The Shared World

We are living in a heady time and people are wondering what world we are creating for ourselves. Thomas L. Friedman writes about the 'flattened' world, where distance and time have evaporated such that it is cheaper for the H&R Block office down the street to have someone in India help you fill out your 1040A while they work with wealthier clients whose tax situations and sensibilities require more delicate customer service. While Friedman focuses on the elimination of distance and paints a picture of global village capitalism, Naomi Shihab Nye, in her "Gate 4-A" in this month's issue of Tikkun magazine, reflects on the isolation of being human in this world, the gulfs that separate individuals. Refreshingly, she comes to the conclusion that humanity is still possible among people.

While Friedman's book (and 2nd edition) offers a fascinating users guide to understanding how global capitalism works, the subtext of Nye's article is that this impersonal world created by globalization is blinding us to our shared humanity, and we must retrieve it. She tells the story of an encounter at an airport, when she helped interpret for a Palestinian woman sobbing because she thought her flight was canceled--a devastating event because it would mean the woman would miss important medical treatment the next day. After communicating to the woman that her flight was simply delayed, Nye spoke with the woman's son by phone and promised to remain with her during the duration of their time at the airport and on the flight. As they waited at the gate, Nye called her father as well as a number of her friends, Palestinian poets. They all spoke with the woman and shared stories and laughter. Before the plane arrived to the gate, the woman was sharing homemade cookies with other women at the gate, none of whom shared her language or religion, but understood the value of spontaneous humanity. What struck me about the article was Nye's approach in handling the situation. Not only did she interpret for the woman and console her, but she kept calling people she thought it would be fun for the woman to talk to on the phone. By doing so, she gave the woman a sense of community, and the chance to laugh. In turn, the woman created community at the gate by sharing her cookies with others.

In thinking about this, it reminds me that there are ways to help people, and there are better ways to help people. Anything we can do to reduce the distance between ourselves and others in this increasingly isolating world will be a victory for humanity. As Nye writes, "This is the world I want to live in. The shared world." Some people would argue that 9/11 brought a fleeting sense of humanity in this country. While that may be true, it also prompted a reaction of blind fear and anger that allowed our country to support military actions we are deeply regretting. While the world may be flat, there are greater gulfs separating Americans from the rest of the world due to our foreign policies. While great tragedy inspires community, it also foments fear and revenge. If we can work to build a shared world in our everyday lives with those around us, maybe we will be more resilient and thoughtful citizens of the earth, flattened or round.