Things to Think About 007

"I am not an Athenian, I am not a Greek, I am a citizen of the world.” Socrates

I think it’s ironic, in a way, that a quote from more than 2,300 years ago could help us understand civil society in the 21st century so succinctly. Socrates so eloquently sums up what I feel to be a foundational element of meaningful dialogue in a global society. We are still struggling to understand this thing called globalization and many approach it with a sense of apprehension. Sure, we get the economic piece, the expansion of trade and limitless potential for the growth of a business. But, what many are unsure about is how to deal with other cultures, either as expats, or hosts.

To me, Socrates is not renouncing his origin, but expanding it and it’s this sense of cultural empathy that makes it so much easier to communicate and appreciate, as President Havel used to say, the otherness of others.

Till next time…