One year ago, we made a memorable trip to the USA.
During the few past weeks, I have realised that this trip really opened my eyes on how things can be made better here in Mauritius. For instance:
In the USA, people are friendly
This is also the case in the other large countries I’ve visited (e.g. South-Africa, France, Thailand, etc.) It seems to me that the larger the country, the friendlier the people. I guess people are friendly when they feel strong (which is obviously the case in a large country with a large population). For example, people readily engage in conversation in lifts or in buses there…
In Mauritius, we are very shy. We do not talk to “strangers”. According to me, this causes a lot of stress (because nothing is better than socialising) and missed opportunities (on every levels — friendship, business, etc.)
I would love people to be more engaging here. Nothing beats talking to other people.
In the USA, people do
This one is obvious. The USA is the land of the entrepreneur. Just ask Steve Jobs or Bill Gates who both stopped university to launch their own businesses with some success some may say.
People do not dream of joining the government sector there and becoming a public servant. Instead, people there dream of becoming successful and amassing wealth by creating their own companies. Some succeed. Some fail. But those who fail are not stigmatized: in fact, they frequently get another chance to try. Risk-takers are revered in the USA.
Here in Mauritius, young people full of talent are being put in cubicles and asked to stop dreaming. And, unfortunately, some do. In the long run, Mauritius will suffer. Only dreamers (re: Gandhi) make society evolve by doing things differently from others. People here should be encouraged to launch their own companies and should not be stigmatized when they fail (Heck, they all do: Steve Jobs was thrown out of Apple at one point!). Banks should really help those who want to be risk-takers. And the Government, instead of only helping companies which already have turnovers in excess of Rs 20 million, should help those with a turnover of Rs 0 instead!
In the USA, people learn
When free, people in the USA can opt to go to museums, libraries, talks, conferences, concerts, parks, art galleries, etc. to cultivate themselves. Of course, some stay in front of the TV watching reality shows but my point is that the others have possibilities.
In the process, those who want to know more get to know more. This can only be a good thing. I’ve always thought that kids should be exposed to all kinds of stimuli. We don’t know what talent they have. We don’t know what work they’ll do. Maybe the work does not exist yet! The best way to prepare them for the future is to expose them to different things. Of course, adults benefit from this too: so many people have created great things after being inspired by others.
In Mauritius, we don’t have a lot of museums, libraries, talks, conferences, concerts, parks, art galleries, etc. People really need to become more knowledgeable, need to become more skillful and need to discover their own inner talent. The Government should realize that the only way to make Mauritius a knowledge hub is through knowledge. Right now, the knowledge hub is a vague abstraction with tall buildings, lots of commissions and ribbon-cutting inaugurations. The crime being done at the University of Mauritius needs to stop!
In the USA, anyone can say anything
This is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution there. People have freedom of speech and can basically say anything. Some people talk shit, some talk nonsense and some, through their words and emanations of their minds, change the world: artists, professors, entrepreneurs, inventors, bloggers, etc. In a way, this explains why people are friendly in the USA: they have always been encouraged to say what they have on the minds and, consequently, welcome conversation.
Here in Mauritius, we are not allowed to say whatever we would like. There is a law in Mauritius, the Official Secrets Act, which disallows civil servants from having an opinion and making it known to the public. Kids are routinely told to shut up when parents are talking. Politicians talk and never listen. Of course, people do talk here but, sometimes, they just engage in endless discussions e.g. on politics or on Liverpool vs Manchester United but without any real purpose or objective.
What do you think?
I will also try to keep politics out of this topic.
I have never been to the USA but I will still write about a few points I noticed. As Mauritians, I have the impression that most of us do not have a basic understanding of the law and our rights. We also lack a real exposure to real life issues in our educational curriculum. So many people getting fooled, robben or raped. Students are only taught what’s written in the books. Mauritians in general have a “pas mo probleme sa” attitude.
And yes, I agree that people should stop commenting on how that football player should have played in his match or how their manager should run the team. That’s their business, not that of the Mauritian, simply sitting with their dumb ass in front of a tv set without having kicked a single football for the past years.
Official Secrets Act, this is really a shame for Mauritius, here, Politicians make us believe that we are living in a democratic country and where there are numerous act that prevent us, Mauritians, from being fully democratic. Its high time that people realize and stop being biased and make proper judgments and opinions about people.
My take on Mauritius
1. You can call any place home as long as it is Mauritius
2. The material development of the island needs to be high and sustained
3. We need to evolve spiritually and culturally and never reject God, even if you do religion
4. We need not ape people in the ‘advanced’ countries as most cannot afford their lifestyles.
5. Our diversity is our richness
6. Each square inch of the soil is sacred and belongs to everybody
7. Our future lies in the sea
8. Our education should focus on making us more marketable worldwide
9. The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world
10. Men and women cannot be equal but are complementary.
I think that Mauritius is very very far from the entrepreneur culture in USA. Many other countries are following what USA is doing. Take facebook, twitter or instagram – all come from USA. I believe that anyone can create successful applications, but what we need is this culture here in Mauritius. This competition of not only be successful but of creating the best ideas, is central to making Mauritius become successful in the internet world.
To cultivate themselves? You must be kidding. Or you’re referring to upper class citizens only? Ask any average American where Mauritius is on the world map and you’ll know just how cultivated they are. Or who’s the current president of France? I recently read a survey about that. Well, guess what? 60% didn’t know the answer.
In England, people do not readily engage in conversations with strangers. My personal experience. Mo pa koner si zot pudique, renfermer, shy ou whatever.. mais Mauriciens certainly pli open ki zot.
I beg to differ concerning freedom of speech. It seems normal to me that civil servants, being exposed to confidential/sensitive information have some restrictions concerning what they can say in public.
These restrictions also seem to apply in the US (http://www.fop.net/programs/research/freespeech2.pdf) and in most private companies worldwide (imagine what would happen to an Apple employee criticising the new iPad or revealing the specifications of the Iphone 5). In fact, these employees knowingly have confidentiality clauses in their contracts.
@Akash
Sure, there are many Americans who are not very well educated but when we were at San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and New York, we realised that, in those cities and I guess elsewhere in America too, there are many opportunities for people to educate themselves if they want to. This is not really the case here. For example, it’s tough to find an excellent library in Mauritius. Or a place where people can go and exchange ideas with others spontaneously.
@Yashvin
Of course, state secrets are destined to remain secrets. But I am referring to something else in my post: opinions. A civil servant cannot talk to a journalist on any topic (work related or not) without asking for permission first or risk facing sanctions. This law is retarded and, in fact, means that the government believes civil servants are morons who cannot distinguish between a state secret and their own private opinion…
I still think that an employee giving his opinion is not something that is tolerated generally although no laws exist to prevent it. For instance, if a manager at KFC or McDonalds give an interview criticising what they sell or how they work, it would not be good for his job, law or not.
Moreover, the civil servants have very powerful and vocal syndicates be it for government workers or teachers.
In Canada, in most cases, if people bump into each other, the reaction of both persons will be to apologize. In Mauritius, the first reaction is to look at each other with anger on the face and to act tough. People tend to say “sorry pas ene medecine” but just saying that one is sorry can go a long way. Try it one day, and you’ll see.
I agree. “Pardon” or “Sorry” can work wonders in society. Pity only a few people use it regularly. “Bonjour” and “Merci” can also work wonders :-)
As far as I can tell, they have an obsession with ice in drinks, where the net volume of solid water far exceeds the liquid in the glass.
There’s also an alarming number of blown tires on the highways
Other than that, I’ve been in the US for about 3 months now. I was told that being friendly, as far as waiters go, it’s about milking a bigger tip out of customers.
As for the rest, I just wish they’d stop saying hi or wishing me a good day and mind their own business.
:-)
Hi Avinash,
just found your blog – really good topics and posts – thanks!
A couple of comments about what Mauritius can learn from the US or other countries for that matter.
The reality with Mauritius’ geographic size, location, population, natural resources – there’s a limit to the kind of economic development that’s possible in Mauritius. And although there are other types of development you’ve touched on, (social, cultural, political) most of these rely on the population having the economic freedom (which most Mauritians don’t now) to engage in to change the status quo.
Technology may be the way Mauritius achieves it’s own economic potential, but it will need to think outside the box because it doesn’t have huge mineral resources to produce goods with. It’s abundance of people is really it’s wealth.
As for what Mauritians aspire to, there is precious unique wealth in Mauritius which is lacking in many other parts of the world. With a great climate and soils, Mauritius has the ability to feed its own population from local goods. That’s not something which is common in other parts of the world. i.e. in Australia, for me to grow any food, I have to buy ‘good soil’ for my garden. Think about the idea of buying ‘soil’ from a Mauritian perspective.
You’re right, Jean-Paul. If we think outside the box, then everything will be all right. I’m banking a lot on education and what technology can contribute at that level.
As they say, Avinash, be careful what you wish for …
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http://bit.ly/a9VG3e
This is a good site to learn about the not so rosy aspects of Amrika:
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/
P.S. You have a good blog.
Thanks for sharing.
I’m aware that there is a lot of poverty in the USA and that’s why Obama has such a formidable task ahead of him.