Secretary Chu, Sputnik moments, growing up a little, and memories of the Fonz

In late November, Secretary Chu addressed the National Press Club and told Americans that we are immersed in a “Sputnik moment.”

What does that mean? Quite simply, Chu’s saying that we are chasing China and other nations in the area of clean technology and that this chase should clue us in that we need to buckle down and regain our technology foothold. It’s a wake up or shut up moment.

But, I don’t agree that we are in a fight-or-flight spot, a do-or-die situation. Instead, it feels more like a “jump the shark” moment to me.

To explain Chu’s scientific Sputnik reference let’s go back a generation to 1957 when Russia sent the sleeping giant of America a big ol’ wake up or shut up moment by launching the first Earth-orbiting, manmade satellite. U.S. citizens who saw America as the tech powerhouse in those post-war glory days were forced to alter those visions when it became obvious to the entire world that the Russians were ahead in this game. It was hard to ignore the shiny metal sphere circling the world. So, Sputnik 1’s launch created the space race and solidified the USSR as our biggest Cold War opponent. We took that as a call to a figurative tech war, and we met that call.

Now, Chu is telling us China’s our newest opponent, that it and other leaps-ahead clean and green industrial countries will be on the opposite side of what might be termed a “green war.”

“When it comes to innovation, Americans don't take a back seat to anyone---and we certainly won't start now," said Secretary Chu to the National Press Club. "From wind power to nuclear reactors to high speed rail, China and other countries are moving aggressively to capture the lead. Given that challenge, and given the enormous economic opportunities in clean energy, it's time for America to do what we do best: innovate. As President Obama has said, we should not, cannot, and will not play for second place."

I think Secretary Chu was being conservative when he told us we’re in a “Sputnik moment.” In the area of energy, Chu specifically pointed out China’s leaps in high voltage transmission, advanced coal tech, nuclear power and renewables. In his Sputnik moment world, we just need to try a little harder, and we’ll be back on top again.

Looking at all those clean tech issues and other countries’ (like numerous EU member states) pilot projects and funding, personally, I think, in the areas of green tech, we’re getting closer to a “jump the shark” moment.

To explain my “jump the shark” reference, think about the Fonz and all those good memories you had watching that classic TV favorite Happy Days. It was great family entertainment and often thoughtful and well written. But, all good things wind down if they don’t innovate and change. And, rather than innovating and changing, the Fonz (and Happy Days) chose a storyline where Henry Winkler’s leather-jacketed character (still in his leather jacket but also sporting board shorts) climbed onto water skis and literally jumped a shark to prove his manliness.

I’m not sure it really proved the Fonz’s manliness, if that was ever in question, but it did prove to many viewers that Happy Days really had nothing left to offer in terms of storylines and was headed downhill. And so “jumping the shark” became a familiar Hollywood idiom for TV shows that have lasted past their prime.

Has the concept of an American tech powerhouse also “jumped the shark”? Have we lasted past our “we’re number 1” prime? For years, countries that we have traditionally seen as “behind” in tech areas have assessed their situation, made changes and suddenly taken leaps ahead of us in niche areas. (Think of India’s large-and-in-charge acceptance of IEC 61850 as one example specific to our industry.)

I understand Chu’s desire to push the American button of competitiveness to re-energize the tech community, but I think it’s misguided and off the mark. There’s a lot of good work being done across the U.S. in clean tech areas. I doubt that what’s lacking here is really the technology itself or the thought leadership. It could, more specifically, be regulatory issues---lack of economic incentives, an inability to get states to work together on larger goals, issues with private and public access, the red tape.

So, standing up and declaring that we’re having a “Sputnik moment” to inspire us to get behind the development of better technology is an odd concept when that technology is already at hand (if not here, than in Germany or even, yes, China). Let’s accept that we’ve “jumped the shark” on being the number one worldwide techhead forever and ever and think more about the best way to move forward. Let’s think about collaboration and cooperation and less about, well, in a nutshell, proving our American “manliness” in the technology arena.

Let’s accept that we've jumped the shark, that we're no long numero uno. Even the Fonz’s Henry Winkler moved on eventually, expanding into production and directing his own shows, growing up a little and worrying less about that leather-jacketed image.

And let’s not start a green war where we work to come out on top again and line up opponents to knock down (or jump over or leap past) in an effort to make us shinier and newer with a $6 million makeover. Instead, can we all say, “You know what, winning isn’t the issue. And, we don’t need to ignite another 50-year international juggernaut.”

Instead, can we be adults about this and give China a quick phone call? Can we sit down for coffee with President Hu Jintao and ask the big questions, “How are those high voltage projects going? What advice would you have for us to implement similar changes?”

In other words, can we move this more global team forward together rather than re-establishing competitive lines set to mimic the problematic arc of the American-Russian space race?

It’s OK to have jumped the shark. It’s OK to be out-Sputniked by China. It’s OK to leave old animosities and fears and ethnocentric bubbles behind in the dust with our Cold War history and, instead, move forward to a clean tech future that’s more inclusive.

And, as every good American parent tells his child, it’s really OK to ask for help and a little advice when you need it.