Ya’ll remember Taxicab Confessions on HBO? That show was kinda ill back in the days. People get in the cab, get all freaky and nasty, you know? People talk about their life story; about how they were molested and abused and they’re on drugs etc etc. It was ill to see a person’s true nature.
Well, as a result of that show, I have developed a practice of talking to my cabbies when I catch a cab home at night. Like really talking to them, you know? It’s not just like, ‘how’s the weather’; its more like, ‘how’s the world’. I’m always amazed by the depth and breadth of my conversations with cab drivers. I almost always depart with a new jewel of information, a new perspective.
Last night for example, I had a cab driver from Pakistan. We talked about the war in Iraq. We talked about Pakistan and India being Nuclear powers. I was surprised that he had lived in Nigeria and Europe. He had run business in Lagos and in Delta region of Nigeria.
I think what most Americans fail to develop is an appreciation for everyone else. American’s are very self centered. Call it a vestige of the Monroe Doctrine or Manifest Destiny or just the plain fact that geographically we are somewhat isolated from the rest of the world; but American’s are self centered. We think the world revolves around us, and it doesn’t.
Most cab drivers (and most people who immigrate to America) have a greater global perspective. They understand that, yeah Pakistan is a Nuclear Power but at the same time the GDP of all the Arab nations combined is still less than that of the Spain; who has the lowest GDP in Europe. They know what its like to go without food and water. Not because you don’t have the money to pay the bills, . but simply because there is no infrastructure to provide these resources. Most of the World lives this way; and as Americans we simply cannot comprehend. We cannot see beyond the hood of foreign luxury cars. We can’t understand unless it’s in 1080i Hi def. However, because of his travels and upbringing, my cabbie can speak from a world perspective that echoes the majority of the world. He can speak for that kid in China right now, in a sweatshop. He can speak for Nigerian 419 gangsters. He speaks for the world from a global perspective in a way that many Americans cannot.
My cabbie hypostasized, we will see a resurgence from Africa; we will see the rise of China. I hope he’s right, I hope we see a new shift in global political paradigm. Most Americans can’t even point to China is on a map! You know what I’m saying!? We have no right to wield the power that we do. It’s not all about America. Its a million people in India, man; a BILLION. You feel me? We can’t speak for those people. We can’t impart and define capitalism to them; we can’t define democracy to Iraq. It just gets me sick to think about the disparity in wealth. We Americans are too fat, lazy, drugged-up and self centered to usher in a new global paradigm. America needs to be honest. America needs to make its own taxicab confession. Then again, maybe I’m just buggin, pass the hot wings; VH1 is running an ‘I love New York’ marathon.
