The need to put a name to everything and differentiate categories is in human nature. The way our brains make sense of what we are experiencing in our lives is through classification of our surroundings. What we sometimes don’t realize is that even though our particular races and cultures make us all different from the rest, it does not separate us from being human beings, and a part of something bigger than a country or even a continent. When we push people away just because they come from a different place than us or because they have different traditions or routines, then we are creating barriers that lead to unnecessary cultural tension.
It is important that, in the world we live today, we understand as citizens of everywhere that between the globalization the Internet brought us, and the fact that all around the world there have been immigration waves from the other side of the globe, nowadays there is no such thing as a “pure nation” with an unaffected original population. At the moment, the nationality card cannot be played as an excuse not to create a relationship with anyone. It can be difficult: different cultures bring with them an unknown set of social rules or even language can be a difficult obstacle to overcome, but if we think about it, aren’t people from even the same family completely different from each other sometimes? When there is predisposition to create that relationship then it is always possible, the same way as when we meet someone with our same culture.
With that, patience to what is different or unusual to us is crucial in order to have a better future as a growing community, in which trust and respect are the pillars for tomorrow. People need to realize that everyone can contribute toward a bigger end, sometimes with different methods, but with a positive result. It is not a secret that people are afraid of what they do not know or understand, but with an open mind and predisposition for new things, not only could we end many social issues we are facing today, but we could also develop a better functional society where everyone can contribute in their own way.
Lastly, when the situation is a positive one and everyone is happy, those cultural barriers are embraced, and from them parties create memories and gain a richer experience. On the other hand, when things are bad, and everyone is tired, those same differences that made the situation special at the beginning, are now considered rude or annoying, sometimes even unbearable. It is important that we realize that no matter the circumstance, differences are no more than just that. To me, being mad, threatened or bothered by the kind of music someone listens to, the things they consider important, or their values just because they come from a culture different than ours is a hypocrite move. No one is more important than anyone else, and I’m sure that no one would like their principles to be looked down on because of where we come from.
We may look different, we may speak differently, and we may behave differently depending where we come from. That being said, at the end of the day acting together as a team we can accomplish results much bigger than ourselves. The cultural clash can be put a side and instead of a clash where sides fight to win the whole, it can be a mix of experiences put together, and peacefully have a better reaction. A better future with citizens of the world.
