Build America Up—Don’t Burn It To the Ground - Doug Devos

Quick Overview

Doug Devos advocates for maintaining belief in people, upholding American values of opportunity and virtue, and combating the divisive illusion amplified by technology through genuine human interaction and rigorous intellectual engagement, contrasting this with the negative narrative often seen online.

Key Points: Devos grounds his perspective in the upbringing from the Amway business, emphasizing a fundamental belief in all people and their tremendous potential, stating, "everyone from every walk of life, from every different background and and that's never changed." He stresses that achieving success does not mean one is finished; instead, it creates an opportunity to contribute more to the community, following the principle: "help the person next to you." Devos links American identity to a set of values, quoting Ronald Reagan: "you can go to Germany but you can't be a German. You can go you can't be that but anyone can be an American." He identifies a societal issue where technology amplifies disharmony and creates a "collective illusion" that the country is deeply divided, urging people to reject this manufactured narrative. Regarding young men feeling left behind, Devos asserts that the belief the system is rigged is a lie, emphasizing that America offers the greatest hope and fairest system, urging them to pursue virtue and take the next step forward rather than giving up. Devos discusses the founding of Amway by his father and Jay Van Andel, noting their early ventures included starting a flight school despite not knowing how to fly, and later sailing a boat that sank before they found success with the Neutralite direct selling model. To counter his "Midwest nice," Devos states he is learning to be more aggressive in intellectual exchange: "I need to do a better job. I don't have to attack somebody, but I have to maybe attack that idea and and really test somebody."

Context: The conversation is an interview between John (the host of Dad Saves America) and Doug Devos, son of Amway co-founder Rich Devos, about Devos's book Believe, American identity, societal trust in institutions, and the challenges facing young men. Devos, who is involved with the National Constitution Center, shares insights drawn from his upbringing in the entrepreneurial environment of Amway and his Midwestern cultural background in Grand Rapids, Michigan.