Before flying to England to meet our TV crew, I had a great couple of days in Berlin. This simple little video expresses the joy I feel in Berlin when I’m there. (It just occurred to me that joy is probably a major reason why I like Berlin so much.)
There is so much potential for horror and violence in our world. Yet the vast majority of the time, in the vast majority of places, and for the vast majority of people, we live with peace, opportunity, and affluence (relative to any time in history)… even though we are taught not to be content.
These young musicians are playing uplifting music in the shadow of Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, on ground that was once a nightmarish no-man’s-land. They are playing under warlike chariots on a gate that once called a mighty nation (Germany) to battle, then symbolized an ideological divide that denied hundreds of millions their freedom, and now calls for peace.
Today, when we sit at home and let the media shape our worldview, bursts of sadness can cloud our understanding of just how happy our world is. Politicians, talking heads, and angry neighbors can say America is broken and the rest of the world is even worse. They can say we are in crisis. They can be threatened by forces that don’t even exist. It’s as if that’s their livelihood or purpose in life. The boring truth is: Things are really good, if we let them be.
Of course, there are serious problems that must be dealt with. But most of us — especially Americans — are richly blessed. While we have our distribution challenges, there’s more than enough goodness, energy, love — and stuff — to keep everyone happy.
And here on what was the Berlin Wall, with young people making beautiful music, for the same reason a baby yelps with joy, I just want to take a moment to say let’s embrace the world constructively and positively, remembering how much is not wrong.
If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.
Wonderful post Mr. Steves. “Embrace the positive and constructive,” is a much needed sentiment at this moment.
Thanks for the uplifting post, Rick. You are correct in that we are taught not to be content. Cable news “shout shows” teach us that it is normal behavior to constantly argue with one another about something. It is time to stop letting life pass us by because we think we are unhappy and that happiness is only one political decision away. Most of us Americans have it very good.
Reminds me of one of the great impromptu performances of the 20th century- Soviet dissident, human rights activist, exile and world class celloist Mstislav Rostropovich playing Bach in front of the Berlin Wall as the empire that had tried to destroy his career and reputation collapsed behind him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiwXUJJjL6g
The musicians in the video appear too young to remember the events of 1989, but I’m sure Mr. Rostropovich would have appreciated their expression of freedom.
Rick you said it beautifully. I avoided comment on the last blog, as usually just jumped into a frenzie of negativity which I refuse to be a part of. It does no good for anything. Even if you never leave the United States, when you go to the movies you see happiness or museums, or historical sites. There has to be something that a person can do to better their life. Go to the library it is free. In this whole big beautiful world that we only have one chance to live get out there and live. Negativity and anger is the one thing that will bring our county down.
What’s the difference between people sitting at home and letting the media shape their view (which is always said about people who disagree with someone else’s viewpoints, especially if they are different) or a travel writer telling people what to think?
And I don’t think the many crises that we face are imagined. While it is good to have a positive attitude in life, burying one’s head in the sand or being called a pollyanna is much worse and more destructive to society.
Whenever I go to the former Berlin Wall, I thank God for the late John Paul II and Ronald Reagan.
What an interesting microcosm of middle America is reflected in all these comments. The “I’ve got mine crowd” is clearly represented. Conservatives are represented. Liberals chime in. Libertarians to a lesser extent. Foreigners get a voice. And the Independents are a refreshing breath of fresh air. I wouldn’t be surprised if some bloggers worked for Rick Steves ETBD.
“….let the media shape our worldview,….”. At some point, don’t (or shouldn’t) we individually become responsible for what we think?
As a musician, I can attest that performing should bring joy to the players and (hopefully) those listening. There is indeed much joy in the world. Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves of that…and why not let our ears be the conduit?
Wonderful post, Rick.
We’ve been told that religion is the opiate of the masses. It’s now admirers of the European social democracy model that are in denial. At any given time in Britain half a million patients wait 18 weeks or longer for medical treatment. In 2007 over 200 hospital patients died of malnutrition. Spain’s unemployment rate is 20 perent. In Europe 46 percent of those in the age group 18 to 34 live with their parents. Italy is about to join Greece, Ireland, and Portugal. But be happy, don’t worry. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903480904576510200756243420.html
To get a more complete picture of European health systems compared to US haealth system it would nice to have the following data: 1) What percent of population is uninsured? 2) What is the wait time for medical treatment in US system? 3) What is infant mortality rate? 4) What percent of the nation’s GDP is spent on health care?
To follow up, I think it should be obvious that the Wall Street Journal wouldn’t cite Britain’s poor health care statistics if they weren’t much worse than the United States. Waiting lists aren’t just a problem in Britain, where people often wait in pain for procedures that are routine in America. In Canada it can take months to get an MRI. The city of Philadelphia has more scanners than all of Canada. A few years ago a Canadian woman had to fly from British Columbia to Alberta to deliver twins. There were no hospital beds in her home prvince. She had contractions every 2.5 minutes during turbulance over the Rockies. It’s the equivalent of flying from Oakland to Denver to have a baby. Most Americans without insurance either don’t need it, being young and healthy, or have some type of access. America’s infant mortality rate is the same as Europe’s; our numbers look worse because our definition of infant mortality is broader. If you factor out the drug culture, Americans have a longer life expectancy than Europeans. America invents most life saving drugs. According to the New York Times, economists say that the Greeks can cut health care costs by reducing the government’s role. Perhaps we should take the same path.
Thank you for the wonderful post, we are always surrounded by negativity. The best part of vacation is leaving it all behind.