31 sats \ 9 replies \ @freetx 26 May \ on: What is your country’s cultural code for work? earth
It seems to me that is fairly universal? I mean I get it that you could point to some tribe in the jungle to disprove it, but I mean among world economies it seems like a universal concept.
Does an italian surgeon not view his life thru that same lens? A russian banker? A japanese nuclear scientist?
I agree that who you are = work is a universal concept. I also think that there are nuances in which this is manifested across societies, especially collectivistic ones.
I think in Japan, loyalty to the group plays a huge part. You may want to have some personal space outside your work, but you are unlikely to decline a weeknight round of drinks or a weekend golf gathering, out of deference to your boss and seniors. In Singapore, we draw the line between work and life more strictly.
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I think the Muslim countries in the Middle East and North Africa are the exception to the rule
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Probably is true. In a related note....a former neighbor of mine was from Jordan. We became sociable and would have occasional BBQs etc.
One day his wife was complaining that her sewing machine was broken. It just so happen that a few weeks earlier I saw a sign in town advertising "sewing machine repair" (it stuck in my mind since its sort of a niche shop to have).
I mentioned this to her and he was blown away. He mentioned that only in America could you find such specialization. In Jordan, you could find some handyman that might be able to fix it, but no one would go to the lengths to specialize in something as narrow as "sewing machine repair".
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Nice anecdote, thanks for sharing
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I think specialization is a feature of an advanced economy ever since David Ricardo wrote about comparative advantage.
What was your neighbor occupation?
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Very cool
Interesting fact about Jordan: it is a Palestinian state. 60 to 70 percent of Jordan is Palestinian.
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Yes, at the time I knew him I was a "lapsed" catholic.
Since that time I've re-read the bible a few times. Turns out Jesus was baptized by John The Baptist in the Jordan River.
The strange history is that he was born a Muslim, who converted to Christianity when he met his wife (she was Lebanese). During his conversion he started studying Christianity / Rome / etc. This led him becoming fascinated with authentic pizza....
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Lebanon 🇱🇧 has an interesting history.
Beirut was known as the Paris of the Middle East
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