[This article relates to Craig's "What's the Big Idea?" segment on Western Reserve PBS's NEOtropolis Tuesday 2-7-12 @ 9:00 PM on NEOtropolis.org]
As I write this article on the eve of the NEOtropolis Episode "Phantom Borders", I can't help but reflect on the fact that today, February 6, 2012 the U.S. Embassy closed it's doors in Damascus, and our diplomats race back home to safety.
While Western powers push for a tough UN resolution against Syria - Russia and China veto the Resolution.
Russia, China, The U.S., Saudi Arabia and others... all in a debate over approach, principles and their own interests.
Meanwhile yesterday, 173 million people and 11 billion dollars spell, "Super Bowl".
So: This time, "What's the Big Idea?" isn't so much about a Big Idea as it's a Big (set of) Question(s).
What are borders anyway?
- Some are natural: Oceans and rivers are natural borders
- Some are man made: The Great Wall of China, The Berlin Wall, and nation-states were and are created by humans
- Some borders are connectors too: The highway system connects us - but it was originally designed to keep missiles moving efficiently so that we could protect our borders during the Cold War
- Some are virtual: These are probably the most powerful borders and barriers of all. They're the ones in our minds, and are likely the ones that define the others. They can be things such as fear, judgement, self-interest and even greed
Not all borders are bad. Human bodies have skin and smart-phones have cases. Both help protect and "keep out" the bad or the harmful.
But what if we get confused?
- What if we confuse "good" and "bad"?
- What if we too quickly judge "us" versus "them"?
Who are "they" anyway?
For starters, they're the thousands who have died "over there" in Syria since March 2011. Mostly peaceful protesters. Many of them children. These are images of "them" (Note: The link takes you to a Washington Post photo gallery depicting the situation in Syria. Some of the images may be disturbing)
Humankind's ability to understand and empathize is equally matched by our ability to divide and enforce our "will" over one another. We've perfected such skills over Millenia. And now, like never before, we have the opportunity to more thoughtfully create borders & barriers and/or decide to build bridges.
You see, by the year 2020, 20+ billion devices & people will be connected digitally. We are increasingly able to hear, see and translate via video, image or the written word. Real time. Anywhere. Everywhere. And nearly Everyone.
The "country of Facebook" has no geographic border.
What will we do with this opportunity?
I'm not saying it's easy. There are no easy answers on how to deal with a complex situation such as in Syria, where its leader decides to fire bullets at his own people and rebels decide to fire back.
But we should ask ourselves the difficult questions. More. Often.
Perhaps, at least, we should become more aware. At our fingertips we increasingly have the tools and information that can help inform our observations and actions.
Why should we care here in NEO about all this non-NEO stuff? I'll attempt to answer it this way:
- What happens over there, affects over here
- What we do here - affects over there
- What helps anywhere - helps everywhere
- What hurts anywhere - hurts everywhere
- Civil unrest "somewhere else" breeds the fear, anger and desperation that prompts one to transform a jet into a weapon by flying it into a tower
- Famine, suffering and contaminated water breed the germs that can hop on those same jet planes and land here at "home" (wherever that may be) and can infect us all
- Thinking only about NEO in NEO won't sustainably help NEO - in the long run
I know it's heavy. I know at times I'd rather not see a photo of a child killed in Syria. We all have plenty to worry about day-to-day, and it's fun to watch the Super Bowl - right?
But I think we need to think more about what we think about.
craig arthur james 2012
The above are not necessarily the views of NEOtropolis or Western Reserve PBS, but rather, are the views of this author related to the topics he may have discussed on NEOtropolis as a contributor
