Even if you’re adaptable, well-traveled, and open-minded, there are probably ways you could stretch yourself further.
I’m leaving on a two week journey to the Far East today. I have no doubt that I’ll meet countless people with strange customs that don’t make any sense to me but are a way of life to them. Some will be dog eaters, insect catchers, cow worshippers, and even fire walkers. That may seem weird to me, but I’ll bet that I’m probably just as odd to them: That strange tall guy with the big curved nose who washes his feet and eats shrimp and uses a computer. Diversity is what makes this planet go round and I love it. The one thing that connects us isn’t just DNA; it’s body language, empathy, and conversing with each other without having to say a word: It’s a wink, a smile, the wave of a hand. It’s pure magic that I can communicate with another human in pure silence.
Are we thinking about the next generation? Do we even care about them?
Civilizations thrive based on their ability to adapt to changing environments. They are successful based on being able to understand their surroundings, take advantage of the unique elements around them, and be better than their neighbors. It’s that simple. When I look around, I observe many unique elements such as sunlight (free energy), humidity (free water), sand (silica or glass), sea (tourism), heritage (tourism), location (travel hub & trading), and other gifts that are not being fully taken advantage of. This brings me to the obvious question: “Why?”
I then look towards our behavior as a population. The greatest indicator of a country’s people can be observed in its roads: How clean are those roads? How do people drive and treat each other? How are animals treated? I get sad when I think of the answers. It seems globalization has managed to get a grip on my paradise island and we are turning into strangers who don’t care anymore. I realize that we are simply great consumers, and not much more. We know what to buy, how to order it, and how to throw it away when we are done. Do we manufacture anything of value? Do we invent or create? Do we know how to fix things? Do we recycle? Have we become just another zombie city that uses and abuses everything like a herd of locusts? Are we thinking about the next generation? Do we even care about them?
The one thing that connects us isn’t just DNA; it’s body language, empathy, and conversing with each other without having to say a word: It’s a wink, a smile, the wave of a hand.
I’m not really sure what the answers to those questions are, and I’m not even sure if I’m a zombie myself. What I am sure about is that being civilized costs nothing, and being respectful and understanding to everyone around is the only way we can sustain ourselves as a culture. We don’t need to be monitored and checked by authorities if we monitor ourselves in the mirror every day. If we practice good ethics when dealing with others then we’re sustaining ourselves culturally.
I don’t want to preach because I’m not a preacher. All I’m going to do is explore the possibility of becoming more civilized by reading about other’s journeys, learning from other cultures, and embracing what our neighbors in East Asia have to offer when I get there. I’m not going to judge people for being different, and I certainly won’t impose my opinions on anyone while I’m there. And who knows, I may eat an insect or two and walk on some fire while I’m at it. Then I might discover that others already know the true meaning of what it means to be civilized.
