America is so weird.
As a culture, we value constant movement, upward mobility. We abhor contentment, prizing instead the ambitious and restless. In many ways these qualities are admirable; ambition isn't inherently negative, no matter what shallow interpretations on Slytherin house lead us to believe, and striving for a more fulfilling existence is something most of us care about. Still, I can't help but appreciate being in a country that isn't so myopically focused on proclaiming its own greatness to the world.
I live in a pretty wealthy suburb of Auckland, somewhere I never could live on my own. Most residents have good jobs and houses that go for millions of dollars, but Devonport is completely different from similar sorts of neighborhoods in the US. There are no McMansions, first of all: homes are modestly sized, but old, and gorgeous. They're well cared for, and therein lies their value. Cars, like most of the non-US world, are modest and utilitarian. There are a few flashy sports cars, but nothing like you might see in a well-to-do suburb at home.
I'm unashamedly generalizing here, but Kiwis seem to value quality over quantity in their spending. Their wealth goes towards the healthiest foods, the most sustainable and local clothing, special experiences with their friends and family. That desperation to proclaim success in an effort to prove it to yourself...I haven't seen that here. It's a relief. It's calming to be in a place that doesn't seem to always say, "Not Enough".
Being away has made me appreciate a lot about my country, but it's also shown me some things I'm not looking forward to experiencing again. The constant scrambling for more, more, more, and the idea that success has a singular definition: these I would gladly miss on my return.
As a culture, we value constant movement, upward mobility. We abhor contentment, prizing instead the ambitious and restless. In many ways these qualities are admirable; ambition isn't inherently negative, no matter what shallow interpretations on Slytherin house lead us to believe, and striving for a more fulfilling existence is something most of us care about. Still, I can't help but appreciate being in a country that isn't so myopically focused on proclaiming its own greatness to the world.
I live in a pretty wealthy suburb of Auckland, somewhere I never could live on my own. Most residents have good jobs and houses that go for millions of dollars, but Devonport is completely different from similar sorts of neighborhoods in the US. There are no McMansions, first of all: homes are modestly sized, but old, and gorgeous. They're well cared for, and therein lies their value. Cars, like most of the non-US world, are modest and utilitarian. There are a few flashy sports cars, but nothing like you might see in a well-to-do suburb at home.
I'm unashamedly generalizing here, but Kiwis seem to value quality over quantity in their spending. Their wealth goes towards the healthiest foods, the most sustainable and local clothing, special experiences with their friends and family. That desperation to proclaim success in an effort to prove it to yourself...I haven't seen that here. It's a relief. It's calming to be in a place that doesn't seem to always say, "Not Enough".
Being away has made me appreciate a lot about my country, but it's also shown me some things I'm not looking forward to experiencing again. The constant scrambling for more, more, more, and the idea that success has a singular definition: these I would gladly miss on my return.
Apologies for the slightly off-topic post. We've been deep into the rainy winter season these past few months, so road trips have been postponed until the sun comes back out again. Instead, I've been indulging in solitary walks around Devonport, getting coffee with friends, and thinking about the frailty of the American Dream...as one does, you know. However, the next few weeks will be quite eventful, so travel posts are on their way soon!
And it’s a measly manner of existence. To get on that subway on the hot mornings in summer. To devote your whole life to keeping stock, or making phone calls, or selling or buying. To suffer fifty weeks of the year for the sake of a two week vacation, when all you really desire is to be outdoors with your shirt off. And always to have to get ahead of the next fella. And still—that’s how you build a future.
-Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman
-Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman