Saigon, June 7, 2013
In a country where you are judged by the clothing brands you wear, the accessories brands you carry, the branded bikes or cars you possess, or the net earnings you take home every month…, it is quite predictable that you get to meet plenty of well-wrapped zombies along the way. Out of their living boxes they walk, every day, towards the most powerful unit of measurement, the $. “What is that used to measure?” Who would ask such a question? But then again, no question is ever a silly one, said once by my primary school teacher.
For almost 40 years now in Vietnam, success has been widely defined as getting ahead of others in the race towards wealth, power, and fame. There is no room for being self-content, no room for showing true colors, no room whatsoever for random kindness. I once asked some expat friends for their objective view about Vietnamese, having served their years in the country. The responses are remarkably aligned. “They can fight!” That to me can be a good trait, if rightly used of course.
What do they fight for? Somehow group thinking coupled with the efficiency of mass media has created this huge monster called “success”. It obviously has everything to do with how you look, what you possess, how much money you make, how popular you are, who you know…. And the zombies continue to walk, in and out of their living boxes, into the most fierce & brutal fight for that almighty unit of measurement, with the absolute absence of trust.
What if I don’t take part in that fight? What if I have my own set of values? As human beings, everyone longs for kindness and warmth from others. What if I offer it, even to strangers?
Are you serious? Are you nuts? Are you ready to be a Purple Cow?” Because in this society, one will stick out like a sore thumb and may be boycotted from the “success” circle of zombies.
ARE YOU READY?
Purple is my color. I love it!