Cultural conditioning
Something more about words.
I said to you earlier that words are limited.
There is more I have to add.
There are some words that correspond to nothing.
For instance, I'm an Indian.
Now, let's suppose that I'm a prisoner of war in Pakistan, and they say to me, "Well, today we're going to take you to the frontier, and you're going to take a look at your country."
So they bring me to the frontier, and I look across the border, and I think,
"Oh, my country, my beautiful country.
I see villages and trees and hills. This is my own, my native land!"
After a while one of the guards says,
"Excuse me, we've made a mistake here.
We have to move up another ten miles."
What was I reacting to?
Nothing.
I kept focusing on a word, India.
But trees are not India; trees are trees.
In fact, there are no frontiers or boundaries.
They were put there by the human mind; generally by stupid, avaricious politicians.
My country was one country once upon a time; it's four now.
If we don't watch out it might be six.
Then we'll have six flags, six armies.
That's why you'll never catch me saluting a flag.
I abhor all national flags because they are idols.
What are we saluting?
I salute humanity, not a flag with an army around it.
Awareness
Anthony de Mello
