“It’s a future where the old divisions are overcome. Where you and all of your neighbors and the wider world can live in greater security and greater peace. I know that this won’t be reached easily. There are those that insist that we be defined by our differences, but let us remember the words that were written by the poet Sa’di, so many years ago. ‘the children of Adam are limbs to each other having been created of one essence.’ With the beginning of a new season we are reminded of this precious humanity that we all share and we can once again call upon this new spirit as we seek the promise of a new beginning.”
-President Obama
In our previous debate, we essentially posit that in order for humanity to improve its condition we need to reduce the separation among people created by identity institutions such as ‘my nation’ and start from scratch as one people. However, a change such as this is practically impossible, because of how ingrained the notion of country is into human culture. I think that we can still keep the institution of country, while not interpreting it as a barrier between humans. In other words we need to reshape the way that view country so that is not reason to separate ourselves, but a rather a reason to embrace the diversity among the human population. This is exactly what our president is trying to do.
In this clip, Obama directly addresses the Iranian people in an attempt to decrease the separation created over the years between the American and Iranian populations. If the goal is to unite as one humanity composed of many nations and histories in order to form a more peaceful existence on earth, practical actions like this message from Obama are the first step toward a more united and peaceful human condition.
See the discussion found in the links below for more on this in depth concept. The links are listed in chronological order with the first link being the oldest (the start of the discussion).
On Science Religion, and Nationalism
On Science, Religion, and Nationalism II
I have a lot to say on your thoughts for starting from scratch which I will save.
As for Obama although he still says a few typical things for an American pol (if you forgo violence and your bombs…wait a minute I need to send an automatic drone over the Pakistani border to violate international law and kill some people) but it is a billion times better than George Bush.
What’s cool about Obama is he understands words matter and knows how to absorb and shape them. He is quite a scholarly president.
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