Let's be honest, this world of ours is a big place and we all do things a little differently. Unfortunately, not enough people have ventured abroad to discover other cultures. Fortunately, the globe is shrinking and worldwide travel is becoming easier for the everyman. Lucky enough to visit Europe and Asia within the last 5 months, I've seen that cultures around the world all have something to offer, and that we would be well-served to learn from each other.
I'm not going to pretend to be a world-traveler--in fact, before this year my international experience consisted of Toronto, Quebec, Montreal, Cancun, Bahamas, and Barbados...and most of it I can't remember save for dancing on top of speakers, watching friends spend $280 on lap dances, and unwillingly choking down Tequila while shotgirls blare whistles in the backdrop. This year, however, my experiences were a bit more cultural as I visited Ireland in May and China in October. I found that the US, Ireland, and China all do some things well and all do some things poorly. Naturally, as the world shrinks, we should be able to institute a form of best practices. So what exactly is it that we can learn from each of the US, Ireland, and China?
First, what can the world learn from Ireland? Even though my global experience is limited, I can say without hesitation that the Irish are the nicest people in the entire world. From the guy walking down the street to the cabdriver to the bartender, the Irish are willing to help, tell a story, and make sure you walk away from your conversation with at least a hint of a smile. It's unlike Barbados where the locals are hospitable because they realize the importance of tourism to the economy--the Irish naturally just have a pleasant demeanor. The Irish also have a culture rich in history and music. I have yet to see or hear of a culture that engrains history with music as much as the Irish, and the songs are not only contagious but fun. The music is really a microcosm for the culture in general--funny, down-to-earth, and truthful. Though we usually think of finding truth in the bottom of a bottle in a negative way, such is not the case with the Irish. The true test of whether an Irishman likes you is if he can share with you a drink and give you a hard time. They kid because they love. On top of being a little more friendly, we should all learn from the Irish to relax a little, stop being so serious, and enjoy life.
Second, what can the world learn from China? The Chinese are the hardest-working people in the world, so much so that they truly put workers around the world to shame. If the world's workers were as diligent as the Chinese, we might have Great Walls in every country. The Chinese don't bicker--they just get things done, plain and simple. This may be a reflection of the country's government, and after my recent experience I started to think that their system is not necessarily a bad one. A one-party system that has control over more than would ever be imaginable in the United States does have its benefits. If the Chinese government has an objective, there's really no getting in the way. A businessman in China said it best: "In China, you could knock down a bridge and rebuild it in 3 years. In the US, you could knock down a bridge and rebuild it in 3 years, but only after 25 years of trying to obtain the permits." The Chinese are efficient, hard working, and honorable...and coupled with the inexpensive nature of the labor it's no wonder companies outsource production there. Unfortunately, China is so misrepresented here in the US and it would take an entire blog to attempt to explain, so I will resist divulging for fear of running wildly off-course. In sum, the world should learn from the Chinese to just shut up, stop complaining over petty issues, and get the job done.
Lastly, what can the world learn from the US? Two things that come to mind after my international experience are the investment in infrastructure and variety of entertainment and food. Ireland is the size of West Virginia, yet it takes 4.5 hours to drive from Waterford in the southeast corner to Killarney in the southwest. China has 1.3 billion people, including 20 million in Shanghai and 13 million in Beijing. 1,400 new cars are added to the 1.4 million cars on the road each day in Beijing, yet no road stretches beyond 3 lanes, and most are 2. Both the Irish and Chinese have severe transportation problems as far as the roads are concerned, and both would see dramatic improvements with the installation of a major highway or two. Perhaps entertainment is our country's downfall, but it wouldn't kill Ireland or China to spruce up their televisioin and food offerings. You don't realize until you leave the US that you really can have whatever you want, whenever you want. In the mood to eat Mexican food and watch Entourage on HBO OnDemand? Done. How about ordering pizza and wings while flipping back and forth between an NFL and MLB game? Done. The options aren't so great in other countries, but maybe that's the reason we are considered the fattest people in the world. At least we'll die happy. So again--roads, entertainment, and food--room for improvement around the globe.
If you haven't, spend some time abroad and learn about other cultures. The worst thing in the world today is to be ignorant and we could all be both more happy and efficient if we learned from each other. Slainte! Gan be! Cheers!
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