Some people from other countries may be surprised by the way that Israelis relate to property.
Not only do they almost feel guilty about a car that has no dents, but they treat other property the same way.
A cellphone can be repaired as long as it is under warranty for free. For that reason, many people seem to be careless about the way they care for their phone. It does not matter if they place it at the edge of a table where it can fall off and be damaged.
Houses and other physical property are often handled in a lackadaisical way. Sometimes they're maintained in a exquisite manner, but in many other cases they just don't seem to care if the walls and the floor are sticky from jelly, or if painting does not seem to be an option.
Is this a cultural issue? Well, it is hard to say, because Israel has people from so many different cultures.
When one of the many egregiously poor drivers cuts you off while driving, you have two options. You can become involved in a major fight, or you can opt to simply ignore the physical and visible damage to your car. The perpetrator will make you feel sorry, no matter which option you choose.
Parents will exhibit similar extremes about their children in school. They may overreact when some damage is done to his child's person or property, or they may ignore it, but there is rarely a situation in between.
This situation is more surprising when you consider the fact that many people do not have the financial resources that are available in many other countries. As a result you may expect people to take more care of their property so that it will last longer.
And, indeed, clothes and other property does last longer. We continue to use it, even though it is in poor condition.
Thus, the concern for externals appearance is often of less concern to Israelis.
This, however, is changing. Today, Israelis are becoming involved in the latest fashions. However, even this does not change the issue.
Look at the latest fashions. Torn or stone-washed jeans that appear to have been used or worn for a long time are commonplace. The fashion for the rest of the world has actually joined Israel.
Perhaps one day, everybody around the world will want to take on a slovenly look. Again, Israel will be a light unto the nations. Israel has already shown the way to care for things – even in the world of fashion.
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Keywords: Behavior, Culture, Differences, Fight, Manners, Sequence, Transportation/Car
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