Labels. They’re a damn dangerous habit, but one we so anxiously chase. Ideas of fitting in, blending, being a part of something. American. Israeli. Palestinian. South Sider. Crip. Indian. Mason. These terms aren’t inclusive, they’re exclusive. The sense of belonging dulls your awareness of placing yourself in a box, in your own mental prison.
This is why I love travel, it has forced me to grow by seeing so many similarities in all humanity rather than focus on the differences - we all love our families, we all love to eat, we all want peace and a chance at prosperity. Genocide starts with focusing on differences. Peace starts with focusing on commonality.
A homogenized life is boring as hell and stale, is that really what you want? To live in a small clique of clones means to kill your sense of adventure, quell your creativity, close your mind to the foreign stimuli that will expand your horizons beyond your imagination. I can’t imagine a world where I eat only Mexican food, as much as I love it and was raised on it. The Bhagavad Gita taught me more about life than the Bible I was raised on. My Jewish mentors taught me how to succeed, how to me a mensch, how to do the right thing. I’ve slept in huts in Asian jungles with families I couldn’t even talk to. Had the joy of bringing together my Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Athiest, Jain, Jewish, and Buddhist friends for parties.
I’ve gotten plenty of shit for my last few posts, so many arguments people want to start, “here is why the other side is the bad guy”. My response - YOU’RE NOT GETTING IT!!!! There are no other sides.
We are literally fungal bodies that evolved from bacteria, became Homo Sapiens in Africa, and spread like a virus, killing everything in our path. The divisions are made up bullshit. If you can’t get that, I feel sorry for you.
Go travel. Go eat Ethiopian food tonight. Listen to Fela Kuti. Read another religion’s great book. Ponder another perspective. Expand your mind man, for your sake and ours. Live free. - 7/3/2018