Mark Twain was a visionary

No politics here, although those who know me outside of this blog also know me to be opinionated. The current goings on in the USA are no exception. However, this is not meant to be a soapbox for politics. There are too many thin-skinned individuals out there who would easily take exception.

However, I would like to guide your eyes to this gem from a great American literary icon, Mark Twain (or Sam Clemens, to his family and friends):

Now, consider the following bit: in several studies, only between 3 and 5% of the population of the USA has ever ventured outside of its borders. Those numbers may have changed, but the outcome is the same: as a society, the USA is cozy comfy being within the confines of the USA. It's not a judgment, but it certainly reveals one aspect of why we find ourselves in a cultural conundrum at this juncture. As a larger society, the USA is insular. We fear strangers. We cast a jaundiced eye toward anyone who doesn't sound or look like us (this is an interesting concept, given the great melting pot that we were and from which we seem to be retreating). We are uncomfortable with moving beyond the tried and true.

Perhaps it's time the vast majority of our citizens move beyond the borders and explore another culture, get to know another society. In other words, we need to discover that we have more in common with our brethren in other cultures than we do that is not common. That is something that I and other vagabonds have discovered. Even in that *gasp* political arena, I have found that I and others who are are on opposite sides of the spectrum actually do have commonalities that bridge the gap. We may not agree on methods, but we agree on bottom line desires and goals.

It's time the USA as a society really understands this--before it's too late.