"We are aware that some of our attitudes toward life are now in conflict with those of most people around us. We find ourselves rebelling at the pressures created by a society that rules its life by the clock. We can now see how easy it is to make ourselves victims of schedules, at the mercy of a self-imposed routine that keeps us constantly rushing to meet the demands we have placed upon our lives. We are struggling to avoid getting caught up in the frenzied pace of America. Certain phrases from ordinary conversation irritate us now, although previously we have often used them ourselves: Expressions like “I’ve just got to go,” “I only have a minute,” “I’m too busy,” or “I don’t have the time” are evidences of life being reduced to a series of frustrating episodes drained of satisfaction or pleasure. Why do we Americans schedule appointments so close together, or squeeze in a shopping trip during a coffee break? Does what we do in all our rushing and scrambling really contribute to a richer life for us and our children?
Life in South America was at the opposite extreme—complete disregard of schedules, utter indulgence in habitual tardiness, and a nonchalant approach to all commitments. We soon adapted to this leisurely mode of life and it has been a bit of a struggle to readapt to the scheduled life of our North American society. There is little in the Latin culture that depends on punctuality—maybe that is one of the reasons why Ecuador is so underdeveloped —but our neighbors there didn’t have to take pills to relieve their nervous tension, ulcers were unheard of, and the frustrated housewife or harried husband were rarities. Parents had time to enjoy their children, and I never met an emotionally disturbed child." (The Barrios Of Manta. Rhoda & Earle Brooks)
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