Home Is Worse

Many times we aren't thankful for what we have been given and think better of what others have. This can be useful because through that dislike towards our current situation we might find a reason to better ourselves. Sadly, we are sometimes blinded and loose our sense of what is best.

In Candide we see this when Candide arrives to El Dorado. There he encounters this Utopian society where all was truly for the best. People were altruistic and nobody lacked anything. Candide even accepts the greatness of this place here: "' It is quite true, my good fellow, that the house where I was born won't bear comparison with the mansions of this country. . .'" (82) Our home can be surpassed by many places but we tend to exaggerate this. I was not very surprised to see this same type of ideas in the NYT since they are part of humanity.

As I read through Crisis Leaves Europe in Slow Lane the author, a European depicted the economic situation of the region. Apparently it was horrible and he saw the U.S as a place where the problems were ending and as a role model. It is true that he presented us with numbers and facts that supported his ideas. Although some of what he says must be truth, he is missing parts of the whole idea. He says that because of the heavy regulations on employment in Europe and all the benefits that people are given, the european powers risk lagging behind on competitivity. Although it is true that employing someone in Europe must be costly and complicated, the benefits people are given outweigh it. Life standards are better on Europe than in America which made me think whether economic growth was worth the happiness and stability in the lives of people. This made me reflect on what Candide thought about El Dorado.

This is probably the part where Candide shows his lack of judgement. Right after saying that comparison between his home and that utopia Candide said this :". . . but still, I shall never be happy without Lady Cunégonde, and I dare say you have some mistress or other in Europe" (82). Knowingly that they would never be able to return to such a beautiful paradise Candide still wanted to continue in his search for Cunégonde. Maybe that lack of reason is our way of viewing the European economy. They might be apparently in great trouble and shrinking in size yet their society is very considerate of the individual needs of each person where as the U.S is more centered around the economic needs of the country willing to sacrifice the well being of its people for such purpose.