America...oh dear America. You move way, way too fast. You're speeding at a pace that gives me a migraine. And America--you infiltrate my mind with images and paper-ring promises of happiness--all material emptiness that does not quench this inner thirst.
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I was talking with some girls last night and I think we cracked the code on one of America's hugest problems. We have lost the idea of community. Whenever I visit Turkey, there are people all about at night: talking to their neighbors, chuckling and just enjoying each others company. It is a cultural dance that involves an awakening of the heart.
Cut to America and you'll find the nighttime to be lonely. Televisions are on and people have crashed from consuming far too much caffeine. But we have lovely houses, now don't we? And a new pair of shoes to boot. At least that will put a smile on our faces for a minute or so.
This is not to say that Turkish people don't watch TV or that Americans don't know how to have relationships; however, it is clear America is starting to miss the real point of life. We have become drones--void of passion and sincerity, just trudging through another day. Ask anyone who has been to lively places in Europe and then ask them why they found them lively. Because the people are alive.
And what have we replaced that community with? Boyfriends. And girlfriends. We hang out with one person for the majority of the week. We invest our heart and soul into one being. And when a break-up occurs, we are left completely distraught. We have lost our whole community.
I know that I am generalizing here. But it's not such a stretch to generalize America. We got lots of work to do! Look around and see all the lost, broken faces. They are the lonely-hearted.
But there are some Americans who have it right, who see past the fakeness.
I'm writing this here because I want you all to really think about this. Maybe to help me think of ways to make it better. It can be better.
There is a God, a Supreme Being that offers us more in life. And it can be so much better.
is this where i get raise my southern hands and say 'hooyeah!'? ... i understand what you're saying but i still see a very strong sense of community from where i sit.
ReplyDeleteI find that I generally prefer the idea I have of certain people over the actual person themselves.
ReplyDeleterd--yeah, it may be different in the south. I guess I can't speak for you guys. Even though I love a lot of things about SD, California is very individualistic. It is hardly ever about the community here. And certainly not up to European standards.
ReplyDeletei hear you. and i've definitely been trying to build up the community in my life. even if i'm leaving at the end of the summer. that doesn't mean that i can't have the greatest summer with the best of friends anyway. i invested WAY too much into one person and life got bad when things ended. but because of that, i'm realizing that life is about people, about God, about relationships and the more of those that i can have, the better off i'll be.
ReplyDeleteso many epiphanies in one day. i need to sleep, ha.