Maryrose Lyons blogging since 2003...

Differences between Ireland and America

June 14, 2007 at 9:06 am

Am back from the US and I’ve been thinking about some of the different perceptions I observed.

I’m always looking to the US when it comes to online developments. With a substantially larger market, there appears to be a greater take-up of new ideas and with larger budgets, there is also a richness in media that sometimes budgets don’t permit here… At the same time, most of the Americans I met felt that we Europeans are rocking when it comes to online and mobile. Many were shocked that I held them in such high regard. (But those same people were also shocked to find out that the total population of Ireland is less than the size of New York!) So it’s all eyes on each other from both sides of the Atlantic.

Unlike the popular conception – I found New Yorkers to be extremely polite and courteous. They know how to share the sidewalk with countless others. And they all stopped and helped when I was asking for directions. Dublin on the other hand? You wouldn’t want to slow down and ask for help while crossing College Green. We don’t have as much time for each other as we once did.

I also become keenly aware of a difference in perception in terms of what it means to be a worker. In Europe, I believe that we have a fairly high regard for ourselves. We are the talent that makes the business function. As such , we ought to be valued, trained, and treated well. Maybe that’s just Ireland and the fact that we’ve been at full employment for many years now? In the US, I found that the popular conception was that the employer has the power. There are so many others out there who would fight for your job. You’ve therefore got to give it your all, do NOT take long holidays, don’t rock the boat, put your head down and be glad of the work.
Sadly, I noticed that there is a culture of fear in New York. The police conduct random bag checks in the subway, the language used in public messaing is all about ‘keeping you safe’ rather than, for example, ensuring you have a pleasant journey. I was discussing this with friends on Sunday and Julie said it reminded her of the movie, “V for Vendetta”. In that film, the way to create power is to make your people live in fear. Then you can be seen to keep them safe. I know that 9/11 happened since I was last in New York, but that fear thing is the only thing I didn’t like on my recent trip there. (Weak dollar for shopping, good sushi on every corner, strong cocktails I loved!)