As an American living abroad, I have seen and lived on both sides of the fence. Doing so has given me a perspective that allows me to critique from the outside looking in and here’s what I have found.
First, when living exclusively in the USA one cannot see how one’s culture affects one’s behavior. But when you step out, in my case, for many years and take a look back, it’s shocking!
In countries with universal healthcare, the general public at large is always much nicer and more pleasant. Yeah, really! Why you may ask. Well, its’ because universal healthcare it changes the mindset and how one views oneself in the greater tribe. You see in the USA, the culture is very dog-eat-dog. It’s’ I and I don’t really care if the other guy gets the shaft as long as I don’t. It’s not civil nor is it pleasant.
You see this attitude when USA people come to visit other countries.
The first thing you notice is how aggressive US people are and how pushy they can be. Demanding, rude, obnoxious, and always thinking about who can they sue to get what they want. Its’ striking and very apparent that the culture in the USA is not meshing with the greater global trend of caring for the tribe. Some people refer to this as the Ugly American. In reality, its more a symptom caused by a throwaway culture that says “If one does not produce, throw it away; whether it’s a product, service, or human!
And so we get the GOP pure capitalism model where the government has no role to play in regulation or healthcare. As far as the GOP is concerned, if you cannot compete and afford healthcare, too friggin bad! You deserve to die and go away. Whoa, cold as ice!
The problem with this philosophy is that it creates a nasty culture; a culture where people lie, cheat, steal, and could care less about their fellow tribesmen as long as the hurt is not on them. Yes, the Ugly American!
Universal Healthcare, sends a message to the populace that the health of our tribe is everyone’s concern and thus people naturally become more civil, tolerant, and kind to one another.
Frankly, Conservatives should support universal healthcare precisely because it creates a caring culture. You see the problem with our culture is massive contempt for our fellow man. Civility seems to be a lost art fossilized next to the graves of kindness, fairness, and justice.
I mean, fraud is rampant in every business sector. It’s so bad that it’s not even news anymore. Gang activities are everywhere with the profane destructive language of the hood accepted like sending old mom out to the home when she’s become a non-producing asset. Bad form!
The loss of civility and true cooperation has been lost. We can never get it back until our culture makes a u-turn towards caring for all in the tribe, not just the ones that make us money.
And getting Univeral Healthcare is a step in the righteous direction for all of us.
