NEEDS & WANTS/ COMFORT VERSES NECESSITY
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| Moving Day |
Every being has its individual perception of comfort which is largely affected by cultural norms around the concept of needs verses wants. Having resided in this village for almost 3 years, I became comfortable with a new concept of needs.
Since pain is not perceived as something abnormal and bad, the tolerance of hardship is much greater. Therefore there are very few needs.
A typical womans day consists of carrying water, chopping wood or gathering dung for the fire, making that fire, milking livestock, processing that milk into a preserved good, cooking, and feeding her children, husband and in-laws. Those simple necessities of water, food, warmth and clothing are what Tibetan women spend their lifetime providing for others. Although Tibetans who have moved into town centers have begun to "need comforts" (something our students tend to pick up at boarding school), nomads are satisfied by simple goods.
Although everyone who spends time with Tibetans applauds their simplicity and satisfaction, it is easy to see the paradigm shift coming. Money was introduced in the 60's, in the 70's they began building with cement, in the 80's a few people bought trucks, in the 90's men got motorcycles, and this past decade has been the introduction of solar panels, cell phones and satellite phones. The wants are snowballing into more wants, and although the culture is transforming at a rapid pace the reported quality of life is also much higher.
When these communities ask me to connect them with sponsors its a struggle. The simple ways of life are disappearing, our schools directly take nomads away from their lifestyle (although in a gentler way than the government schools) and this tends to sadden me more than any Tibetan. As much as I requested the students to share indigenous knowledge, the harder they reached for my computer and requested typing lessons.
Evey one has the right to necessities, but the more wants disguise themselves as needs, comfort becomes a necessity and development becomes as dangerous and destructive as war.
A typical womans day consists of carrying water, chopping wood or gathering dung for the fire, making that fire, milking livestock, processing that milk into a preserved good, cooking, and feeding her children, husband and in-laws. Those simple necessities of water, food, warmth and clothing are what Tibetan women spend their lifetime providing for others. Although Tibetans who have moved into town centers have begun to "need comforts" (something our students tend to pick up at boarding school), nomads are satisfied by simple goods.
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| An entire family's belongings for the summer |
When these communities ask me to connect them with sponsors its a struggle. The simple ways of life are disappearing, our schools directly take nomads away from their lifestyle (although in a gentler way than the government schools) and this tends to sadden me more than any Tibetan. As much as I requested the students to share indigenous knowledge, the harder they reached for my computer and requested typing lessons.
Evey one has the right to necessities, but the more wants disguise themselves as needs, comfort becomes a necessity and development becomes as dangerous and destructive as war.
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