In my previous post, I described some of the questions that I had to face and give a suitable reply to in my last days at the Olive Garden. Some questions, such as the one regarding crime and punishment in India, were truly ridiculous, but maybe I forgot to imply the earnestness of my interrogators. Most of the queries fielded were asked with what could be interpreted as the utmost sincerity, and I did my best to reply to each question with due tact and accuracy.
I admire the courage of my former co-employees, for deciding to come out of their collective bubbles, and reaching out. One of them even remarked that he/she had not paid much attention in school, so did not know a lot about the rest of the world. I find that sort of sincerity and earnestness commendable. It takes real courage for a person to admit one's shortcomings and correct them.
What I find disappointing is the fact that my interaction with my former collegues was at its peak only at the very beginning and the very end of my employment. We had so many chances to sit and exchange ideas and share knowledge, but somehow, the Insulation tape that is found wound about the heads of many people came undone only at the peaks of my time there. I did not mind the questions, rather, I welcomed them; but my point is that this has demonstrated a tendency that seems to be part of the American psyche in general- That people will only be interested in anything other than their own only when it directly affects them. Very few people, who were otherwise intelligent and educated, showed any curiosity or a willingness to exchange ideas. Why, I ask, are people so content to bask in what they know, and shun what they do not, until it affects them in some way? To limit your worldview within the expanse of your nationality is ignoring the fact that the world we live in is changing fast, cultures are being exported, imported, and adopted, and if you cannot connect with others, you will weaken the health of your society from within.
In a way, this is my fault. My admittedly sporadic attempts to forge meaningful links were misread, misled and misinterpreted, because I could not trade in the same cultural currency that my peers did, which seems to be the dominant mode of social interaction. It was not possible for both me and the others to relate to each other, owing to our different materiel cultures that had but a few things in common. I had hoped to learn so much from people in my own age group, and people older than me, and help ourselves achieve a better understanding of these times, but this was just not to be. Instead, I had a sort of press conference both on my arrival and at my departure, with nothing more than soundbytes flowing in one direction.
What a shame. My ears and eyes, always alert, beheld so much. But for me, it is nothing more than hearsay, data collected at random, presenting crude, unprocessed shapes and colours instead of a coherent picture. If only we could share, I would be able to say with conviction that I lived and connected with the heartbeat of a nation other than my own. but by far, all I have to show for my time here are these words, those opinions I have presented before, and a faint glimmer of hope that my views are flawed, something that I have yet to prove to myself with substantial evidence. I have learnt nothing, and have given nothing.
No journey is complete until you understand your destination.
I admire the courage of my former co-employees, for deciding to come out of their collective bubbles, and reaching out. One of them even remarked that he/she had not paid much attention in school, so did not know a lot about the rest of the world. I find that sort of sincerity and earnestness commendable. It takes real courage for a person to admit one's shortcomings and correct them.
What I find disappointing is the fact that my interaction with my former collegues was at its peak only at the very beginning and the very end of my employment. We had so many chances to sit and exchange ideas and share knowledge, but somehow, the Insulation tape that is found wound about the heads of many people came undone only at the peaks of my time there. I did not mind the questions, rather, I welcomed them; but my point is that this has demonstrated a tendency that seems to be part of the American psyche in general- That people will only be interested in anything other than their own only when it directly affects them. Very few people, who were otherwise intelligent and educated, showed any curiosity or a willingness to exchange ideas. Why, I ask, are people so content to bask in what they know, and shun what they do not, until it affects them in some way? To limit your worldview within the expanse of your nationality is ignoring the fact that the world we live in is changing fast, cultures are being exported, imported, and adopted, and if you cannot connect with others, you will weaken the health of your society from within.
In a way, this is my fault. My admittedly sporadic attempts to forge meaningful links were misread, misled and misinterpreted, because I could not trade in the same cultural currency that my peers did, which seems to be the dominant mode of social interaction. It was not possible for both me and the others to relate to each other, owing to our different materiel cultures that had but a few things in common. I had hoped to learn so much from people in my own age group, and people older than me, and help ourselves achieve a better understanding of these times, but this was just not to be. Instead, I had a sort of press conference both on my arrival and at my departure, with nothing more than soundbytes flowing in one direction.
What a shame. My ears and eyes, always alert, beheld so much. But for me, it is nothing more than hearsay, data collected at random, presenting crude, unprocessed shapes and colours instead of a coherent picture. If only we could share, I would be able to say with conviction that I lived and connected with the heartbeat of a nation other than my own. but by far, all I have to show for my time here are these words, those opinions I have presented before, and a faint glimmer of hope that my views are flawed, something that I have yet to prove to myself with substantial evidence. I have learnt nothing, and have given nothing.
No journey is complete until you understand your destination.
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