September 30 (Part 2): "People are Just People, People are Just People, People are Just People Like You"

I realized two important things today while on a visit to the Museo de Bellas Artes (Museum of Fine Arts) today between classes. Art museums generally are reliable for calming me down and this seemed like the perfect remedy after a hectic morning. The museum is still free, I think perhaps because they haven't opened the entire museum still after the quake. It's in a gorgeous and very lavish building built about a century ago. They essentially only had 4 small rooms of art, but it was a nice collection and was very peaceful, at least until a class worth of 14 and 15 year olds were released unattended into the space.

Anyway, the two things I realized were:

1) I freaked out so much earlier because I began to worry that I am picking up the worldview of upper class Chileans a little bit.
Being in Chile has actually made me realize in general how established my views are, at least in this point in my life. But there are certain things about being part of a more upper class family here that I'm worried are becoming incorporated into my thought process a bit too much, ie. the idea that everywhere that isn't above Santiago Center presents a danger, particularly the people you will encounter in those areas. Things like that...

BUT 2) I have been too hard on upper class Chile, in my blog and in general.
I should make it clear that I have recieved nothing but goodwill, hospitality and downright love from my host parents and everyone else's families that I have met. While we may not agree on views, I'm glad in a lot of ways that I have exposure to people who represent a distinct side of Chile. And just because people have a higher level of wealth doesn't mean they aren't conscious of the "other" Chile or unsympathetic to it. I also think a lot about this paradox in every society: so much of what is beautiful physically within a city is the product of concentrated wealth and without it, perhaps our lives in this physical space would be that much duller. Not as good as every child growing up free from hunger or everyone having access to a good education, but sometimes you gotta take what you can get.

Regina Spektor, "Ghost of Corporate Future"- Truly some words to live by.

"And people are just people,
They shouldn't make you nervous.
The world is everlasting,
It's coming and it's going.
If you don't toss your plastic,
The streets won't be so plastic.
And if you kiss somebody,
Then both of you'll get practice."

"The world is everlasting
Put dirtballs in your pocket,
Put dirtballs in your pocket,
And take off both your shoes.
'Cause people are just people,
People are just people,
People are just people like you.