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Administrator
Administrator
14912 Posts
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 Posted - 02/04/2008 : 10:47:39
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No One Complains In Cuba
My daughter and my sister-in-law both recently vacationed in Cuba. One went in December, and one in January. They both reported that everywhere they went the Cubans were very honest, friendly, and never spoke one word of complaint about anything.
Despite obvious poverty, the Cubans always stated they loved their political leaders and everything about their life in Cuba. Every house was painted with political slogans (e.g., "Long Live the Revolution" etc.) and large pictures of their leaders.
The Good News About Cuba
Tourism is Cuba's main source of foreign currency. Their all-inclusive resorts are pleasant, but the food is only average. My daughter and her friend spent most of her time bicycling through Cuba and staying at bed and breakfast lodgings.
Once outside of the tourist resorts, my daughter found that the restaurant food was basically limited to chicken or fish with rice. However, my daughter felt safer in Cuba than any other nation she had visited in the world (and she has traveled very extensively).
My daughter found the Cubans to be very friendly, but the males were "too friendly". The Cuban males, according to my daughter, were "worse than the Italian males" (always trying to flatter or seduce foreign females). This male "friendliness" after a few days, became monotonous.
My daughter was impressed that there were no homeless people in Cuba. The government provides everyone with a home (albeit the houses looked run-down by our standards).
My daughter is a psychiatrist-in-training. She noted that the Cuban medical system seemed very efficient. There was no waiting-in-line for medical services in Cuba. The problem in Cuba isn't access to medical care; the problem is that they have almost no access to modern medications or any high-tech equipment. Cuba simply can't afford expensive pharmaceuticals or new electronic equipment.
The Bad News About Cuba
The U.S. trade embargo has cut Cuba off from its main market. If the intent of this trade embargo was to break the Cuban economy; it has almost succeeded. The Cuban economy seems to be in extremely rough shape.
Currently the Cubans are bravely facing nation-wide poverty. Many of their university graduates are working as taxi-drivers or hotel workers catering to the foreign tourists. My sister-in-law's taxi driver stated that he was a teacher, but the tips he earned in one day driving a taxi for foreigners was more than he earned in one week's work as a teacher in Cuba.
Why Don't The Cubans Ever Complain?
My daughter thinks there are three reasons why the Cubans never complain about anything to foreign tourists.
- Social equality:
Everyone in Cuba is equally poor. Upward advancement in Cuba seems to be non-existent, thus there is no pressure to "keep-up-with-the-Jones". The "Jones" don't have anything better. Thus the most important things in Cuban life are family and friends, rather than materialism.
- Lack of Alternatives:
Cubans appear to be convinced that they don't have any alternatives; they simply have to accept that nothing will change. This apparently brings with it a certain degree of happiness.
My daughter said this is very similar to the happiness she saw in Indian married women. My daughter spent two summers as a medical volunteer working in India. She observed that, in India, marriages are arranged and divorce is rare. Once married, an Indian wife simply accepts that she will have to make the best of her marriage. There is no other alternative. Surprisingly, the result is that the average Indian family is far happier than the average Canadian family. Despite the obvious poverty in rural India, everyone appeared happy and couples didn't divorce.
- Cubans Are Jailed If They Complain:
We have Cubans now living in Canada. Many report that they fled Cuba because a member of their family was jailed for complaining about life in Cuba.
My sister-in-law was told in confidence by her Cuban hotel worker that if a Cuban worker complained, or even upset a tourist at their hotel, there would be very serious consequences to the worker and his/her family.
This Is An Amazing Psychological Experiment
Cuba is an example of what would happen if you made complaining illegal. If a Cuban complains about life in Cuba, they are jailed.
To the tourist it appears that, by Cuba making complaining illegal, it significantly increased the public display of happiness. (However, I have no idea of what Cubans discuss in private.)
However, it appears that making complaining illegal also destroys the ability of a nation to change its government or economy.
What's striking about Cuba is its lack of innovation. Cuba's second major industry is sugar production, but Cuba hasn't made itself energy self-sufficient (as Brazil did) by switching from oil to ethanol (made from sugar). Everywhere you look in Cuba, it appears nothing new has been made since the communists took power.
You Can Have Socialism And Capitalism
Canada is similar in some ways to Cuba. In Canada we have socialized medicine and many of our industries are state owned (e.g., Air Canada, Via Railways, water, gas, and electric power etc.).
Apart from these essential services, the rest of Canadian industries (and all natural gas and oil production) is privately owned. Most of the Canadian state owned industries have one or more privately owned competitors. This competition in Canada between state and privately owned industries improves the service of both.
Even now, there is a growing (and positive) competition in Canada between state and privately owned medical services (including hospitals).
However, Canadians question everything. We have a healthy distrust of our politicians (for example, our current government is a minority government which forces all four of our national parties to work together since Canadians don't trust any one political party with a majority). Nevertheless, we have one of the strongest democracies in the world.
You don't see Canadians singing and playing their guitars on the beach every night as you do in Cuba. Canadians live in a harsh climate that literally forces us to work together or perish.
Canadians aren't as happy as Cubans, and we debate everything, but we work together extremely well. In Canada, jobs are very plentiful and the economy is exceptionally good right now.
What about Cuba? I hope to vacation one day in Cuba, but I would never want to live there.
Cuba, however, is a fascinating social experiment with happy people. Unfortunately, Cuba is an economic (and political) disaster.
Phil Long M.D.
Administrator 
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| stigmastomper (inactive)
Super Incredible Member (10000+ posts)
24317 Posts
Gratitude: 1940
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Posted - 02/05/2008 : 08:33:40
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dr.long
i like the idea ,they way canadian society makes all the parties work together.
i was thinking that if ever i got enough money to buy some land in a remote part of canada i would like to do.
connecticut where i live was agrarian and trades people. lots of land good communities . and we pretty much could live our lives freee of too much goverment and society intrevention, we had gun rights,property rights,and freedom of religion,and at least the illusion of privacy and their was not much of a class system and people cared for each other. and there was no incrimination,sytemic disabling of people.
thats why id love to live in canda i think. so that i could be free
freedom in my country is an illusion with the new folks running the show everything is a racket and you have everyright in the world but you have none.
so someday if you canadians will let me i might defect or at least be your nieghbor in maine
that was a very intersting post on cuba. thank you for posting it. |
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| Lost girl
Amazing Member (1000+ posts)
1360 Posts
Gratitude: 401
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Posted - 02/05/2008 : 19:41:49
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Hi Dr. Long!
Your article on Cuba/Cuban life is very interesting & insightful. I too, have heard about the same positive outlook Cubans have from friends who have vacationed there.
It is unfortunate the Cuban economy/government is failing it's people in medical advancements & jobs. Opportunities to improve their lives lie right under their nose in their bright & educated citizens.
Would I live there? I don't know...there is some security in knowing EVERYONE it treated the same, has the same standard of living. However, complaining...can lead to revolution..which leads to change.
And this leads to my all time favourite question:
"Is progress good?". This question has lead to many late night debates around the kitchen table LOL!
Thank you for sharing your & your daughters observations with us.
Lost girl
LOST GIRL
This too shall pass. Forgive me if I stumble..
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| lynn2150
Super Incredible Member (10000+ posts)
21329 Posts
Gratitude: 2146
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Posted - 02/06/2008 : 00:18:01
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Well now, if my mother ever lived in Cuba, she'd be jailed for LIFE !
If I lived in India, I might be MARRIED by now !
What a great thread, Dr. Long, very interesting.
Thank You.
Sometimes, I may neglect, to say Thank You for your kindness. and love.
But, please know, I am eternally grateful, for your friendship, thoughts, and Wisdom. |
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| PolarOne
Super Member (250+ posts)
456 Posts
Gratitude: 113
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Posted - 02/06/2008 : 02:48:30
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Interesting, though not quite first-person experience. I've been lucky enough to experience singing/playing guitar every night on Jericho Beach, Vancouver for example. Very multicultural, related to the nearby YH.
I still think prompt moderation is the most important aspect to being an Admin. though (as per those forum rules/ethics etc), I know I'm not alone. Sorry to complain, its generally not in my nature. |
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| Zep
Incredible Member (2000+ posts)
2298 Posts
Gratitude: 536
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Posted - 02/06/2008 : 03:32:19
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Complaining is perhaps a luxury then? Australia, like Canada, is a prosperous country compared with Cuba. Yet we all whinge....not only that, but we sue if we are not happy with something! We expect things to be a certain way, such as medical care, and if it fails to reach expectations, we assert our human rights to whinge, become irate and employ legal people.
Does that make us more, or less, happy or evolved than the Cubans? I'm really not sure...
Zep.
Bipolars are never boring! |
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| KrisD
Super Member (250+ posts)
255 Posts
Gratitude: 75
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Posted - 02/08/2008 : 11:58:01
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Good points Zep. I think we all complain to some extent, but I often hear myself, and think sheesh...give it a rest! I wont say I dont complain, but I try not to as often as I would like.
To live in a country where I am permitted to complain, and better yet to criticize my government is a gift I am thankful for. I cannot imagine being jailed because I said something nasty about Stephen Harper. Heck...most Canadians would be in jail were that the case.
"When you are down to nothing...GOD is up to something"
I dont know who said it...I just like it. |
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| firebird
Amazing Member (1000+ posts)
1555 Posts
Gratitude: 561
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Posted - 02/09/2008 : 08:47:37
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| I would fight and die for my right to complain! |
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| davidt
Super Incredible Member (10000+ posts)
82944 Posts
Gratitude: 2519
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Posted - 02/09/2008 : 15:55:37
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Hi Doctor Long,
I think most of us take for granted what we have in democratic so called 'free' World.
You have made me more aware of such complacency by highlighting the not so free world.
Thank you for that, David
If you work My Therapy .... My Therapy will work for you! |
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| xek
Incredible Member (2000+ posts)
5721 Posts |
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What If They Made Complaining Illegal?
