Global Citizen: Embracing Unity and Responsibility on a Worldwide Scale. Being a global citizen means transcending borders to champion compassion, diversity, and positive change.

Human nature often leads us to seek comfort in groups that we can call our own. These associations can be based on religious beliefs, ethnicity, language, skills, professions, and many other factors. When we align ourselves with these groups, we adopt their identity, taking their history as our own, celebrating their accomplishments, and defending their shortcomings.

From an evolutionary perspective, this tendency makes sense. Early in human history, belonging to a group was crucial for survival. With limited resources and fewer groups to affiliate with, sometimes the choice was simple: join or perish.

However, in today’s world, while it’s natural to identify with our religion, ethnicity, or nationality, we can also choose to rise above these specific affiliations. Instead of limiting ourselves to one group based on religion, ethnicity, culture, or other factors, we can embrace a broader perspective, considering ourselves members of humanity as a whole.

This mindset eliminates comparisons and fosters empathy towards fellow human beings. By treating everyone as equals, we can avoid the pitfalls of thinking that our group is superior to others, or that our needs are more important. This mentality can also help us allocate resources more fairly, focusing on the genuine needs of recipients rather than their affiliations.

While it might be difficult to live as a global citizen and deny all group associations on a practical level, maintaining this mindset can lead to a more open and empathetic life. We can celebrate accomplishments and condemn wrongdoings without bias, and learn from anyone regardless of their background.