How is it that I feel kinda guilty about the country I live in. Visitors from overseas usually tell me how lucky I am and how if they had the chance they would live here too. Is this normal behaviour? There are places in the world where I could live for a while but I have every intention of staying here for most of the rest of my life.
But it's reading about my blogfriends in countries in turmoil such as Tazeen from Pakistan that brings the guilt feelings out. How can we be so removed from the suffering. Can't we do more to help those less fortunate. Should we help our less fortunate first.
Of course we also have problems (relative). We have a high rate of family violence and child abuse (is it because we have an 'open' society with systems in place to recognise these?), a high teenage suicide rate, a clean, green image which is a deception because of the amount of chemicals used in our farming practices, an underclass, usually Maori or Pacific Islanders on poor wages who can only live day to day and fill our jails disproportionately.
Is it the nature of man that makes it difficult for us to live together in harmony? It seems even animals have a better idea of how to exist together in groups.
Looking around the world, who has got it right? Some systems are more right than others but we still have a lot of work to do.
Peace and love
News and views on art, music, food and life 'Down Under' (or 'On Top' depending on your perspective)
4 comments:
why guilt?
each one of us is a piece in a quilt
:)
our pains and happiness are stitched to one another
pain has a lot of faces, so does happiness... and both are emotions that make our souls dance...
we all dance together... that's what makes this world beautiful...
go on and dance... the way you feel like it...
Yeah! I feel you are staying in a nice place...
But..
No place is absolute perfect..this is the law otherwise how we can move...
The problems you speak here have minor threats to our society and our problems would be your minor problems...
HB...I do dance and love it. Guilt is perhaps not the right word. I have the ability to make my life good but still feel and care about the rest of mankind. I don't care what government we have because I can live under my own rules but I vote to make sure those less fortunate are looked after.
Shubhajit...I guess it is relative and everybody thinks their problems are large ones but here our quality of life far outweighs our grievances. No wars, clean air, bountiful sea, good growing climate and soil, governments mostly for the people, small population, open minds, freedom to express opposition and it's damn well raining at the moment. Ahhh well!
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