I was looking through some old pictures today and found the PNG Namba Wan Coffee House. In PNG (Paupua New Guinea) everything is namba wan. There's the namba wan bank, the namba wan restaurant, and even the song, "Jesus You Namba Wan". They have the good life there you see, everything is namba wan, yet they have so little.
In our society, nothing seems to be good enough. One just has to have that new dress, that new car, their neighbor's house, their neighbor's ox.... whatever, you get the idea.
Our nation would be much more peaceful and content if we exited Interstate Greed and turned onto the Contentment Highway.
Peace Out!
2 comments:
That's pretty funny!
"namba wan" huh?
Funny post, but I have to ask: do you really feel like the drive to have a better life equates with greed? I have no doubt that the folks who live in Papau New Guinea have a pretty rough life; I went to the Ivory Coast a few years ago, and their economic situation is pretty similar--and their attitude is much the same. But I wouldn't say that it's one of "contentment"; rather it's one of "resignation."
The economic climate there is repressed; there's little hope of them ever rising above poverty level. So they resign themselves to this fact, and go through live with a smile.
BUT-that didn't keep them from, when the "rich American's" showed up-begging for money from us. All of the sudden, their "contentment" vanished. Why? Because suddenly, there was hope.
I don't think we Americans are GREEDY; we just live in a land of opportunity, where we know there's hope for something greater, something more-a better life. So we strive for that.
Athough you have a great point there PJ, I have to admit that we Americans refuse to be content with the so much that we already have.
Would it be correct to say that they resign to be content? Sure, we know that we have the opportunity for growth here, whereas in countries like PNG and the Ivory Coast there is a much lower glass ceiling. When the desire for expanding one's pocketbooks and belongings exceeds one's time spent with God and family I would call it unbalanced.
Let me say that there is nothing wrong with growth, expanding one's income, or expanding one's belongings. What I do want to point out though is the reasonings behind those desires. For many, it is to gain happieness and feel important. It is not necessarily to provide for one's family, but to make sure that those provisions are better than that of the average joe's. Anyway, enough rambling, I think it still goes back to greed and unhappiness with one's state.
Post a Comment