I APPLAUD Maurice Smith for his excellent article (“Proud to be the nowhere man who is a citizen of the world”, The Herald, February 23). Like him, I reject Theresa May’s narrow-minded comment: “If you believe you’re a citizen of the world, you’re a citizen of nowhere. You don’t understand what the very word ‘citizenship’ means.”
I’m fortunate to have travelled extensively, both for work and pleasure. I guess I’ve visited more than 60 countries, many of them a score of times or more. Something I discovered early on is that people are much the same wherever you go. There are nice people and nasty people, fortunately many more nice than nasty; there are helpful people and those who aren’t, again fortunately many more of the former.
One thing I’ve learned is that the most generous and helpful people tend to be among the relatively poor or just-about-managing. Extreme poverty can make people mean-spirited; no wonder. But increasing affluence also often seems to make people less generous, less caring for those they encounter, and that’s a sad reflection on the human character.
The worst individuals are often those who are driven by a desire for power instead of, or as well as, money. That includes many in the political class. Take Iran as an example: fantastically warm, generous people living in a stunning country with a fascinating culture and history; but led by an autocratic, authoritarian regime. Or China; or, very sadly, America – now led by a mean, cruel, nasty bunch of billionaires.
I guess we’re back to the question posed by Plato and other early philosophers: how do we get the rulers we need? Democracy is undoubtedly the best option, but it isn’t perfect, as demonstrated by President Trump and some of the chancers and oddballs near the top of their parties here in the UK.
I’m sure your readers will make their own choices as to whom that last comment refers.
Doug Maughan,
52 Mentieth View, Dunblane.
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