Scruples
they may not be rich, but by god, they always stayed true to themselves and a man's word is worth all the money in the world. (Actually, its not, thats stupid as hell, but some people need this kind of crap to sleep at night) Tied up in all of that are multitudinous ways to judge someones value. Now me, I come from the deep south - I like my tea sweet and my women sweeter. I have a cute accent and know how to say yes sir and yes ma'am. Down where I'm from we identify with the hard-working farm boy, the every-man, the Joe Plumbers out there. We even have a word for everyone that doesn't belong with us – 'elite'. If you are too rich, too educated, too worldly, or in general can in any fashion make us feel inadequate, you should go-back-to-where-you-came-from-right-the-fuck-now-and-
dont-let-the-door-hit-you-on-the-way-out. We will in no way vote for someone smarter, more charismatic or better qualified than us for any position of power in what has to be one of the most brilliant failures of common sense, ever.
To get back on track, what do we use every day to silently judge someone's value in relation to us? Well, for starters there's money. Everyone loves money, right? Leaving the states over a year ago, lots of people balked at the idea of coming here because I could have just stayed in the states and made money. (As a quick aside, do you know what the US has? Answer: Everything.)
Exhibit A: Everything
And looked at from across the pond, we make absolute jack nill – what could you do with $250 a month? Not a lot, thats what. However, conversely, we live like gods here, being paid around 10 times what Kossi Q. Publique makes here in a month. Still with me? Lets look at education – the vast majority of us here have a simple bachelors degree, what has become in the states more a rite of passage than an accomplishment. Everyone goes to college, and it means absolutely nothing anymore – so, again, from the states, no big deal – we've proved we can fill in bubbles with #2 pencils in between hangovers and frisbee-golf. Yet here, we are looked at as 'professionals', 'experts', and 'consultants' – folks here fight their whole lives to get a degree from a university that would be laughed at on any other continent. What about the importance of your job? I've seen women who stalk lawyer bars and med-school libraries to try and find a rich man. We call that a 'pre-wed' degree. Viewed from the states it looks like we sit around and suck on the massive US taxpayer-teat, whereas here we all know the truth – were promoting cultural exchange and building capacity. Its almost like saving babies and being productive, just different.
Me, last Tuesday
Well, the whole point of my diatribe today is that I've hit another wall here. Peace Corps has plenty of people across the board who would like to see it disbanded – they argue its a bloated, unproductive, nigh-useless organization. Peace Corps, in beautiful shades of Darwinian self-preservation, argues the exact opposite – we A) have a major impact on a grass-roots level where other organizations don't reach and B) we promote better understanding of American peoples and culture throughout the world while enriching our own lives. Even though I'm a miserable curr 99% of the time, I have to agree that we do work in places where other groups don't go, and we have a much more lasting effect. However I'm starting to put some pieces into place in my head and some bits aren't adding up. And it all comes back to value and worth.
Now, hypothetically lets say my name is Marcus and I work for a completely fictitious organization called the Corps of Peace. I'm a surgeon working in a developing nation getting paid next to nothing, my opportunity cost just for being out of the US alone damn near able to pay off the country's external debt. Now I am contractually bound by CP to take medicines that will prevent various ailments found where I'm working. I have known that from the first day I set foot in the country that were I to ever not take the meds, I would be sent home. Fair enough, right? Well now lets say that I am very sick for two days and can keep no food or liquids down. Hey, it happens. The unfortunate corollary to this is that I can't take meds for two days until I can start to hold anything in my stomach. Then, lo and behold, hot damn, I get the sickness that the meds were there to prevent in that very two day window when my immune system was already beaten up. Where do you think this is going? Im going to get released because I didn't take my meds, right? Right?
Actually, no. What I'm doing in the country far outweighs the silly fact that I threw up two days of meds out of over a year's worth and then got sick. It's unfortunate, but it would be such a waste to send me home and leave all of my work here unfinished. And why would I be kept in country after I technically broke regs? Because I am worth more than the inconvenience of a bit of medical treatment and maybe a stern talking to about what to do the next time I'm losing the lining of my stomach to the rich African soil. Lesson learned, I go back to work doing what I came to do. But, that is the Corps of Peace and we are the Peace Corps, and let me tell you, its not just the name thats different – we're actually serious when we say we will kick you out. Whether intentional or not, you broke contract. We're bad ass, and we will punish you. Now go back to the land of cheesecake and bacon and think hard about what you did while you take a hot shower.
That'll teach em
Is it because we aren't worth forgiving a technicality? Or is it because what we do here really isn't worth as much as I'm making it out to be. Hmmm.... Maybe I should ask some of the PC big-dogs, the folks that have worked here for decades and have their retirements and 401ks coming soon, if they would pay me out of their own pocket for what I'm doing. Those dedicated people who, over the years, have seen what good PC can do and believes in it 100%, enough so to devote their lives working for the organization - I wonder if they would write me a personal check. I'm beginning to guess no. I wonder if any of us would be worth it...
