Culture Shock (and Awe)

We reached our connecting terminal, and were ushered without explanations into a series of confusing lines. However, as I surmised from the unwelcoming red letters, domestic connections involving luggage needed to be made 45 minutes in advance.

One person, upon being denied access to his connecting flight after answering “Yes” to a question regarding his possession of baggage, immediately replied, “You know what? No, I don’t have bags,” and walked past the guards, leaving his luggage behind. The whole scenario was ridiculous and infuriating.

We eventually reached the counter, where a United representative took our bags, and placed us on the next available flight, which predictably enough would not be departing for several more hours.

And of course, in good ‘ol American, giddyup cowboy, “Go fuck yourself,” fashion, the agent took my luggage, tersely explained that I couldn’t carry my guitar or umbrella on board, but then required me to sign a liability waiver before checking them.

So to summarize, I was not allowed to stay in possession of my own shit, and yet was forced to remain responsible for any loss or damage it might incur regardless.

Giddyup cowboy.

I was livid.

Something in all this sort of kaleidoscoped into an enraging reminder of some of the worst aspects of American culture, and The Princess and I spent not only the remainder of our travel time, but also the next several months, severely disgruntled and pissed off at being back in the States.

Part of this certainly stemmed from “reverse culture shock,” and the fact that our magical vacation was over, but a good deal of it emerged from a genuine disdain and disappointment that we both have felt with the States for a long time.

The ubiquitous theft, the dirty streets, the trash lying everywhere, downtrodden homeless folks huddled in every doorway, drunks and junkies panhandling outside every storefront, the paranoid security, the perpetual policing, the government that doesn’t give a damn about you, and the corporations that can do whatever they want to you…

Can’t get affordable healthcare to our sick people, can’t take care of our old people, can’t fund education for our young people…

America is the richest nation on earth, but you can’t tell by looking.

Even thinking about it now just makes me feel bitter and pissed off. We eventually just had to actively decide to let it go.

What it really comes down to is that, as far as these sorts of things are concerned, people in America apparently either just don’t care—or are not even aware—that things could be different.

It is both angering, and very sad.

Of course, every place has it’s share of problems, but coming from a clean, tidy, well organized country like Japan where the government actually takes an active role in caring for its citizens instead of just fucking them over for corporate handouts, it sure made America look like a rundown shithole—complete with a urine splattered rim.

Giddyup cowboy.

Toilets as found in airport public restrooms