I liked your post a lot and I advocate the same to any “young” person who asks me what to do with their life. Go travel. But besides that, I think the problem, particularly in the western world, is systemic.

Ever since a child is in school, s/he is expected to define, classify, organise, and conclude everything with true or false, right or wrong, my way or wrong way, etc. This is classic eastern v/s western clash of civilisation – one requires things to be undefined while the other is obsessed with defining everything or forcing order everywhere. We have to let go of this approach.

So, on one hand, while there are 3 official genders in India, temples dedicated to gay deities, mythological stories about gods and godesses changing their genders at will, paradoxically there is an emerging lobby on the other hand that wants society to conform to recently constructed right-wing agendas. I don’t get it.

Thank you for that comment!

Of course not only travelers are open-minded and think outside the box, I know people who have by now have not been outside the country (Russia) and yet travelers are able to embrace different lifestyles and changes more on a much more frequent basis.

You don’t need a complicated or intellectual argument when you’re just simply dead right. I haven’t traveled for 10 years quite yet, but I’ve been to about 20 countries, and I share your feelings—much of the rest of the world just seems to live and let live, and their societies haven’t spiraled out of control by any means. I love my country, but sadly, when I look at what’s going on in the US I frequently feel like it’s completely ludicrous. Fighting ridiculous wars (we haven’t evolved much—still killing each other because it’s simply easier than diplomacy). People wasting their time on such insanity—the religious right would rather prevent gays from living as they please than prevent murderous dictators from committing genocide. I’ve heard that from people, verbatim!

I’d argue it’s their mindset that’s completely infantile. Most humans are so insecure with themselves, so afraid of what’s different, and constantly trying to rationalize their own ideas of reality that they’ll eat each other over it.

Excellent post.

What do u think about the word “tolerance”?

Have we tolerate all ideas?

If you gave people a choose to follow one of those definitions, we would definitely see some different attitudes towards change.

It’s funny, these days, friends and family sometimes tell me I’m TOO worry-free! And I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Thanks Clay.