Reader's Digest: Quotable quotes

[Tom]

Hello everybody

Since two days I have been racking my mind on "QUOTABLE QUOTES" from READER'S DIGEST.The result is ZERO

I want to understand the meaning of this quote (no further text/ context) in detail. Please explain in detail.

" CITY PEOPLE TALK OF ESCAPE WHEN THEY TALK OF COUNTRY LIVING. TO ME COW IS REALITY. ESCAPE IS PASTEURIZED HOMOGENISED MILK DELIVERED AT THE BACK DOOR IN A DISPOSABLE PLASTIC BOTTLE."

WAITING WAITING WAITING

[Yankee]

Hi Tom

I understand the quote this way:

People who live in the city often feel stressed by the crowds, by work, by traffic, by the closeness of everything, etc. They think that living in the country (in other words far outside of a city where there's lots of space, fewer people, farmland) is an escape from the "reality of the city". They want to escape reality (i.e. stress + work) and relax.

The writer then points out that his reality is a cow (i.e., in the country). He implies that living in the country (farm) requires lots of hard work. To get his milk, he has to work (milk the cow). He thinks that not having to milk a cow or put milk in bottles, or bother returning/recycling the bottles (disposable) would make life easy. But that's most likely to be found in a city rather than in the country. So, his "escape from reality" is the city.

This "quotable quote" reminds me of the expression:
"The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence."

Amy

[Tom]

Dear Amy

Only after your help I was able to understand the quote this way: Please tell me if I am right and how much!

When a person runs away from the city and goes to the country (in order to find rest and peace),he forgets that there no milkman will drop ready milk bottles at his door. There he will have to work(milk the cow). So escape from city is also escape from some convenience(ready milk)(ESCAPE IS PASTEURIZED HOMOGENISED MILK DELIVERED AT THE BACK DOOR IN A DISPOSABLE PLASTIC BOTTLE." )

To sum up "DISTANCE LENDS ENCHANTMENT TO THE VIEW).

I could NOT AT ALL grasp your last lines(they will follow). Because you, in these lines, give both ideas of milking the cow and filling and recycling the bottles.( I do not know if he will have to do the latter(filling and recycling the bottles) in the country. But still, as weak my comprehension is, I would request you to shed some more light on this and help me understand it thoroughly.

(Amy)
" To get his milk, he has to work (milk the cow). He thinks that not having to milk a cow or put milk in bottles, or bother returning/recycling the bottles (disposable) would make life easy. But that's most likely to be found in a city rather than in the country. So, his "escape from reality" is the city.

OK Amiable Amy?

Waiting

[Yankee]

Hi Tom

Yes, you seem to have the picture now.

The bit about the milk and the cow and the guy in the country just means that in the country you have to do everything yourself. It's not that there's less work and more relaxation, just different work. And the guy with the cow sees all the conveniences of "city life" as relaxing and an "escape" from his reality.

That's how I understand it.

Amy