Putting aside the obvious challenges in not getting on with one’s relations, every one of us either goes through a phase, or has a need, to belong. Whether to a tribe, a community or a nation we like to see ourselves as part of some wider human grouping. Even artists who are the archetype outsiders, see in their very separateness from the mainstream a self-definition.
The fact of belonging probably means many things: a comfort, an affirmation that others believe what we believe, a sense of standing within a community and that greatest of all helping hands that says we are someone, we are not lost, we are not worthless.
Most of these groupings are chosen for us, because very few of us are ever able to create a nation, or a movement, or a tribe. We may make modifications but because they are chosen for us, so too are many of our attitudes because to belong you have to fit in for even in disparate societies the rule of law is a suit we all wear.
But if we are going to belong surely it makes more sense to be as inclusive as possible? If there is a strength in community surely that community should be as wide as possible?
Surely if there is truth and honesty to be found in this world, then belonging to the clan ‘human’ is more important than any other grouping.
Much more important than nations.