America Jata Pahela

This document, "America Jata Pahela" (Before You Go to America) by Priyam, published by Ashapuran Parshwanath Jain Gyanbhandar, serves as a cautionary guide for individuals considering moving to America. It presents a critical and often negative perspective on various aspects of American life, contrasting them with the perceived benefits and values of India. The book's central theme is to highlight the potential pitfalls and disillusionments that await those who move to America, urging them to be well-informed and prepared.

The book is structured into numerous chapters, each addressing a specific topic with "America" as a suffix, such as:

• Opinions and America: Expresses a view that Indian middle and upper-class life with its comforts and servants is superior to American life, which is perceived as impersonal and involves manual labor. It criticizes the perceived superficiality of American social interactions.
• Medical and America: Highlights the exorbitant cost of medical services, even for minor issues, and the potential for medical bills to bankrupt individuals. It mentions that even with insurance, premiums are high, and a significant portion of the population lacks health insurance.
• Mental Diseases and America: Attributes the rise in mental health issues to the fast-paced, machine-like lifestyle in America. It notes the high demand for psychiatrists and the prevalence of mental asylums and prisons.
• Dangers and America: Discusses the threat posed by individuals with mental illnesses, citing a disturbing example of a serial killer. It suggests that many seemingly normal individuals may also harbor dangerous tendencies.
• Hunters and America: Refers to the prevalence of violent crime, suggesting that public places are not as safe as they appear. It highlights the fear among Americans of random acts of violence and the perceived ineffectiveness of law enforcement.
• News and America: Describes the constant stream of crime-related news on American television, including fires, shootings, murders, sexual assaults, and robberies. It cites statistics on the frequency of various crimes.
• Insecurity and America: Discusses the pervasive sense of insecurity, particularly in certain neighborhoods, and the fear of crime. It points out the contradiction between the focus on punishing criminals and the lack of preventative measures for societal issues like alcohol and gun culture.
• Thieves and America: Details the prevalence of mugging in public places and the advice given to avoid it, such as not walking alone at night and securing one's belongings. It also highlights the issue of newspapers left outside homes indicating the absence of residents, making them targets for theft.
• Car-Theft and America: Mentions the high rate of car theft and the perceived leniency of punishments, leading to even police cars being stolen. It notes the efficient dismantling of stolen cars for parts.
• Dust and America: Criticizes the consumerist culture, the massive amount of waste generated, and the disposable nature of products. It points out that repairing items is often more expensive than buying new ones, leading to a buildup of garbage. It also touches upon the issue of radioactive waste used for land reclamation causing health problems.
• Work and America: Describes the demanding and often menial nature of jobs in America, where individuals may have to perform tasks that people in India would not consider doing even for their own families. It suggests that N.R.I.s often remain silent about the nature of their jobs when they visit India.
• Week and America: Criticizes the lack of time for personal life and family due to work, leading to a life of constant busyness and missed opportunities. It paints a picture of a life devoid of leisure and personal fulfillment.
• Economy and America: Characterizes the American economy as "Use and Throw," where everything and everyone is disposable. It highlights the relentless pursuit of profit, the discarding of older or less productive individuals and items, and the resulting societal consequences.
• Lay off and America: Discusses the practice of laying off employees while executives receive massive bonuses and golden parachutes, leading to despair, violence, mental illness, and suicide.
• Education and America: Points out the extremely high cost of higher education, forcing students to take on significant debt. It details the long and expensive educational paths for professions like doctors.
• Schools and America: Highlights the presence of guns in schools, drug gangs, and a lax environment where students can engage in smoking, kissing, and sexually suggestive activities during class. It suggests that Indian schools, despite their perceived weaknesses, offer a better environment for moral upbringing.
• Students and America: Depicts American students as being more interested in partying and enjoyment than in academics, highlighting the prevalence of substance abuse and risky behavior like "binge drinking."
• Transportation and America: Discusses the potential dangers of driving on well-maintained roads due to speeding and the cascading effect of accidents. It also mentions the inefficiencies and delays in the Amtrak rail service and the disruption of air travel due to weather.
• Subway and America: Describes the New York subway system as a breeding ground for crime, homelessness, and filth, even for intelligent commuters.
• Cost and America: Contrasts the cost of goods in America with India, noting that some items are more expensive in America. It also discusses the high cost of housing and the significant portion of income spent on rent.
• Corruption and America: Argues that corruption exists in America through political lobbying and corporate influence, leading to higher prices for consumers and relaxed regulations.
• Colour-gap and America: Acknowledges the legal equality but suggests that subtle discrimination based on skin color persists in hiring practices, with preferential treatment for white individuals.
• Honesty and America: Warns that Americans can be deceptive in business dealings and that one must be constantly vigilant to avoid being cheated. It mentions discrepancies in pricing, insurance premiums, and stock market practices.
• Froad and America: Describes various forms of fraud, including deceptive credit card offers, travel scams, and the exploitative nature of the compensation culture.
• Credit Cards and America: Warns against the excessive use of credit cards, highlighting the high interest rates and the risk of accumulating debt, which can trap individuals and their future generations.
• Facilities and America: Advises that to survive in America, one must be adaptable and willing to overlook shortcomings. It points out the lack of domestic help, the need to travel long distances for basic necessities, and the absence of convenient services common in India.
• Problems and America: Discusses the challenges faced by parents in dropping off and picking up their children from school due to the lack of school buses and the demands of dual-income households. It also mentions the lack of close-knit neighborhood relationships and the potential for conflict with neighbors.
• Labour and America: States that many professionals from India become laborers in America, facing financial instability and demanding work conditions. It contrasts the freedom of Indian laborers with the strict control and lack of autonomy experienced by American workers, who are often exploited by large corporations.
• Misunderstanding and America: Critiques the superficial perception of happiness in America, highlighting that many citizens, despite earning well, struggle with financial instability and emotional distress. It suggests that many Indians who return from America do so with a renewed appreciation for India.
• Aloneness and America: Describes the pervasive sense of loneliness and isolation in America, where people lack strong social connections. It links this to the rise in mental illnesses and violent behavior.
• Weather and America: Details the extreme and unpredictable weather conditions in America, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, tornadoes, and severe winters, posing constant dangers to residents.
• Elegal Residency and America: Discusses the problems caused by illegal immigrants, including economic strain and reduced government benefits. It also notes the exploitation faced by illegal immigrants in the workplace.
• Green Card and America: Criticizes the Green Card as a "dangerous weapon for white-collar crime" in India, used for arranged marriages driven by immigration rather than genuine affection. It also highlights the obligation of Green Card holders to serve in the US military, even against their home country.
• T.V. and America: Criticizes American television for its excessive content of violence, crime, and sexual material, arguing that it negatively impacts children's development and fosters deviant behavior.
• Culture and America: Points out the lack of ancient culture in America, the pervasive nudity and sexual explicitness in media, the absence of grandparents' influence, and the corrupting effect of technology and rampant sexual promiscuity.
• Character and America: Describes the widespread lack of discipline and moral values, with instances of teenage promiscuity, parental neglect, and children reporting their parents to the authorities, leading to harsh legal consequences.
• Marriage and America: Highlights the decline of marriage as an institution in America, with low marriage rates, high divorce rates, and an increase in single mothers and children born out of wedlock, leading to social problems.
• Divorce and America: Depicts divorce as a common and easy process in America, leading to unstable family structures, emotional distress for children, and a sense of self-centeredness among adults.
• Women and America: Discusses the negative consequences of female independence, including mental stress, reliance on substances, and the lack of support from ex-husbands for child maintenance. It contrasts this with the protected status of women in Indian culture.
• Parents and America: Portrays a grim picture of elderly parents being treated as domestic help by their children, facing disrespect, financial neglect, and abandonment.
• Children and America: Describes the neglect and emotional deprivation children experience in America, being raised by sitters or in day-care centers, leading to behavioral issues and a lack of empathy.
• Youngsters and America: Discusses the cultural clash between Indian parents and their American-raised children, with the latter often rejecting Indian traditions and values.
• Child abuse and America: Presents statistics on child abuse and murder, highlighting the disturbing role of parents and their partners in these crimes.
• Relatives and America: Expresses the pain and helplessness of those in America who cannot be present for their ailing relatives in India, emphasizing the geographical distance and the prioritizing of work over family.
• Emotions and America: Contrasts the emotional warmth and interconnectedness of Indian society with the superficiality and isolation prevalent in America, where people are too busy to connect.
• Selfishness and America: Describes Americans as primarily motivated by money and individual gain, lacking in generosity and compassion, and treating relationships transactionally.
• Family and America: Depicts a breakdown of familial bonds, where relationships are based on financial considerations rather than genuine affection and support.
• Seniors and America: Discusses the plight of the elderly in America, who often face neglect, isolation, and are treated as domestic help by their own children.
• Pleasure and America: Criticizes the blandness of American food and the lack of natural beauty and sensory pleasure compared to India. It suggests that the pursuit of material gain leads to a lack of genuine happiness.
• Dog and America: Contrasts the reverence shown to pets in America with the often-disregarded state of human relationships. It highlights the extreme devotion to dogs and the services available for them.
• Fall and America: Labels moving to America as a gamble that often leads to ruin, a loss of life's essence, and a cultural disconnect.
• Dollar and America: Debunks the myth that earning dollars automatically leads to wealth, arguing that the high cost of living and the demanding nature of work negate the perceived financial advantage.
• Base and America: Argues that the foundation of a healthy society is the woman, and in America, women have lost their femininity by trying to emulate men, leading to unhappiness and a breakdown of family values.
• Ramayan and America: Uses an analogy from the Ramayan to question the value of what is gained by sacrificing everything for America, implying that the pursuit of materialistic gains leads to the loss of essential human values.
• History and America: Critiques American history as being rooted in violence, exploitation, and plunder, starting from the treatment of Native Americans and continuing through colonial exploitation.
• World war and America: Alleges that the world wars were orchestrated by American economic interests for profit, suggesting a cycle of conflict driven by the arms industry.
• Before.... INDIA .....After: Concludes with a quote from Swami Vivekananda emphasizing the spiritual and emotional richness of India compared to the materialistic and spiritually bankrupt America, suggesting a profound revaluation of one's homeland after experiencing America.
• Saavdhan (Beware): The final section extends the critique to Europe and other Western countries, warning that adopting American ways can lead to spiritual and personal emptiness.

In essence, "America Jata Pahela" is a stark warning against the idealized image of America, presenting a detailed account of its perceived negative aspects, including high costs, crime, social isolation, moral decay, and a relentless pursuit of materialism that overshadows genuine human connection and happiness. The book aims to dissuade readers from emigrating to America by highlighting the potential for disappointment and loss.