The Idea of Home

There’s no place like home.-Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz”
(referenced by Professor Johnson; triggered the erratic thoughts contained within this blog)

Adjacent towns, states, countries, and continents are easily distinguished through cultural practices, skin color, religious beliefs, and government (despite the prejudiced connotation to such terms). As long as man has an opponent, he will maintain a sense of patriotism towards his home. The definition of such a “home” is dependent upon external locations that one has little or no emotional connection to. I believe that as long as man has an opponent, he will maintain a sense of patriotism towards his home. If we were to discover life on another planet that was capable of interacting and comprehending human ways, even if they were similar to us, we would compete with them. Even if as a whole we were curious and apt to coexist with such beings, there would still be an internal sense of desire for superiority, pride, and patriotism within Earthlings

Should we unite and respect everyone just because we share a physical location? House, city, state, country, planet, galaxy, existence, conscience? Yes. Will we? Most likely not. Perfect peace is unattainable because of individual and cultural subjectivism. I’ve said this all before. Universal harmony is a great goal to strive for but we won’t ever fully succeed because people are selfish. We connect locations to who we are and therefore what we (hope) believe is better because it’s ours. There is a sense of security in believing that something else is a part of you. One can be at home in a house, state, another person, a religion, a sports team, an idea, a possibility, an emotion, etc. All of which, despite some control on our part, are as Professor Johnson pointed out, contingent; accidental; circumstantial. Man does not want to be insecure. Having a home, no matter how small or large, gives him something to defend, love, and strive to improve. This doesn’t necessarily have to mean that this home is superior (although it may come across this way); it simply gives man a purpose.