A Refreshing Perspective

Thanks to my friend Jeff, last night I discovered a new and very fascinating show.  It's called "Meet the Natives USA" on the Travel Channel.  The basic premise is that a group of natives from the island of Tanna in the south Pacific come to the USA to discover our culture and also deliver a message of peace. 

The people of Tanna are what we'd call primitive.  They have no running water, no electricity, and pretty much no clothes either.  They are traditional Hunter and Gatherers.

Although seeing their shock and awe of our life in America is amusing it's really their opinions on our way of life that is truly fascinating.

I recommend you watch the show but here are a few of my favorite moments from the few episodes I saw:

1.  While in NYC, they go to the Metropolitan museum.  The tour guide takes them to a section containing artifacts from their part of the world and they ask the guide why they stole their things? 

2.   Also while in NYC, they run into a homeless man in central park.  They have difficulty understanding why this old homeless man has to sleep outside when there are so many homes all around them. 

3.  In the O.C. episode they go to a spa and one of employees asks one of the natives if he'd like to look younger.  He says that he'd rather live longer.

4.  They go to a "botox party".  They wonder if the "medicine" also makes the life inside younger as well.

There's many other interesting moments and I find it really insightful and refreshing hearing their take on war, gay marriage and even economics.  If you get a chance, watch it.