Have you ever noticed that if you travel to an unfamiliar area, and you watch the local news there, that the news casters seem like amateurs? Humans have some peculiar ways of determining whether or not something is familiar or comfortable to us.
We travel to a foreign land, and we discover the foods of the local peoples. Our first reaction is typically disgust and/or reservation. Yet we know that these locals eat this food all of the time, desire it, and even anticipate it, just as we do with our own foods. Others who come to visit us are likewise offended by our diets as well.
We visit a friend's church, which is not the same as our own. We feel that they worship incorrectly, and we are out of our comfort zone. Can it be the same God?
We travel to a distant land. The locals wear different clothes, and speak a different language. We feel that they are somehow backwards and underdeveloped. We sense fear.
We talk to people with opposing political views. We feel that the others are misinformed, and/or liars. That the others are demons, determined to undermine the good of our nation.
There is no moral lesson to be learned here; there is nothing in particular to be taken away from this. It's simply an observation. We fear the unknown, and the unfamiliar. As our fear increases, our comfort level plummets. Yet with open minds, we can see that there is no logic in this kind of thinking. I have eaten foods that would make many of you sick, though I enjoyed it, as do the people who introduced it to me. I have visited many churches of many beliefs, both as a Christian and as an atheist. I have lived for long periods of time with people of different racial backgrounds. And although the numerous trips to strange places has removed much of this effect from me, it nonetheless does not eliminate it. It has been a lifelong struggle of mine to resist this tendency, and assume that nearly any situation I'm placed in must be comfortable to someone else, and therefore can be for me as well. Just sharing a part of my personal growth, y'know. So – what makes your skin crawl, and does it really make ense?
I believe that the fear of the unknown really got started when the first humans left Africa for the colder climes of Asia, carrying fire with them (in effect, humanity's first night light :P). The reason we fear the unknown, in my opinion, is connected to our innate need to know everything. These competing desires for comfort and for curiosity have a push-and-pull effect. For instance, some might never visit the nearest city because it is too unfamiliar, but others will travel around the world for months at a time.
ReplyDeleteHope you can check out and comment on the new posts on my blog!
dannyd:
ReplyDeleteMan! Very thought provoking comment, my friend. The irony of my posting a simple thought, only to be matched by such a deep response. I'd not considered the contradiction of fear vs curiosity - fascinating! I am of the second type, in that I forever seek to find new things, and openly seek out awkward situations just to shatter the illusion of discomfort. I thank you for opening my eyes. As my vision returns, I hope to comment on many of my friend's blogs. Be well, friend.
John
Glad that you liked my comment. And I hope that you can read and comment on my latest blog post:
ReplyDeletehttp://dannysignifyingnothing.blogspot.com/2009/08/signoth-short-story-1-google-yahoo_26.html
John, think I said it before, you are a very wise man indeed. We have just experienced this phenomenon yet again, having moved to Tasmania from South Africa. Given the fact that we were just moving to another English speaking country, we expected cultural differences but were surprised to find how different it actually turned out to be. (We also chuckled when watching the news, not to mention the advertisements - wish you could experience it firsthand. I would have loved to hear your philosophies on that one..). Having said that, it does not take very long for a human being to adjust. We are almost in a position to declare ourselves locals. LOVE it here, by the way. Dannyd's observation is so true - we have experienced so many astonishing things here already, just to find locals that have lived here all their lives and haven't even been to Hobart. Makes no sense to me at all.
ReplyDeleteBlyde Neser: Thanks for the kind words. I'm new to where I live now, as well - I moved to Washington state in January of this year. So I too am experiencing this sense of disconnect. Must be AWESOME to see such far away places; I am truly envious! And I concur; dannyd's got remarkable insight, and I strongly encourage reading his post - he's a sharp individual.
ReplyDeleteJohn
Interesting article, Mindmatter. I appreciate Dannyd's insight as well. In another country I am the obvious outsider (not just skin color) because I'd be looking all around me like a babe whose eyes just opened, excited by all the new experiences, smells and local color, the accents of a country's natives, their manner of dress...on and on. But as much as I'd love the new experiences, I'm a comfort-snob. If the food doesn't look appetizing, you'd be hard-pressed to get me to sample even a wee bit. If accommodations don't look up to par, uh oh...problem!
ReplyDeleteSo, I'm too deeply ingrained in my physical, mental and moral comforts, and I fear I'll be a right bore and downright snobbish outside of the States and be called the Ugly American. Urrgh!
Penny Manning: Thanks for reading and commenting - always nice to have another reader. It's OK to be attached to our comfort zones; I only mean to point it out, not to criticize it. And I strongly encourage all of my readers to view many of my followers' works as well - dannyd is one of the top of my list, but by no means exclusive. Birds of a feather flock together, and I am blessed to be surrounded by interesting people. Enjoy the literary feast that lays before you, so to speak. Others you may enjoy include Bruce Coltin and TexasAtheistTeen.
ReplyDeleteJohn