Vietnamese Culture

At the beginning of February 2025, I wrote about Lebanese people and thoughtfulness.

It came at a time when I had just spent time in my war-ravaged homeland, going through rubble, and trying to piece together a puzzle that seemed to be missing its most beautiful pieces.

Our homes were destroyed, our families were torn apart, our friends were murdered, and our children had no playgrounds to play in.

Yet, even in those conditions, thoughtfulness kept hope alive and made life still worth living.

During my month in Vietnam, I experienced a very similar kind of people. They were simple. They were kind. Above all, they were always thoughtful.

After leaving my home country, I’ve had the “good fortune” of being mostly in western developed countries. The biggest myth you hear in those countries is how third world countries are dangerous. However, you visit these developed countries and find an astonishing number of murders and rapes. You find streets that are too scary to walk around under the sun or below moonlight. You find people that would leave you lying in the street if a bus hit you. I always thought Lebanon was special. Yes, we were “poor” but we cared about one another.

Vietnam changed that perspective for me.

Here I was in another “third world” country, among lots of people whom would be considered “poor” and “in poverty” by developed nations. Yet, I felt safer than ever. I felt their happiness. I felt that they were grateful for what they had and made the best out of it, rather than constantly longing for what they don’t have.

Every cab driver in Vietnam was eager to diligently work, and go the extra mile to make you a little more comfortable. Every service industry employee greeted you with a genuine smile and seemed eager to help. Every business owner was humble and wanting to learn and expand their horizons. People treated you and each other as equals, equals in love and compassion, not material bullshit.

It’s no secret I’m a big fan of Denmark’s socialist system. But I must admit I’m starting to worry that it’s a system designed to keep people equal, rather than truly care for each others’ well-being. And that worries me because these two are vastly different things. It seems like actually caring and investing in one another is such a chore, that we’ve outsourced it to some government, when it’s impossible to outsource love and empathy.

We have so much to learn from societies who have less. And I fear if society continues on this path, we’ll be poor economically, but won’t have the thoughtfulness and grit to still live a happy, fulfilling life.