This podcast explores the life-changing lessons learned from visiting 75 countries. It discusses the influence of living abroad on political views and appreciation for money, as well as the trade-offs and cultural orientations of different countries. The podcast also delves into the lessons from traveling, the importance of systems and people, and the concept of cultural relativism and judging negative outcomes. Overall, it provides insightful and thought-provoking perspectives on travel and personal growth.
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Quick takeaways
Living abroad challenges perspectives on happiness and the value of contentment in dire situations.
Living in different countries teaches the importance of recognizing trade-offs in societies and cultural systems.
Deep dives
Living abroad can lead to unexpected insights
Living abroad for a significant amount of time can lead to surprising and counterintuitive takeaways. For example, the speaker shares that living outside the United States made them more conservative in their political views and made them realize that money is more important than they previously believed. They also feel more disconnected from the rest of the world. Despite these unexpected changes, living abroad also made them more confident, self-assured, and realistic about the world and its people.
Cultural values involve trade-offs
Living in different countries and cultures taught the speaker that all societies make trade-offs in terms of their systems, laws, and values. They highlight that every country prioritizes certain values and has certain social expectations. What makes a place great can also be the same thing that makes it undesirable. The speaker notes examples like the passion and emotion in Latin American cultures justifying volatility and unreliability, and the tendency for corruption to thrive in highly family-oriented cultures. It becomes evident that every culture has its trade-offs and that recognizing these trade-offs is a key takeaway from living abroad.
Happiness and the value of suffering
Living abroad challenged the speaker's perspective on happiness. The common belief that people in poorer countries can be happy despite their circumstances made the speaker question the value of happiness itself. They argue that happiness loses its significance if people can be content even in dire situations. However, they emphasize the importance of acknowledging the immense suffering experienced by those in poverty and the importance of gratitude for the privileges and amenities we often take for granted in wealthier countries.
Understanding systems and judging cultures
Living abroad led the speaker to recognize that some cultural and societal systems produce better outcomes than others. They argue that it is crucial not to conflate judging a system with judging its people, recognizing the distinction between the system and the individuals within a society. While they advocate for acknowledging and respecting different cultures, they also highlight the importance of being discerning about the effectiveness of different systems and the outcomes they produce. They emphasize the need to discuss and evaluate systems without fear of being labeled judgmental or bigoted.
If you’ve ever been stuck working some BS desk job thinking there’s got to be more to life, then you were right. There’s travel.
High-quality, intentional travel is one of the most transformational experiences a person can have. Without a doubt, my 10 years living abroad made me more confident, more self-assured, and ultimately more educated about the world and the people in it.
It also informed a lot of the philosophy that I've written about over the past 10 years—the counterintuitive approach that so many people have come to love.
This episode dives into the key takeaways I got from my years of traveling. I can’t be sure, but I think they might inspire you as much as they have me. Enjoy.
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