According to my orientation class, 77% of the population in Turkey considers themselves "happy." Although I have read statistics elsewhere that put the American happiness rate at a higher percentage, the Turkish people (as I have observed) have a deep-rooted happiness that is infectious. I wanted to take a second to write about why I think this may be. How can a country with almost 20% of its population living on or below the poverty line, consider themselves happy? There are a couple reasons this could be:
Turkish people have lower expectations than people in the U.S.
This point may seem severe at first but here me out. America, a Capitalist, entrepreneurially driven country, was founded on the belief that if one can summon the resources and willpower, one can succeed. As our country progressed, this possibility of succeeding blossomed into the possibility for thriving and dominating. With the proper drive, one can work his way up to the top. Most people in America have access to and take advantage of the available higher education systems. Students invest so much money in education and as these dues increase, so do our expectations. In Turkey, it is the other way around. A rigorous standardize test administered senior year of high school, determines one's eligibility for university. No one here cares about grades, extracurriculars, or letters of recommendation. If your scores aren't in that top 14%, it is over. Although this seems unjust from a Western perspective, it is accepted here. Many people realize early on that they will not be successful in the academic realm and settle with blue collar jobs. The few that do go on to professional careers are not envied; they are instead praised and helped up to the top by those beneath them. The rags to riches American mentality seems like a blessing, but it also makes everyone responsible for their own lack of success. The Turkish people accept the reality of the successful few and therefore find far more contentment and enjoyment in their positions, even if they are lesser. We tell ourselves in America that we envy other's riches, but really we envy the happiness we think it brings them. The Turkish people have learned happiness through accepting their fates and realizing their realities exist right in front of them, in their day to day responsibilities and not in their lofty expectations.
The Turkish people value relationships over tasks
One cannot escape the feeling here that all Turks are brothers and sisters. There is a compassion and understanding among the population that I have never before witnessed. These people accept, trust and love their own people. They are also very compassionate toward outsiders, if they embrace the culture. Ignorance and close-mindedness are not welcome here. Whereas in the U.S. there seems to be an "assume deceitful until proven trustful" mindset, in Turkey they will welcome you in with open arms and trust you until you give them reason to do otherwise. This compassion, as previously described, is infectious. Many here innately understand this trust principle and as a result, there is a deep-rooted love for the other and the community as a whole. When the people that surround you, trust you and want to lend a hand, happiness too lends a hand and desires you join it with love.
As happiness is found through the community and not in one's own accomplishments, the ego naturally loses its grasp. The Turks, although competitive in business and proficient in their tasks, are dedicated to the larger whole and lose focus of the individual parts. As long as they are cared for and loved, there seems to be no problem large enough to knock them off the tracks.
Now I realize that these are broad generalizations and stereotypes. But as I have yet to spend a full week here, I am simply noting my observations and backing them up. Just as 20th century Frenchmen Alexis de Tocqueville travelled to America and jotted down his observations of American life and democracy, so too will I record my thoughts as they arise. As Tocqueville wrote, “Nothing is more wonderful than the art of being free, but nothing is harder to learn how to use than freedom.” Americans bask in their freedom, but without harnessing it, our freedom can be our demise.
You spelled "hear" wrong.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Andrew