The myth makers got better

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Homo Sapiens were not originally the only human species, but they became the only humans because of one thing, they had a cognitive revolution that enabled them to imagine things that were not real.

Neanderthals, for example, could only comprehend real objects like a tree, a flower, animals etc. Whereas their more successful counterparts and opponents, the Homo Sapiens, could start to create myths.

Initially, probably only simple myths, but these myths enabled them to create a united group of maybe a 1,000 strong to hunt or attack other humans, but the Neanderthals could only get their very closest group of maybe 30-40 to fight or hunt.

Fast forward 50,000 years or so and today’s mythmakers have got very adept at creating very sophisticated and controlling myths.

For example, a limited company is a myth, it is not a real thing, a law is a myth, a regulation or rules of a club and so on.

Stop and think how many myths or rules we have to abide by or know about as a human. Many are of course for our collective good and safety, such as rules about driving, without them, there would be carnage.

But myths are subjective and based on opinions or yet more myths.

The worry is when the people being controlled by these myths become unaware of the myths or do not even question whether they are necessary or the motive behind them.

Question the myths that you are controlled by, as the myth-makers of the 21st century are scarily good at creating them.

Borderless world

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Tonight I hosted The Art For Work’s Sake workshop at the my coworking space, run by my mate Doug.

Doug’s workshop over 2 years ago was the inspiration for me reigniting my love of art, that had been hidden since my childhood.

The picture above is my creation from the question Doug posed to us ‘what does community look like to you?’

My piece is titled ‘Borderless World’

Community is traditionally seen as a physical thing associated with a local neighbourhood. For me community is a thing that has more to do with shared values, than it has to do with being in close physical proximity to others.

Therefore the whole world can be a collection of communities, or tribes as Seth Godin puts it (sorry Doug couldn’t resist). So the centre of my painting is the world made up of the blurring of all the different shapes and colours that is the human race.

I love the diversity of cultures, languages, food, music, places, stories, traditions and so much more that makes the human race and the world such a wonderful place to be.

What I dream of is no more nations, flags, anthems and borders.

Since the homo sapiens became the only and dominant human species and 70,000 years ago migrated from East Africa all over the globe, they have been exactly that migrants. So the idea that we own bits of the planet and we have to put up fences is to me so wrong.

One human race, one planet, no borders and complete celebration of diversity, difference without judgement, hate or nationalism.