When I was in Taiwan a few years back, I went with my Dad to
get him his high blood pressure medication. We signed into a building packed
full of humanity. I mean, there were elbow to elbow. When you first entered,
there was a large table with people sitting behind it. It was a nurses station.
A woman waved at me. Just pointed and waved me forward. My Dad told me that it
was just a quick physical check. “Free?” I asked. “Yes” my Dad said. I went
over to the nurse and rolled up my sleeve. Within a few minutes, my arm was
wrapped in a pressure reader. Within a few more minutes, they told me I had
slight blood pressure and slightly high cholesterol. I’ve NO idea how they’ve
told me what three weeks wait and an online reservation did in America. I’m not
saying all things in Taiwan is better, but whole hot damn if they aren’t
efficient. AND, they have universal health care. That means all children are
born free of charge. As are surgeries and some medication. I learned later on
that no one is ever turned away from care.
It got me thinking…
…People in America are really financially driven. The state
physicians in Taiwan are paid a flat rate. There is no other reward aside from
the title of being able to help others in pain. It is an honorable profession.
Yes, they do make a nice salary. Better than say, a librarian. But they are
content to what they make, determined by a union ideal. And the ideal isn’t a
money grab. I think that is the difference between America and Taiwan (in terms
of health care). America makes money on your health care, Taiwanese make money
if you don’t return and are cured.
Capitalistic mentality DOES NOT WORK when it comes to
people’s health. The unspoken truth is that we profit when people get ill.
Never when they are cured. To the opportunist, this is a well of never ending
money. I think it’s a mindset too.
Many of my friends who go off to an Asian country are perplexed the level of
politeness you get from them. Versus the anger that Americans have towards each
other. I get the feeling, oftentimes, we don’t care to deal with each other. In
places like Japan and Taiwan, they function because people are around them.
Total complete strangers wave and say hello. Business are run out of homes, in
the middle on the night. With NO fear of crime. I’m not joking. My Dad and I
stopped off to get some breakfast, pretty much waking up a complete stranger
from their home. They weren’t thrilled to see us, but they were super polite to
our intrusion.
It is shocking to a lot of Americans who do go overseas, the
people just are more…patient with each other. Perhaps it’s less need to
overspend. This is NOT to say money is of no value. Or that people wish they
were rich. Oftentimes I’d hear my aunt or uncle speak of playing the lottery in
hopes of striking it rich. Those are my city relatives, conversely my country
relatives live in a house way too large for their mid-sized family. And toiled
in the fields for every dime. They are the Beverly Hillbillies, Taiwan edition.
I do like my solitude here in America. Which is why it is
better for me. The charm of “old school” America is faded in my mind. Americana
were neighborhood picnics. Street fairs. Community living. Ohio was as American
and sweet as you can make it. Nowadays, people may be too advanced to
appreciate that simplicity. It’s just too quaint. And we’re not there anymore.
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