It is not often that I watch television. My daughter and I haven’t had television service for many years now and even though she is on the cusp of turning 17 there are no complaints from her. We never really watched it much anyway. But yesterday I was in a situation where there was a television available and not much else to do so I thought I would see if an episode of SVU or Law and Order was on. There wasn’t, however I locked onto some show that was currently showing a small group of Kenyan tribespeople and figured it was a documentary.
Always wanting to learn more about other people and cultures, I stuck with it through the commercials to see what it was about. I noticed the logo on the screen was for MTV. I thought wow, MTV shows cultural documentaries now? What a change from the first time I watched MTV when I was in 2nd grade. First thing I ever saw on the channel was a video from Twisted Sister.
Anyway it was a show called Exiled. I’m sure most people have seen this show but it was my first time and I think the episode was a rerun. In any case it was about this highly spoiled brat-bitch of a teenager who was being sent to a remote area in Kenya to live with the African natives for a week to hopefully teach her just how good she has it where she is. Her father hoped she would learn some respect and learn about working.
Now, I am upset and when I am in this state I can get off point trying to make a point, so I hope I don’t meander too far off course. I was not completely disgusted with this spoiled girl, it happens and her father admitted he had a huge hand in making her the way she was but this was his attempt to fix it, to wake her up. So there is some respect I have for that. I was not disgusted by her whiny and complaining behavior when in Kenya, sleeping in a cow dung hut on a cow skin with no pillow, 20km from water. I understand that…she’s spoiled so the behavior on her part was expected.
It is not new for any of us in America to watch these types of shows or National Geographic documentaries and see how other cultures live…what they have what they don’t have, etc. None of this was a shock to me…and while what I am about to say is not a shock to me either, I have reached a new level of disgust with Americans and people in general.
I personally have no problem with work. My family taught me that hard work is a part of life, including manual labor. Any time I ever complained about hauling in wood all day for winter was soon quashed when I realized if it doesn’t get done, my ass is going to be mighty cold in January. I have worked all my life whether at home or out of the home. My first job out of the home was when I was ten years old, washing dishes three hours on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Anyway…you see how I get off point. Here is what moved me to a new level of disgust.
I am sitting there watching these beautiful African people share their culture with this girl and seeing all the hard work they must do to survive because there is no other alternative, seeing how their family ties are more deep and loving than many American families….and on comes an advertisement for ring tones.
That is what set me off in my head. A simple ad for ring tones. Then an ad for a Visa card that is a prepay debit card…for the people that have had their credit ruined for whatever reason…then an ad for sending in your old gold jewelry for cash…..then an advertisement for the new Blackberry.
This stark contrast hit me in a much newer way. Possibly because I have finally been to Europe…gotten completely out of North America and have met more people in different parts of the world. Maybe I’m just getting older…read: more mature. lol
Rich people, for the most part, have disgusted me in the past. Not the fact that they are rich, but that they waste their money. Does life really insist you have a $5000.00 handbag?? I mean…is THAT what life is about? But I realized yesterday that so many people in America complain about the rich….but they do the same thing themselves. People with hardly any money still make stupid decisions with their money and then complain about not having money and come up with excuses as to why how their life is is not their fault. Most of these people are angry and unhappy people.
Money ruins people. It ruins relationships between people and not just because one owes the other or one scams the other. But how many times have you seen or heard of rich people with drug problems….same with people with less income. We have created a society of escapists and I think a lot of it has to do with money, either the hoarding of it, the getting of it or the lack of it.
Our entire country is spoiled like that California rich girl. We have turned into the world’s brats. Though at least some people are trying to change that. I am not saying there isn’t anyone in America that doesn’t appreciate what they have and I am not saying that there aren’t any people that don’t work hard for what they have…hell…I’m one of them.
So the next time you are sitting at your television consider the advertisements….for this is what people are buying or there would be no ads for the products…this is what we are…what America is….cell phones, ring tones, how to get money fast, how to lose weight fast. Botox and Fake Breast Nation.
Some people’s biggest decision of the day is whether to take the Gucci or Prada handbag to brunch where they will purchase a $15.00 latte and not eat because they may actually consume a calorie or two.
It’s all fake. Our society is fake. Maybe that is why I don’t quite fit in most days. I picked Information Technology as my field because I understand the software and the hardware. I choose to operate in a services to clients capacity because I can explain technical things easily to people.
But I am finding I am too much of a real person to actually be employed by a larger company. I don’t fit in with the culture of most companies because I relate more to the customer than to the fake pretentions of coworkers. I don’t schmooze, I don’t kiss ass, I don’t gossip. I have more respect for myself and my life and what I leave behind than to be this way.
I am probably one of very few people in the technology field that doesn’t have some sort of orgasm when a new gadget is released…or a new video card comes out. I have very few “must have’s” where technology is concerned. Sometimes I feel like I shouldn’t even be in America, somehow I don’t fit in to what ya’ll got going on.
While watching that show I actually thought….wouldn’t it be nice to live there with those people. Yes you have to walk a bit over ten miles for water, yes you have to butcher your own meat (something I’m not foreign to), yes it’s flippin hot and you make your shelter from mud,water and cow shit. But everyone cares so deeply for each other…and there really is no stress. Not stress like our society creates. Sure it would be stressful to get some sort of infection and not be able to walk to water to wash and etc….but to be able to be in a place where deadlines are seasonal….no matter how rough life is compared to how it is in America….to me…it would be a blessing.
I think I just made up my mind to go to Africa within the next few years, I think it would be prudent for me to go to. Since spending a month in Sweden this past fall I had thought my next trip would be to Italy or Ireland…but now, I am thinking I should go to Africa. And who knows….I just might stay.
John Jacob Said:
on December 23, 2008 at 10:45 PM
Where would you go? Remember to research it well first. If you want to see truely what it is like, try Ghana. It is currently fairly safe. Other wise try South Africa. I enjoy your writing so be carefully. Africa is truely like the wild lion or elephant. Beautiful and terribly dangerous.
magiawen Said:
on December 24, 2008 at 7:11 AM
Yeah, I’m well aware how dangerous it can be out there….have friends that have been in tight situations. Personally I have only been in tight, dangerous situations in America. Don’t want to repeat the experience.
So far I was entertaining the idea of going to Kenya…but only because a friend of mine has a brother that lives there and I feel that it would be prudent to know someone that can show me around and make sure where I am going is safe.
Probably a long time off yet…but a trip in the planning.
EDIT:
Alright then…I THOUGHT I was well aware but apparently not. Just after I posted this I was told he moved back to the states due to what is and has been going down in Kenya. SO…. it’s all up in the air now…good thing I’m not going next week, that would have been a big “oops”.
Anyway, yeah I will be doing a lot of research from now until then…since it is quite obvious that I need to
John Jacob Said:
on January 3, 2009 at 3:37 AM
As you start firming your plans let me know, if you like, I still have quite a few contacts through out Africa. In Ghana, I’m pretty good friend with Prince Baah. He might not be someone you’ll what to hang with (he is very strongly opinionated on religion having a Christian School and about 9 churches) but he would definately be helpfull when it came to getting arround and where to go. In South Africa I also know quite a few people related to my current job. Again they would be just points of reference. While I also have aquantences in a number of other contries most are just a little to wild at the moment. That can change fairly quickly. Another place that you might consider is Mozambique. It is incredibly beautiful and very un-developed. Plus the $ goes a long way usually. You would likely fly in to the capital Maputo in the South end.
Don’t give up on the dream. It is worth seeing at least once. Probably 2 weeks will be enough though (if that) as far as the time frame of your visit. Also try and preset you plans (you can alway change them) so that you will know what you want to accomplish. Must get your shots and remember it is a very different world. Listen to what the locals say and open your mind to a completely new experience.
A secret to traving … When heading east Sleep as much as possible on the trip. …. When traveling west Stay awake till it is bed time in your destination. These things will reduce the stress of changeing your internal clock (jetlag)
Maya Said:
on July 1, 2009 at 5:31 PM
I’m a bit late in responding to this article but it’s a gem of an article. I completely agree with you on all of your points. I am an American myself and I see how American consumerism has plagued our citizens. People have become too lazy and greedy to do anything worthwhile and many of them fight the wrong fights when it comes to freedom.
Would you believe that San Francisco passed a decision to make all companies and private citizens use compose bins they would provide and people complain of their “freedom” of laziness being infringed upon? Obviously, there are no negative effects from composting biodegradeables and any further eco-laws made in this direction would only benefit the city in a very good way. The concept of freedom is being used way too loosely and degraded as a distractor term from the real issues at hand.
People say this should be a personal responsibility but, yet the majority of Americans do not possess that virtue. It is as you said, they’re willing to blame everything else but themselves. Their biggest burden to fight is anything that infringes on their freedom of laziness and greed. Meanwhile, cross over to Iran where people are fighting and dying for real freedom…to have their voice heard over an issue that actually matters – a vote counted. I wish more Americans had the opportunity to visit a poorer country or a country undergoing some kind of peril. I wish more of us didn’t take what we have for granted.