- Thilo
MYTHILO Vol. 13 // DIVERSITY
Updated: Jun 8, 2022
1984 was a great movie year: Indiana Jones, Gremlins, Ghostbusters, and Terminator broke all records. These were the entertainment highlights of my youth. But while the mentioned films about cave explorers, water-shy teddy bears, vacuum cleaners for ghosts or the first Austrian cyborg were trivial entertainment formats, "The Karate Kid" clearly stood out from this crowd. The movie and its protagonist Master Miyagi not only gave us exciting evenings with popcorn, but also fed us with spiritual food: "The secret to karate lies in the mind and heart". Thus, one could - it took me almost 30 years to understand this - equate the core statements of Master Miyaagi and Immanuel Kant: "Have courage to use your own mind".
Already Adam and Eve had to master - each for themselves - the situation that they are not alone in the world and that the other one is different. If the two had rejected diversity at that time, there would not be 8 billion people today for sure.
In contrast to 200 tons of rice, - which corresponds to 8 billion grains of rice - we have much more diversity in our world today and should learn to deal with it accordingly: Not only out of reason, but also out of respect and tolerance towards others. But I do not want to lecture anyone: Just like Master Miyagi or Kant, I also think that you should come to knowledge yourself. So, ask yourself:
Why do we watch with the greatest admiration the hummingbird flying backwards and sideways, even though it is very bizarre from a bird's eye view?
The national flag of Belize with its 12 colors is clearly different from the average flag - is that why you cancel it off your travel list?
"Snakes Venom" is the strongest beer in the world with 67.5% alcohol. In your opinion, is it still a "real" beer or rather a strange whiskey?
In Greece and Albania, people nod for a "no" and shake their heads for a "yes" - so who's right?
An average Facebook user has 342 friends. Are 341 or 343 followers still real friends?
With seahorses, the males take over the pregnancy. So, Herbert Grönemeyer’s question remains: When is a man a man?
Most billionaires are of the astrological sign Aquarius. So how can Elon Musk (June 28, 1971) fly into space in his private jet?
In Japan, it is believed that black cats bring good luck. Isn't true luck that there are other points of view?
R2-D2 from “Star Wars” is called C1-P8 in Italy. Isn't it sad that even robots from the 80s are more open-minded in some views than we are?
Did you know that the world-famous Corbusier Lounge Chair "LC 4" was designed by Charlotte Perriand? Now that you know, shouldn't it be called the Perriand Lounge Chair?
Do you know why Paris is considered the city of love? Probably because there is only one stop sign in the whole city! Mental stop signs are the breeding ground for rejection, which can develop into hate. Wouldn't we rather live in a world of love? Is the average so desirable? Should we seriously waste our time judging others in powdered wigs instead of living our own lives? The answer is simply: No!
Man is the self-proclaimed crowning glory of creation. The ostrich among the feathered animals. But the brain of the ostrich is smaller than its eyeball and who wants to be an ostrich, if one may also be a hummingbird?
Look: A grain of rice remains a grain of rice! No matter whether it wants to unfold as sweet rice pudding, fiery curry rice or powerful sake. You should also have this respect for people, should't you?
Tolerance today is still strongly linked to conditions: Male couples? Sure, but not on our block! Women on the executive floor? Gladly, I could never operate the coffee machine anyway. Transsexuals? Why not, but please not in front of the children, they wouldn't understand.
The concept of diversity is still in its infancy. Today, diversity is usually only tolerated if it fits one's own horizon. That's why I dedicate this article to all those who suffer in everyday life from the fact that there are still people whose limited horizon fits on a grain of rice.
Thilo loves you all!