Content advisory 12+ We were driving in our Japanese car down the road, xenon headlights breaking the darkness. Suspension, invented by a Scotland-origin man was preventing us from jumping on the bumps. We were driving through the forest to the border through the protected zone.
Back then, in the age of tribes, being banned from your settlement was sometimes worse than a death sentence. Wild beasts, hungry hunters, weather, lack of fire was always following those who fell under this kind of persecution.
Centuries passed, languages developed, borders were built. Iron, stone, fire and water – they divide the planet, cutting invisible scars on its’ face.
I’m not against states or governments, of course – people still need teams and tribes, as we are still naked apes, trying to hide the animal inside us behind the ironed façade. It is in our nature and psychology, it helps us to survive and achieve results – and I usually like to be a team-builder myself, as I believe that money can pass – and people are the main asset.
The actually dangerous thing is borders with spikes turned outside in our minds. Thoughts of exclusiveness, ideas of the uniqueness of certain cultures, of the fact that someone can be better than others…
I have a really interesting fact for those who think this way: your success is a coincidence. Millions tried, they were more clever than you, faster than you, stronger than you – and they didn’t succeed because someone hadn’t washed hands before giving them their meal. You should always keep in mind that the same thing could happen to anyone. Or vice versa.
Country success is usually a line of such coincidences, fortified by the people who can think several steps further, not just one – they used these coincidences for their benefit, for the good of their teams, and that finally led to development.
Yet everything could be different.
A Chinese fleet just hadn’t decided to sail to Europe in full force back then – and just by a coincidence, they had no idea what this land could bring. Remember – they already had gunpowder, rockets and mortars back then.
Driving closer to the border, the forest became darker. Concrete bunkers (yes, that’s true) were staring at us with empty gun ports, [and the wolves were howling all around us] (well, I’m kidding about that).
Even though the border crossings are physical, we crossed this one in three hours, getting all the stamps required.
The highest borders are in our minds.
We tend to put clichés on other cultures because it is much more simple to think that all Italians love pizza, all Germans love beer, all Russians love vodka, all French are…well, let’s stop here. This is an easy way for those who are not ready to move forward, to evolve. It is easy to remember that you can eat apples and never try coconuts – but can we really call ourselves “sapiens” in this case? Is it not about curiosity, development, constant search, or, may I call it – Discovery?
Working closely with other tribes (oh, sorry, cultures) help us to develop ourselves, widen the horizon, find new solutions, invent and bring a better world for us and our descendants. It trains our brain, helps to create new neuron links, which eventually can bring us a mutually better future.
The only thing this idea bounces off is the border in our mind.
====Artem Kovalev===
