In American Studies this week, we talked about sidewalks and how they are straight. It's interesting that sidewalks are straight when they could be curved, but of course there is a logical answer. The straight path is the most direct, the fastest, the shortest. But is that always good? Everything is based on efficiency, in the work place people try and get as much done, to sell the most things, to make the most profit. Even in a child's life growing up, every minute is filled with some activity whether a "play-date", school, sports, or fine arts. Where is there room in our lives for a break from all that chaos?
Vacation. It's such a nice word. It implies relaxation, rest, a break from day to day activities, and free time. But on vacation, I seem to find myself nearly as busy, if not more so, than when in school. My vacation time is crammed full of everything I want to do that I don't get to do when I have school. Things like going to the movies, hanging out with friends, traveling, having a job, playing sports, spending time with family, etc. There is always so much to do that the vacation ends up not really being restful and relaxing, but rather a different kind of activity from what I normally do.
So then vacation isn't really a break. There is no time built into the American culture that allows for rest. Over the summer, I went on a mission trip to Central America. We were told that the bus ride from where we were staying to the village we were working in would be half an hour, one way. The ride took two and a half hours. On the bus, I was stressed, I hate being late. I have always been taught "if you're on time, you're late." But when we arrived in the village, even two hours late, it didn't even make a difference to them. They were all just happy that we were there to help. The timing was insignificant there, why isn't it more like that here?
The reason that in the United States does follow strict time rules without breaks while other countries do not is due to America's competitive nature. Unlike in a remote village in Guatemala where nothing but the wind is moving, American society, especially in the affluent suburbs of Chicago, is constantly going in order to make forward progress. Without these rigorous schedules, we would not be nearly as advanced as we are today. While we are striving for excellence in today's global society with hard work, this small country in Central America does not really progress. Without the importance of time in America, we would not be the superpower that we are.
ReplyDeleteSam's comment brings up a good point. Even though we would love to moan and groan over how our lives are too straightforward it's probably the reason we're living in a prosperous, powerful country. However, I think that same mentality can be attributed to some of America's pitfalls. For instance, it's very likely that that Central American country, while less developed than the US, is filled with ecological beauty you can only find in a few scattered places here in America. The fact is the US was once characterized by awe-inspiring natural beauty, but in an effort to get from point A to point B (from an infant nation to a global superpower) much of America's nature was destroyed. It's important for us as a country to achieve our goals; however, it is more important that we ask ourselves whether it was worth it to achieve them.
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