I always said if other countries got as much air time in the media as America, they would get roasted just as much too. Maybe more.

While it’s true that Americans are the loudest ones in regards to this anti-quarantine movement, they’re definitely not the only ones who feel this way.

I live in a country (Taiwan), that was fortunate enough to dodge a bullet with this massive spread of the virus, but that doesn’t mean everyone here obeyed the government’s rules and recommendations. There was a guy who visited Wuhan during the Lunar New Year holiday and didn’t quarantine when he came back to Taiwan. He was out and about before the police finally found him. He ended up testing positive for the virus!

Last month, was first major holiday weekend here since Lunar New Year. The government told us practice social distancing, wear masks, etc. What happened? There was beach party with about 50 thousand people in attendance. Selfish people are global.

I grew up always hearing “Americans are this” and “Americans are that” by my family members who never step foot in the US and the countless rants I’ve seen on the internet by non-Americans. Some of it was true and some of it was a wild generalization. And then I traveled internationally more and realized that many people are unaware of their own country’s bad behavior and are in denial about it. Sounded awfully familiar to how some Americans are unaware of what happens at home. I call it a “cultural blindspot.”

I think when you can accept that every place has its pros and cons, it’s easier to view the world as just that, which decreases the chances of being a victim to believing that the grass is magically greener somewhere else because the country’s problems have zero effect on your life.