I was never proud of being a certain nationality and I never understood (political) borders. I watch with lots of sadness how human beings are transformed into "patriots", who would kill another human and would die themselves for a flag!! Mindblowing.
I'm an idealist who wishes for no borders, no wars. Your piece made me clearly see why I'm not proud that I come from a certain country. In turn, I can feel deeply for ancestors and cultural identity, in whichever political borders they are shoved.
Yeah, it's hard to witness, isn't it? Like the lengths people go to over flags and iconography and the cognitive dissonance and conditioning behind it all. I agree that I'm more on the sides of the ancestors, but I don't think that was ever too cut and dry either.
But yeah, borders are strange. Have you ever looked into how the DMZ between North and South Korea came about? After defeating Japan during WWII, the Russians and the US couldn't agree on how to govern Korea (which had previously been under Japanese occupation), and literally divided the country in two, with each keeping half.
The world sure is a strange place.
Hell of a time to be alive, hey?! I have a running joke with a friend that aliens exist but they won't come to visit us until we stop killing each other and learn to live in harmony. We're just like "that" planet where the population is too busy destroying each other and the planet that sustains their life that they need to give us a few thousand years for us to sort out some of our issues before they come save us, haha. Probably feels a little too on the nose at the moment, though!
I'd rather say *people* are surely strange, and their greed for power, rather than the world. But I get your point. Of course aliens won't land until we stop killing each other. :)
Similar to what you said about Korea, I know Israel was also created in a similar way...
Thanks for this Cassie. I had read about a Captain Cook statue being vandalised in Melbourne the other day so nice to read another viewpoint on it (and one I would support) I imagine you have read about the Edward Colston statue in Bristol, if not then have a quick look.
There was a lot of anger about that statue but the council dragged their feet for years so I gather, so when it was dragged down and dumped in the harbour it was great to see. Bristol is one of those progressive cities that talks about its dark past with slavery. If we don't confront it and talk about it then there is no fixing and learning from it.
Yeah, I remember reading about the Edward Colston statue! That was a few years ago now, hey? Bristol is a great little progressive microcosm, but it's nice seeing the tides of change slowly turning around the world. Statue toppling definitely seems to be a good indicator of it - it feels quite strange how we as a culture still revere the iconography of the past, but it certainly feels like we have a long way to go on certain fronts, too, even despite tens of thousands marching through the streets in protest.
I know long-lasting change takes time, but you're right, confronting and talking about it is a good start. Your comment made me really glad I wrote this post (something I was previously grappling with), so thank you!
Hi Thankyou for your post. 🎊 on your citizenship.I'm not Australian, although have relatives who love their lives out there. I do however love Australia, its peoples and the ancient land scape. I have some wonderful Aussie friends, just love how forthright they are. I also believe the indigenous have so much to teach us, and was so very impressed with how they live alongside nature, especially up around Darwen where I visited.
They and first nations were oppressed, persecuted, executed no question.
I'm white Anglo Saxon and still living in the old country where my folks worked the land and were undoubtedly also persecuted, even condemned as witches. I'd advocate a time when we can all come together as a global community. Back in the day thinking was very different. To share our beliefs share our knowledge as equals is very important.
Thanks Gillian! It's permanent residency not yet citizenship, but it's a huge step in the journey and feels really good to have got this far.
Thanks for sharing this comment, too. I really appreciate your insights. Yes, the way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people coexist with nature is truly fascinating. I highly recommend reading Dark Emu if you want to learn more about life on Country in the pre-colonisation days. I think they also made a TV show about it too. I'm so glad how much more is being written about it these days, I love reading about the history of the land here and how it managed to sustain life even in the most inhospitable places for 65,000 years - including during the last Ice Age! It's truly incredible.
I know what you mean about the witches and the old folks, too. I have that in my blood as well. I fear there will always be an "us against them" mentality that will lead to persecution rather than everyone being able to live in peace together. Reaching that utopia certainly seems like the goal, but it feels a bit like the "us" people will have to be a little more onboard and meet the "them" halfway. Still, as bad as it is, it's still the best it's been in the last 236 years in many ways, too (which isn't saying much!)
Here's hoping everything can change for the better around the world, sooner rather than later! x
I was never proud of being a certain nationality and I never understood (political) borders. I watch with lots of sadness how human beings are transformed into "patriots", who would kill another human and would die themselves for a flag!! Mindblowing.
I'm an idealist who wishes for no borders, no wars. Your piece made me clearly see why I'm not proud that I come from a certain country. In turn, I can feel deeply for ancestors and cultural identity, in whichever political borders they are shoved.
Yeah, it's hard to witness, isn't it? Like the lengths people go to over flags and iconography and the cognitive dissonance and conditioning behind it all. I agree that I'm more on the sides of the ancestors, but I don't think that was ever too cut and dry either.
But yeah, borders are strange. Have you ever looked into how the DMZ between North and South Korea came about? After defeating Japan during WWII, the Russians and the US couldn't agree on how to govern Korea (which had previously been under Japanese occupation), and literally divided the country in two, with each keeping half.
The world sure is a strange place.
Hell of a time to be alive, hey?! I have a running joke with a friend that aliens exist but they won't come to visit us until we stop killing each other and learn to live in harmony. We're just like "that" planet where the population is too busy destroying each other and the planet that sustains their life that they need to give us a few thousand years for us to sort out some of our issues before they come save us, haha. Probably feels a little too on the nose at the moment, though!
I'd rather say *people* are surely strange, and their greed for power, rather than the world. But I get your point. Of course aliens won't land until we stop killing each other. :)
Similar to what you said about Korea, I know Israel was also created in a similar way...
Thanks for this Cassie. I had read about a Captain Cook statue being vandalised in Melbourne the other day so nice to read another viewpoint on it (and one I would support) I imagine you have read about the Edward Colston statue in Bristol, if not then have a quick look.
There was a lot of anger about that statue but the council dragged their feet for years so I gather, so when it was dragged down and dumped in the harbour it was great to see. Bristol is one of those progressive cities that talks about its dark past with slavery. If we don't confront it and talk about it then there is no fixing and learning from it.
Yeah, I remember reading about the Edward Colston statue! That was a few years ago now, hey? Bristol is a great little progressive microcosm, but it's nice seeing the tides of change slowly turning around the world. Statue toppling definitely seems to be a good indicator of it - it feels quite strange how we as a culture still revere the iconography of the past, but it certainly feels like we have a long way to go on certain fronts, too, even despite tens of thousands marching through the streets in protest.
I know long-lasting change takes time, but you're right, confronting and talking about it is a good start. Your comment made me really glad I wrote this post (something I was previously grappling with), so thank you!
Hi Thankyou for your post. 🎊 on your citizenship.I'm not Australian, although have relatives who love their lives out there. I do however love Australia, its peoples and the ancient land scape. I have some wonderful Aussie friends, just love how forthright they are. I also believe the indigenous have so much to teach us, and was so very impressed with how they live alongside nature, especially up around Darwen where I visited.
They and first nations were oppressed, persecuted, executed no question.
I'm white Anglo Saxon and still living in the old country where my folks worked the land and were undoubtedly also persecuted, even condemned as witches. I'd advocate a time when we can all come together as a global community. Back in the day thinking was very different. To share our beliefs share our knowledge as equals is very important.
Thanks Gillian! It's permanent residency not yet citizenship, but it's a huge step in the journey and feels really good to have got this far.
Thanks for sharing this comment, too. I really appreciate your insights. Yes, the way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people coexist with nature is truly fascinating. I highly recommend reading Dark Emu if you want to learn more about life on Country in the pre-colonisation days. I think they also made a TV show about it too. I'm so glad how much more is being written about it these days, I love reading about the history of the land here and how it managed to sustain life even in the most inhospitable places for 65,000 years - including during the last Ice Age! It's truly incredible.
I know what you mean about the witches and the old folks, too. I have that in my blood as well. I fear there will always be an "us against them" mentality that will lead to persecution rather than everyone being able to live in peace together. Reaching that utopia certainly seems like the goal, but it feels a bit like the "us" people will have to be a little more onboard and meet the "them" halfway. Still, as bad as it is, it's still the best it's been in the last 236 years in many ways, too (which isn't saying much!)
Here's hoping everything can change for the better around the world, sooner rather than later! x