New Zealand is incredibly beautiful, but something about this trip disturbed me

I just got back from a 10-day trip to New Zealand. It was an incredible vacation. The Lord of the Rings type scenery is everywhere. Everyone is nice. It seems safe and English is widely spoken. It was an easy trip.<br><br>However, on this trip, I began to feel like I was part of a disturbing reality. Consider (1) The environment is pristine. (2) The infrastructure is modern. (3) The economy is healthy. (4) The population of New Zealand is small (5 million). (6) English is widely spoken. (7) The government is stable. (8) The food is healthy. (9) The education is good. <br><br>I thought about how people from all over the world would want to live in New Zealand based on (1) – (9) above. Also, in January 2024, New Zealand is allowing immigrants to apply with no skills or experience in any field. <br><br>The thing that really disturbed me was that I saw very few New Zealanders. I was wondering, who the hell is going to live in the houses that all the foreigners are going to build? Employees in the restaurants, hotels, and stores were mostly immigrants. It seemed like the locals were in management positions. It was strange. Where were the locals? It was so weird. I saw one gas station run entirely by a British and Indian family. A high-end restaurant had a Turkish manager and staffed by Europeans. It was strange. I didn’t see a single Kiwi in that restaurant.<br><br>Why are the Kiwis letting immigrants in? Where are the Kiwis? What are they doing? Why aren’t they in construction, hospitality, and industry? <br><br>The last day I was in New Zealand, I asked a bank teller why so many Kiwis weren’t working. She told me that Kiwis don’t want to work.<br><br>Oh my god. These Kiwis are in a rich, beautiful, safe, functioning country, and they don’t want to work? I thought that was bullshit. I decided to do some research.<br><br>The research showed that New Zealand has an epidemic of suicide and crime. It has a huge homeless problem. It has a labor crisis in healthcare. Gangs have exploded in the last few years. Low-income Kiwis are struggling to survive and do not have money to afford basic necessities. The government is not taking care of the average Kiwi and they are allowing foreigners to take Kiwi jobs. The average Kiwi is suffering. Not the wealthy ones, but the average.<br><br>I thought about the U.S. The government doesn’t care about its average citizens. It is also permitting foreigners to enter. I thought, holy shit. The U.S. is headed for trouble. <br><br>I asked a wealthy Kiwi about the homeless and poverty. She said that the poor are lazy. I asked her if she ever thought that maybe the government should step in to help and she told me that the government is doing everything it can. Then she immediately mentioned to me that she is buying an expensive house on an expensive island. I think she (like many wealthy Kiwis) genuinely believes the poor are lazy. Or her life is so comfortable that she doesn’t give a shit.<br><br>I thought about how in the U.S., Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, are fighting like cats and dogs. How divided we are. If things continue like that, we will be in trouble. <br><br>New Zealand is what happens when the government doesn’t care about its citizens. It doesn’t care. It is something sinister and evil. They want cheap labor. They want the Kiwis as a minority. I realized that I was in a country that had been taken over by a wealthy minority and the wealthy had silenced the government and the press. <br><br>I’m telling you, the U.S. is headed for trouble. The wealthy have taken over the government and media. I can’t tell you what to do. I’m just saying that there is a potential danger. It is the duty of government to care for its citizens and the government of New Zealand is not doing this. The U.S. is also failing in this duty. I thought about all the immigrants looking to come to New Zealand. All the people looking to come to the U.S. For the first time in my life, I wanted to stock up on guns and ammo.<br><br>This was a very strange, sad, and disturbing trip.<br><br>Edit: I should have said New Zealand is what happens when the government doesn't care about the average citizen. This doesn't apply to everyone in NZ and the US. Many wealthy citizens in NZ and the US care and they are helping the average citizen.<br><br>Edit: Many of you are saying that I am no better than the wealthy Kiwi I talked to. I am not saying that I know what the solution is. I'm telling you my impression of NZ. I'm sharing what I saw. I am not a Kiwi. I have given this country 10 days. I am not an expert. I am just sharing what I experienced. I am not giving you my conclusion. I'm giving you my impression.<br><br>Edit: Small population? If the government cared, there would not be a homeless problem. If you aren't in politics, you can't say that you know for sure there is nothing that can be done. I don't know of any other first world country where the homeless problem is so bad that the government is trying to stop the homeless from having children. How can you be sure that there is nothing that can be done? I'm not sure. I don't know. I'm just talking about my impression.<br><br>Edit: Everyone is talking about minimum wage. I'm in America. I see homeless people here. But something is different in NZ. I've traveled extensively. I never felt like I was in a country that was in trouble and on the brink of collapse. I've been in third world countries. I know what they look like. I know what they feel like. NZ is not there yet, but it is heading for trouble. I'm just giving you my impression. If you want to tell me about a solution, that is fine. If you want to tell me how I don't know what I'm talking about, you can kiss my ass.<br><br>Edit: I care. I'm a citizen of the world. Everyone should care. Doctors should care about their patients. School teachers should care and protect children. The government should care about its citizens. If you don't care about children, sick people, or citizens, then maybe you should not be a teacher, or doctor, or politician. We (as human beings) should all care about each other. If you don't care, then maybe you should reflect on why you don't care. If your answer is "I don't care because I don't know them", then you (as a human being) are part of the problem.