Mind the Gap

Something big just happened to me. In the past week, I've traveled to Amsterdam, experienced Harrod's, and met my British relatives - all of which I'll discuss in a different post at a different time... because those experiences are not the momentous something big I'm talking about (though they all meant a lot to me and were incredible!!!).

I finally saw into the British perspective. Yup, that's the big thing that just happened to me. It was an ah-ha moment that happened within me... and in explaining it, I will seem like a complete nerd, which I'm okay with; this is probably also quite dull... but I'm excited, lo siento! Let me explain.

I was just sitting in my seminar for Intro to British Politics, in which there are - unfortuately - all American students minus one Brit, and we were discussing the issue of the British constitution. Specifically, should there be a written consitution?

This question made me focus on why I'm a political science student and consequently, why I love government. I love it because I love people. I love it because I want all people to live good lives (props to why I'm also a philosophy student). I think that government has considerable power in helping people live the good life. This perspective helps explain why I'm in favor of big government, particularly for social issues. This perspective may also explain why I'm opposed to overwhelming government authority and abuse of power. I like power to reside with the people. Government of the people, for the people, by the people... love of my life, my cup of tea, yum.

Okay so with that fragmented thought process in mind, my American perspective quickly thought OMG how do they not have a written constitution?! How are citizens' rights protected?! How are the powers established?! How is it that the winner-take-all system works without written guidelines in a consitution?! How are British citizens not up in arms over this?! I literally (litrally, hehe) had to take a chill pill because I was thinking that there should of course be a written consitution, in fact, its a few centuries overdue! ... it's funny that this excites me.

So then people - as in, Americans - started to chime in with similar thoughts to what flew through my head initially. And in a turn beyond my belief at the moment, the British girl commented that it probably wouldn't be favorable because "it's so British" that there is no written constitution. AH-HA!

I've been travelling via the tube quite a lot for the past three weeks and every time the doors open and there's a transfer of passengers, the automated voice warns to "mind the gap." For some reason, I always chuckle when I hear this and often imitate it with my friends... probably because the automated voice is - obviously - in a British accent.... actually, that is definitely why I find it funny. And to that regard, I'm laughing because it's different from the "watch the gap" announcement that I'm used to hearing on the LIRR at home. I hear "mind the gap" and I'm instantly reminded that I'm in a different country & I casually chuckle at that reminder.

This ah-ha moment caused more than a casual chuckle... it caused me to think. I am in a different country. There is a different perspective towards living, which I've been noting all along. With this comes a different perspective towards governing.. which I started to realize during my first classes last week. What I didn't notice - and this is why it was an ah-ha moment - is that my American attitude no longer applies. Britain should not have a written constitution, and with my new British perspective - and part of my solid American one - they never will, it's nearly impossible. Even if it were possible, it's completely unnecessary here because of their way of life and their frame of mind. I would think that it's necessary since I'm American and it's what I'm accustomed to, but in truth, the British don't need one.

This realization about the difference in attitudes means a lot more than just learning a new fun fact in British Gov. It changed my American perspective and also my personal perspective. As an American I thought our way of governing, our way of life, was always so good. Naturally, I thought that other countries should strive to be like us - at least in some ways. At the very leaset, I thought that in some light, they wanted to be like us. This thought is crap. American crap.

Every country is different. There are attitudes, lifestyles, and perspectives that vary from place to place. Not every country is America. Not everyone wants to be America. Not everyone can be America. Not everyone should be America. The American way works for America. And I love that way.... but I think that we have to realize that our superiority complex actually ignores the world around us and prevents us from becoming an even better country.

We celebrate how we're different from other countries. What makes us think that every other country wants to - or has to - be just like us? As Americans, we have to "mind the gap" between ourselves and other countries... and there are a lot of differences to mind.

So that's my little rant/discovery for today... I had to sort through what was going on in my head and why I could not sit still in my seminar. Anyway, I'm headed to South Kensington to meet up with a friend from high school for lunch [Eileen!!!] & then who knows! Next time, expect stories of Amsterdam, Harrods, & third cousins twice removed!!

<3 <3 <3