Past, Present & Future
How culture shapes nations, and how it could improve our thinking
I love it when a quote from a podcast or an excerpt from an article gives me a framing to describe an idea I've been thinking through.
In a recent episode of the All-In podcast (episode 142), David Friedberg spoke about a conversation he'd had at a wedding in Italy, about the difference in outlook between Italians and Americans.
David's anecdote was within a segment about wage disparity and its solutions but specifically focused on general life satisfaction, which he reasoned was more evident in Italian culture, where the focus is on enjoying the moment, versus Americans, who are more likely to be focused on the future, and where they were going.
Here's a summary of how David recalled the conversation:
"We were talking about the differences between Americans and Italians and how the Italians are all about living for today, enjoying the moment, the experience, and their time. The Americans want to talk about where we're headed, where things are going, what we're looking for and what we're trying to achieve."
... "In America, we talk about winning; everything is a contest, a challenge, how we get to the next level.... progress. We orient ourselves around where we are going versus just enjoying where we are today... There is a big cultural difference between the US and the guy I sat next to at the wedding. These folks are just living the experience, not thinking about what's next and enjoying their time together."
As I listened to David speak, and the other hosts react and chime in with their own perspectives on his story, in my head, I was throwing a third country into the mix.
Americans are future-oriented, and Italians focus on the present. In my mind, I immediately categorised the UK as a nation that spends more of its time discussing and concentrating on the past. (Delayed warning - this post includes some stereotyping).
As Brits, we often hear about the way things were, the good old days. As a nation, we have much to be proud of, and a walk through one of our historic cities leaves me proud to be from a country with such a rich history.
When it comes to focusing on the past, the present or the future, a blend of all 3 outlooks is probably preferable for a society. Enough pride in where you've been, the ability to be content in the present and a focus on the future. But if you are only going to pick one, most would agree that a past orientation is the one to avoid.
Taking each in turn, using a narrow focus, here's how it seems that these respective outlooks have impacted the countries in question:
America - The Land of Opportunity
America is the most successful country in the modern world. Over the past 100 years in particular, no other country has really come close.
Truly capitalism's playground, the USA has been playing the game hard for the last century. Skyscrapers touching the clouds and tech giants rewriting the rules of life. America is often seen as the land of opportunity, built on the foundation of dreams and progress.
Whether this came to be true due to the forward-focused mindset that Friedberg describes or vice-versa doesn't really matter. America is a nation of strivers and doers and, in purely economic terms, clearly ahead of the rest.
But here's the catch - the constant chase for more in America – be it money, success, or the next shiny thing – creates a disparity. While some race ahead, others can get left behind, widening the gap between the haves and the have-nots. The relentless ambition means some people end up with everything they desire while others struggle to make ends meet. And that feeling of always wanting more? It makes it tricky for folks to sit back and appreciate what they've got, creating a competitive culture that can stifle happiness and satisfaction.
Italy - La Dolce Vita
That's where the argument for the Italian way of life comes in. Italians are renowned for their commitment to enjoying life's pleasures in the here and now, epitomised by the phrase 'La Dolce Vita' or 'the sweet life'. This mentality focuses on cherishing the present moment, whatever that might be.
This is the attitude that Friedberg described and alluded to that Americans could learn a lot from. Italians often exhibit greater gratitude and relaxation by grounding themselves in the present.
This sounds wonderful and would be a lifestyle that many of us dream of, but equally, Italy has a productivity measure (GDP per person) behind the UK, the US, Australia and 13 other European countries. There's clearly a balance to be had.
The UK - too focused on the past?
The UK has much to be proud of and boasts a rich history. We have consistently punched about our weight in many aspects, including economically and militarily.
We're a proud nation and take any excuse to celebrate our culture and heritage (see King Charles's coronation this year). Studying history and knowing where you've been can be vital to a prosperous and proud country. Having a rich and varied history makes a country appealing to visit.
As Brits, we spend most of our time in social situations reminiscing and telling old stories, that is - in part - what it means to be British.
But how many conversations do we have, or how often do we hear about the way things were? The good old days. You don't have to listen to a radio phone-in for long or watch public interviews on the street to hear about how things were better in the past. Is a desire from certain generations and the government representing them for past glories holding us back?
It's boring to bring up Brexit in every discussion on the UK, but taking such a monumental decision as leaving the EU with no cohesive plan on what the future holds, symbolises a country that spends too much time focusing on past glories versus future ambitions. A country satisfied with where it is in the present wouldn't have taken such a decision. A government with a clear focus on the future wouldn't have taken it without any semblance of a plan.
Finding the balance
As with most things, finding balance is everything.
If you were going to design the perfect country, it might not be a ridiculous stretch to say that you'd want a bit of British pride mixed with Italian gratitude for the present and a strong dash of American ambition. But a sense of longing for the past without the satisfaction of the present and a clear goal for the future is undoubtedly the least optimal place to be.
The Balanced Individual
Designing a country perhaps isn’t the most useful exercise, so how about applying the thinking on an individual level? Again, as with most things, balance is the key.
Understanding the past is key to understanding yourself. Self-awareness is crucial to self-confidence and many aspects of success. But nostalgia can be unhelpful, mainly if it leads to obsessing about past regrets.
Gratitude, in my opinion, is one of the most essential skills that one can develop. The ability to be present, happy with what you have, and where you are even in times of difficulty is so important to overall happiness. This was one of the fundamental points that Friedberg was making.
But, if you have any ambitions or desires to do anything of note, improve your situation, you must be able to take a future outlook. In many instances, competitiveness is good. There aren't many, if any, successful people out there today who don't look ahead and think about the things they want to achieve.
"Finding balance" is over-generic and over-simplified advice, even if it's true in almost all situations. It’s also hard to apply. That’s why it’s often useful to think using frameworks. For example, Tim Ferriss’ “Fear Setting” framework has become an incredibly popular tool when worried about making a big decision. (His TED talk on this topic has been viewed millions of times).
When finding yourself out of balance in the future, consider using the British, American and Italian framing, to try figure out where it is you might be out of balance?
Have your ‘British self’ list what it is proud of. Have your ‘Italian self’ list what it is grateful for, and enjoying in the here and now. Finally have your ‘American self’ list all of its ambitions and plans for the future. Spend equal time on each. You might struggle to find points for one particular aspect, or you might find that whilst you can easily list points for one, you realise you aren’t allowing yourself any time to act on it.
For me, whilst I had ambitions and could list them, going through this exercise made me realise that I'm not spending as much time on them as I need to to make meaningful progress. Others might find that they need to allow themselves more time to be present and enjoy the here and now. Whatever you find, it's clear that balance is vital, and many of us struggle to find it. Making sure you're giving enough attention to your British, Italian and American selves is an idea that might help.
