[archhn]

There are whole regions of America that are almost post apocalyptic. People dying of drugs everywhere, rampant hopelessness, mass murder and gang violence, millions of people in prison, etc. Then there are other parts of America that look like paradise. America is a big place. It's like 50 countries lumped into one. In some places it's the best of times, in others it's the worst of times. We tend not to hear too much about the bad places. They are like a shit stain on America's underwear. We keep it hidden as best we can because no one respects a poopy pants.

I remember watching a documentary about a ghetto in some U.S. city. There was a lady who had just moved into a new appartment. She was thrilled that her new appartment was double the size of her old one, but there was some downsides... in particular, stray bullets from gang shootouts kept coming through her window. She showed the interviewer the bullet holes on the wall. Then she was like, "Yeah, but other than that it's a nice place."

It was a shocking reminder that people tend to just adapt to their environment and try to make the best of things. A lot of people have adapted to poor conditions in America, but they try to make the best of it and most people remain silent as they quietly try to eke their way through this world.