Get Off the Rock!

Those who have grown up in Hawaii and done the best, are overwhelmingly those who left the Islands -- and moved up to greater opportunities elsewhere, including countries outside of the US.

Many all over the country, are now pondering if it is possible to make it on just Social Security alone. In most places in the world, any Social Security check would go far -- already exceeding the income for the indigenous populations there. Those are not likely to be the most "advanced" societies and cultures, but the leap from where they presently are as developing countries into contemporary state of the art civilization is not that far -- as one notices when even people in "undeveloped" countries, are using cell phones and computers with same proficiency as those in the most developed countries -- where their populations may even be falling behind the leading edge, because they are satisfied with the way things are.

Not being satisfied, is a tremendous motivation, for improving one's lot, and many in the already developed countries, are prone to this complacency of merely protecting the present status quo. The emerging countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) are not so satisfied, and so have become the new engines of growth, development and progress, in the world today.

And not far behind, are the Philippines, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Panama, Thailand, etc., where people can actually live fairly comfortable lives on even the minimum Social Security benefit -- and live like rich people, on what would be a middle income, middle class life in the US. The key is how well they can adjust and adapt to a foreign culture, or at least a different one, than the one they grew up in, and were conditioned to think is the only one, if not the best.

So one has to grow out of that ethnocentrism, to consider life elsewhere, even in these United States, because the whole conditioning and culture of the Islands, is to pride themselves on their isolation, while convincing themselves, it is much worse anywhere else. That is a large handicap to overcome -- to embrace the thought that life could actually be better somewhere else, because they have convinced themselves, that nowhere could be better -- even if they are homeless and jobless without any prospects for improvement on the Islands where they are, and expect always to remain.

Most successful people have to move in order to achieve that success -- to be in the right place, whether that be Hollywood, Silicon Valley, New York City, London, Paris, Tokyo, etc., for even with their great talent, it would not be fully recognized, developed and appreciated, in the small town they grew up in. So even the great and most talented, had to move on, to improve their chances of success. That is also why immigrants anywhere, have a decided advantage among the indigenous populations anywhere. They are naturally highly motivated to improve their situation in life -- which is no small thing. It is why they are there.

That is the significant difference, between those who do well, and those who do not. That attitude, may be far more important, than where one actually moves to, or whether they actually move. One has to cultivate that mindset and mentally that they can make it anywhere else, to make it anywhere again -- which is the state of mind of the homeless people in the US, who see no prospects for improvement otherwise.

It is not enough just to demand they have to be successful at the culture they are presently floundering in; they have to know all their alternatives and best chances for their success -- and not simply trying harder, at what doesn't interest and motivate them.

We have to begin with the right understanding, to produce right action and right livelihood.