If I struggle with ‘‘i‘‘s it’s because I am writing on a Turkish keyboard: a very different kinda keyboard. Speaking of different – life in Turkey is very much different from today‘s U.S. In fact, life in contemporary Turkey reminds me of my formative years in Michigan. Imagine that, not only is it incredibly humid, but young people actually seem to enjoy themselves swimming in the local watering hole – in this case, the Straits of Bosporous – instead of ‘‘holing up‘‘ in some drug house where Mom or Dad, or Dad’s girlfriend, or Mom’s boyfriend (or any combination thereof) are simply too busy to provide any type of adult supervision:ki ds in the U.S. continue to be electronically babysat – as they have been for over 40 years.
I remember the seasonal pick-up games with the Bilski Brothers, or the Grenda Bothers, or Joe Matar and Jim Kelly and even Don Amato – and though I can’t be sure – it seemed like I watched more television than anyone. But I guess such games would risk lawsuits these days – in the most litigious culture in-the-world. Heck! I’m pretty sure that one drowning at the gravel pits (where swimming was forbidden any way) engendered a lawsuit to fill in that pristine, filtered spring water with the surrounding gravel. Pity. I doubt very much that a kid cracking his head open in the Bosporous would be able to garner a multi-million dollar settlement.
As I looked around the greater population of Istanbul – I saw a people in love with life – not walking around, hypnotized by Mother Culture; not moving in time to the American Dream – that script that has everyone believing that s/he should not only live like a king or queen – but that s/he is a king or queen. These ancient Turks still enjoy the simple things in life – that we once did, but only do now on holidays, and then – only under the influence. It strikes me that during my tenure as a psychotherapist – I was actually trying to re-engage folks who were dropping out of the American Dream BACK INTO IT!
And everyone calls us the young land – yet somehow we have become not only economically bankrupt – but morally bankrupt as well. Once-upon-a-time, we looked at European and Mediterranean types as the jaded Ones. But everywhere I look in Turkey – I see signs of economic and social health. And I can’t figure out why!? I mean, even Germany, after losing 2 World Wars and paying billions in reparations, is quite healthy – economically speaking — (the Germans are still a dour lot).
And after watching ´Angels and Demons` I can’t help wondering if more than one of the Illuminati is Turkish…