Praise For A Quiet, Average Life

In anime, you sometimes see a protagonist who wants nothing more than a quiet, average life only to be plunged into some sort of drama or misadventure. Usually, the character learns they enjoy a more-than-average life.

American society also frowns on a quiet, average life. Media teems with stories of people traveling, doing extreme sports, driving fast cars, doing this and that. Education and culture pushes us to be ambitious, to hunger to be rich and successful. To “live the dream.” You aren’t...