The Aliens are Coming

In a globalizing society, the rate of change has become faster than the average persons ability to adapt to. Norms and beliefs that were well established - have a tendency to become obsolete overnight.

In this era, the internet and air travel has made the world a smaller place. No nation or group can be separate  from the rest of humanity. Unlike the people of the past who had the option of staying in isolation, today's humanity have no choice but to directly confront issues and ideas that are alien and incomprehensible to their of life and thinking. 

The question nowadays is "how do we deal with this alien other?"

Throughout history, mankind has dealt with the "alien other" with violence. The need to control and even exterminate the "alien other" is hardwired into the human psyche. People fear what they do not know and thus fearing they try to first eliminate the unknown, and second (if the first does not work) - to control it and the last is (if everything else fails) - to understand it. Understanding was therefore only secondary to the need to feel safe.

However, in modern society, where everything and everyone is interdependent - the old business of kill now and understand later just won't work. Mankind cannot just exterminate everything that is beyond his understanding (even people) because he might just be shooting his own legs. Our responses to the unknown must not be instinctive. Our actions must be guided by reason. Our survival mantra must not be fight or flight first but understanding first flight or fight second.

This blog is about fostering understanding. This blog is intended for people to discuss, argue and debate. This is a forum where everyone gains and the biggest loss anyone could have would be no more than a bruise to their egos.


Incipe ergo disputationem