Essay by Luke Foster
As with the Harbour Bridge in Sydney there is only a few lanes of traffic going each way and two train tracks going each way. However international relations between different countries and people of different views and cultures and religions are more like the interweaving roads I described in the essay title.
Each group or country builds their own road but it’s the world peacekeepers who maintain the traffic flowing in all different directions simultaneously without congestion.
It’s a strange metaphor for me to use as I don’t have a drivers license and usually walk, catch a bus, or get a lift with one of my support workers.
Barack Obama was and is someone who directs traffic in the world’s community peacefully.
“The peace we seek in the world begins in human hearts. And it finds its glorious expression when we look beyond any differences in religion or tribe and rejoices in the beauty of every soul. “
Barack Obama /former US President
Martin Luther King’s peaceful peace building relationships between races in America and globally as a pioneer of civil rights movements internationally is profound including influencing the creation of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra, Australia starting in 1972.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. “
Martin Luther King
The worlds interchange is also sort of like the Internet or what they call the information superhighway.
“Civility is only a passenger – not a driver-on the information superhighway. “
Don Ritter
In my opinion I am not sure if the Internet reflects this complex world we live in or if the world has become a reflection of the Internet.
I think this metaphor of the freeway interchange can be expanded as there is maybe ten roads interweaving at the Los Angeles interchange but in the worlds interchange there are hundreds of countries roads overlapping and interweaving. There are also billions of different people interacting in this global society.
I guess what I am partly talking about is what they call globalization.
“Globalization is a term used to describe how trade and technology have made the world into a more connected and inter dependent place. Globalization also captures in its scope the economic and social changes that have come about as a result.”
Globalization- National Geographic Society
One such example of positive relations between countries of different languages and cultures because of globalization is the company Apple. It’s an American company but most of its products are made in China. So, this is a good example of complex bridge building and interweaving for peaceful relations.
Steve Jobs who was the brainchild behind many of Apple’s products was described as “Mr Globalization. “
This isn’t a quote by Jobs about globalization, but I like it as it rings true.
“That’s been one of my mantras- focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex, you must work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple.”
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs products mainly Apple computers and iPhones are produced in an example of globalization but have also contributed to Internet culture for all those who use them in what has been coined as the global village.
“The Internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow.”
Bill Gates
I like to usually keep my essays short and sweet for all our Internet induced short attention span but this a complex series of interweaving issues that I unpacked over several days of beach walking and stuck inside getting cabin fever in a rainy day and searching the Internet.
I think if anyone can be the one to maintain the international traffic on the world’s highway interchange then it’s the Dalai Lama. But it’s not an elite club of peacemakers as I feel in the global village there can be true democracy with all individuals who have access to the Internet to make their contribution.
“World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence of violence. Peace is I think the manifestation of human compassion. “
Dalai Lama
After planning out this essay on the back of seven envelopes with a black Artline pen I realised that I had forgotten to include ideas and quotes by strong women who make or made peace in the world.
When I came to my mum with problems in her nursing home in Sydney, she would throw her arms in the air and say jokingly with a cheeky grin: “So what, what does it matter.” It sounds like simple advice, but no one could calm my nerves and make me happy like her. She said that’s how she dealt with all her problems of aging.
Another strong, amazing woman who left the world in a better place was Mary MacKillop the Australian Catholic Saint.
“Find happiness, in making others happy.”
Mary MacKillop
Two other strong women also include African American Condoleezza Rice who was US secretary of state in the Republican Bush administration and Australian athlete Cathy Freeman who won multiple Olympic medals and became a role model for all Aboriginal women.
My favourite Condoleezza Rice quote is:
“What you know today can affect what you do tomorrow. But what you know today cannot affect what you did yesterday. “
Condoleezza Rice
Cathy Freeman is an inspirational Aboriginal woman in the public eye.
“I definitely do things on my own terms; it might not seem that way, but I actually do. “
Cathy Freeman
I added these strong women quotes as while I was eating dinner, I realised that I only had a few quotes by inspirational women, so I had to add equal number of strong women examples.
As I have said before I need to have an equal mixture of male and female role models.
The main avenue of economic development has been globalization and I researched the pros and cons of globalization as I realised it’s a loaded topic and realised there are many pros and cons.
I have mentioned earlier in the essay about the benefits of globalization but I need a balanced win/win situation argument so trade can spread wealth and products and outsourcing can create jobs, but the main downside is when the less affluent are left out of the equation in rich countries or when the poor countries are left out all together and the rich countries don’t share the excess. However, I feel the wealthy countries and charities are doing a lot to alleviate suffering, but more can be done. However, the best result of international relations for prosperity and peace for all is where there are not two parties that come out of the situation with good taste in their mouth but multiple wining situations simultaneously.
In conclusion not only is the sharing of wealth for the poor compassionate so they don’t starve and suffer but it also means there is greater peace in the world and the global superhighway interchange runs smoothly for all people and their countries.
