say, help or get out-of-the-way. Because we have work to do.