Observing Mindfulness in Italy
photo by alexa dayo
Imagine a world in which cyclists are more often seen riding the streets than cars, eye contact during conversation is to be expected, fashion and flawless presentation is ingrained into every human — and their pet— and sustainability is enforced by the state. Now, this is certainly not the all adored city of Syracuse, New York, in which we currently live. However, it is the culture of the unparalleled nation of Italy. Let’s take a journey through an alternate traditional way of living together, shall we?
Italian culture is distinguished from westernized culture by living life at a much slower pace. Being aware of all surroundings and how all five senses react to those given surroundings is innate. Practicing mindfulness on a daily basis is established in every child while young and continues to strengthen as they age. Living in the present moment is instinctive and worrying about what may or may not happen in the future is abnormal. Perhaps this is why we see Italian children living with their parents until their late 20s, why we see genuine happiness by those working in given professions, and why there is more care towards living an authentic life over one filled with artificiality. The focus of life is on happiness rather than financial success, which is especially important to Americans.
These differences in values are likely caused by how our cultures are raised. For instance, while young Italians are taught to take things as they come, here in the U.S., we learn to be the best we can be above all. The western culture values competition while the eastern values happiness. Not to say relative competition is necessarily a bad quality, but this ‘contest’ of American life causes rivalries, jealousy, and sorrow if we don’t live up to be the certain kind of person that society idealizes. Consequently, we statistically see much higher rates of mental illness in America compared to Italy and other slower paced countries.
The difference in social behavior between the east and the west is incredible. I’m sure we have all had that talk, the one that goes something like, “I’m just too nervous to look at them, what if they think I am weird, or worse… not pretty enough?” It is considered a disrespect to the Italian if you DON’T get too close and personal, let alone not make eye contact throughout a conversation. The value of physical beauty is of lesser concern than in America. Rather than physical beauty, Italians value the art of presenting yourself in a respectful and classy manner. Through the Italian scope, to be unattractive is to present yourself in an inelegant way. In other words, excessive drinking and obnoxiousness — even in teens and young adults — is NOT considered beautiful (yet another quality many Americans are guilty of).
The next considerable difference we see between Italy and American is in regards to cell phone usage. Walk down a street in Italy and try to find a handful of people on their phones. Spoiler, it will be quite difficult. Using a cell phone during a conversation is next level discourtesy. The western world has an epidemic of poor social skills, as we are all exceptionally guilty of using our phones while conversing, avoiding others if we are just ‘not in the mood,’ and other behaviors that seem quite normal to us, but very disdainful to the eastern world. Not only do Italians give full attention to those speaking, but they genuinely care about what is being said. These actions and sentimental attitudes promote healthy relations, but also avoid miscommunication and hurt feelings. The value of verbal conversing is greatest above all.
Every culture has its own individual characteristics and qualities, and it’s important to respect that individuality. But, perhaps we should take some advice from our fellow Italians and be more mindful of the behavior we exhibit in order to live further fulfilled lives.