Met up with a neighbour I haven't seen for years the other day. Her daughter recently spent some time in mountain villages somewhere in deepest south America. She lived with the villagers with the aim of helping them to move beyond subsistance farming. These villagers were apparently so poor they barely had enough to eat, let alone buy Prada frocks and Gucci pumps. These villagers were apparently also extremely happy. There was a strong sense of community and a communal responsibility toward children.
This story reminded me of a trip I took to India back in the pre-Cambrian period. I went over there to save the world and left with culture-shock and yellow poo. After the long plane flight the first thing that struck me on landing was the air - it was warm and thick and putrid. There was a man sitting by a fire on the side of the road, two pieces of corrugated iron sheltered him .... and a colour television. People relieved themselves (ones and twos) right in front of you....on the footpath. I once saw a man pop up (through a man-hole) in the middle of the road. He was saturated and remained squatting above the hole, shivering. A "sewer rat" I was told. Someone who helped clean the sewers.
The power was on for at least two hours each day and if you wanted hot water for a bath you had to get Pranti downstairs to heat it and negotiate the stairs to bring it to you. Guilt meant I had many cold baths. These Indians also appeared happy. Amidst the stench, the poverty and the ridiculous triplicate mentality there was music and festivity. I swore I'd never take running water for granted again.
But I do.
I get cranky if I'm put on the Telstra carousel. I get cranky at drivers who are too slow or too stupid. I get cranky if my favorite tv show is axed. I get cranky with myself for getting cranky about such completely unimportant crap.
What does it really take to elicit change? How do we banish malaise? How did we become so damn comfortable when so much around us is WRONG?
I swear I was sober when I wrote that.
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