Have you noticed how people started using the expression “All Lives Matter” only after the phrase “Black Lives Matter” was coined?

It is almost as if it was ‘designed’ as an automatic response to the “Black Lives Matter” statement, which suggests that the uttering of these words makes us feel a bit uncomfortable. But why?

Some white folks may argue that the phrase is a bit racist, implying that white lives do not matter as much. That is clearly not the case.

Let us put it this way. If you attended a colon cancer conference, you wouldn’t think for a moment that they were discarding other types of cancer as irrelevant or not as important, would you?

According to a recent article by John Halstead, published on the Huffington Post,  if someone turned up with a banner saying “Lung Cancer Matters” or on a T-shirt saying “All Cancer Victims Matter?” it would certainly appear that there is something else that compels people to say “All Lives Matter” in response to the “Black Lives Matter” statement.

Mr. Halstead writes that that people saying “All Lives Matter” also tend to use the expression “Blue Lives Matter”.

For those of you who find the expression “Black Lives Matter” to be offensive but have no problem with “Blue Lives Matter”, it is clear that there is something about the word “Black” that makes you feel uncomfortable. This is clearly indicative of something.

The Issue of Colorblindness

According to Mr. Halstead, the reason why the word “Black” bother us is the fact that by using it, we acknowledge the fact that we do see color and we are actually not “colorblind” as most of us would like to think.

Mr. Halstead claims that colorblindness simply doesn’t exist. Moreover, it can also be said that ignoring race is a white man’s privilege. In other words, white people are “blessed” with not having to pay attention to race because society is largely run by whites and for whites.

It is clear that the phrase “All Lives Matter” serves the purpose of shifting the focus from the systematic racism out there leveled at black people. It is only a substitute phrase for “White Lives Matter” as when white people say “all lives” they largely think “all white lives”.

Mr. Halstead says that we need to start saying “Black Lives Matter” much more than we do because it is clear that our society doesn’t think so. It is a well established fact that more than two-thirds of all people shot by law enforcement agencies in America are black, and that the country’s judiciary system sentences black people more severely than whites who committed the exact same crime.

And by throwing around phrases like “All Lives Matter” and failing to respond appropriately to unjustified killings of black people we certainly act as if we truly believe that black lives do not matter as much.

And yet we keep saying “All Lives Matter”, not wanting to get out of our comfort zone. “Black Lives Matter” makes us feel uncomfortable, Mr. Halstead claims, because it reminds us that racial segregation is very much alive in America.

While open racism is no longer culturally acceptable for most white folks, modern-day racism has “evolved” and has now taken a more subtle, covert form instead.

A modern-day racist is not a member of the infamous KKK and does not use the N-word, but he unwittingly supports the “institutionalized racism” nevertheless. Failing to see and to respond to racism can be considered as a form of passive participation, as can the use of the statement “All lives matter”.

Embracing the Discomfort

Recognizing the problem is part of the solution, according to Mr. Halstead, and white people should drop the notion that we are colorblind.

How many of us are prepared to admit to giving ourselves a pat on the back for treating a black man the same as we would treat a white man in any given situation? It only goes to show that we are indeed not colorblind.

Racism comes in all kinds of subtle ways, and if you fancy yourself as a non-racist, try and spend some time to interact with black people.

Even if you feel comfortable in the company of a black man or a woman, chances are you will feel pretty uncomfortable in a room full of black people. You would probably start feeling unwelcome. Well, that’s how black people feel most of the time.

Feeling guilty about white privilege will not do much good. Using that privilege against racial abuse and talking to white people about institutional racism will.

According to Mr. Halstead, we must overcome the issue of saying the world “Black” and challenge our unconscious bias by start saying “Black Lives Matter”.

Side With the Second Civil Rights Movement

Mr. Halstead writes that as much as we (white people) like to think that we would have chosen Martin Luther King Junior’s side during the Civil Rights era, the fact remains that the vast majority of white people were opposed to the Civil Rights movement when it was happening.

There is no denying the facts. We are living the second Civil Rights Movement and it seems to have a similar, albeit more subtle effect on white people.

Decades from now, we will reflect on the Second Civil Rights Movement and see if we sided with the right or the wrong side of history. Choosing the former means embracing discomfort, it means saying “Black  Lives Matter ”.

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What is more fulfilling and still hold a place in your bucket list for as long as you can remember? Is it having enough money to travel the world?

Is it visiting secluded places which has been untouched by humans or the fast-developing technology? Or maybe you have a small black notes keeping down all the places you want to see and experience like no other? Yes, yes and yes!

No matter how adventurous or not adventurous you are, everyone wants to see as many places as possible before their lives come to an end.

The North Sentinel Island sounds just the right place that everyone should put on their bucket list, or is it?

One on One with the North Sentinel Island

It’s located in the Bay of Bengal and it belongs to India. It’s dreamy, it’s isolated, it’s untouched by humans or technology and that sounds like a real vacation for us.

Exploring nature all day long, meeting the tribe that inhabited this marvelous island and take advantage of all the natural sources that this island provides for you.

Well, so far it sounds perfect, however nothing is perfect on this world and there’s something on this island that gives people from all around the world chills and fear.

Ok, now I’m interested. Why is this island so mysterious and so untouchable?

Meet the Sentinelese People

The tribe that ruled this island exclusively for over 60, 000 years and one thing’s for sure- you don’t want to mess with these people.

They have been so hostile to outsiders that we can easily say that no man alive have lived enough or reached even the bays of this island to tell a story about it.

Yes, these people are hostile, they defend this island with all the weapons, force and people they have in order to keep foreigners away from them. It’s no wonder this island has been a mystery for such a long time, the Sentinelese allow no access to what’s known as their OWN island.

So, the North Sentinel Island is about the size of Manhattan and yet there hasn’t been a man to lay foot on it or tell us how it really looks. This tribe is often referred as the “Stone Age Tribe”, probably due to their lifestyle because from the few photos and videos that appeared so far, we can notice that they still use tools and weapons like the ones they used in the Stone Age.

In fact, the Indian government had made several attempts to establish contact or communication with them, however they firmly indicate that they want no contact or mingling with other people.

So, the Indian government has decided to let these people live as they please and even prohibited people to come near the island or make attempts to establish contact with the Sentinelese people.

What we know?

First of all, we see photos from afar and we instantly notice the dazzling beaches, the amazing greenery, and the astonishing forest secluding this island.

However, the tribe left a lot to our imagination. The notorious reputation of this tribe left curious people away from this island and if you even get the chance to get close even by a helicopter, then you will notice a representative of the tribe holding an arrow in his hand and aiming towards you.

Even people wandering the ocean and coming close to it, have faced difficulties approaching this island because they may put their lives in danger or they may not even come alive from this adventure.

The tribe has zero tolerance for curious outsiders, in fact there was an incident in 2006 when the tribe killed two fishermen just because they were fishing too close to their island.

They also use filing rocks and fire arrows as a defense mechanism and not even a helicopter can come near them. However, it’s more about what we don’t know rather than what we know.

It’s the 21^st century and we still have no clue about the tribe, what their habits are, the language they speak, their rituals, but one thing is for sure, they don’t want us there and they still want to keep their island away from outsiders or modern civilization.

There are some photos or videos with a very poor quality, because people are trying to take a glimpse of them from afar, however no one dares to approach them or put their lives into jeopardy. 

So, long story short, if you ever do have the chance to wander the ocean, try to avoid this mysterious island and save yourself from all the troubles you may encounter on the way. I’m sure deleting this island from my bucket list.

Sources:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/
http://www.businessinsider.com/

Take a moment and think about the biggest challenges the world is facing today.  Poverty, political disputes, natural resources depletion, cultural and ethnic intolerance. Moreover, prevalence of judgmental behavior and prejudice against anyone different.

Now, imagine living in a place where none of these problems exist. It sounds impossible, right?

Well, although a surprise for many, such a utopian place exists for more than 50 years.

It is called Auroville and it is located in Southern India.

The creation of the city was an idea of an incredibly smart and benevolent woman, a spiritual leader named Mirra Alfansa.

Although with Egyptian and Turkish roots, she has found her peace in the Indian culture, and has fulfilled her dream of creating a place where people will leave in peace with God and the universe, rather than worrying about the earthly artificially created plights.

As early as her teenage years, when asked why she is so sad, Mirra answered: “Indeed, I do feel the weight of the world‘s miseries pressing upon me!” Struggling with the idea she has to change the world, it all started.

The main goal of Auroville is to become a universal place, where everyone is welcomed to live, regardless of the nationality, cultural heritage, religion or language.

It is designed to be a cosmopolitan place that will demonstrate to everyone how harmonious life can be, if we only remember one thing – that we are all human, and that we are all citizens of the earth.

The way in which this place functions in very unique, and certainly, difficult to be believed. Its creator Mirra, has shaped a city charter, which explains the purpose of the town.  According to the document, no nation can claim property of this place – Auroville belongs to the whole world. 

There is no authority, legal or political, nor a person of power, that the inhabitants need to respect. There are no written laws either.

They all believe that there is only one supreme universal truth that everyone needs to follow. The values that its citizens strive towards are harmony, love and acceptance, while in the same time; they put enormous emphasis on education and research.

The idea of the town is to be a place of birth of new and prosperous ideas that will be used to the progress of all. There are no titles of hierarchical positions – everyone has equal access of resources, and everyone has a right to choose its own profession as long as he/she does not harm anyone.

To some it may look like a city of laziness – everyone can pursue its own dream. But in reality the city puts immense accent or scientific progress and societal development.

They care about the nature –, but in the same time they appreciate art, technology and industrial development.

As a result, the functioning of the town is organized in a very modern and environmental friendly way. They have implemented systems of wastewater treatment, as well as systems of ground water depletion.

Auroville uses eco-friendly methods for production of organic food, as well as technologically advanced methods for making the poor soil fertile. With the time, the town has become self-sufficient when it comes to food production and drinking water.

Starting from the seventies, they have started a process of forestation, and today the city is settled within a belt of forests and fields, making it one of the cleanest places on earth.

On top of that, Auroville has started with the production of biogas, produced out of a bio-waste. With that, the town has its own renewable energy production and a clean environment.

Interestingly enough, there were representatives of the western developed countries visiting the congresses organizes in Auroville, in order to see the new advancements this small settlement has instigated.

If you thought that all of this is too unrealistic, wait for the most fascinating part of the story.

Aurovillians use no money – they have a whole economy functioning on principles of sharing, giving and exchanging.

There is a distribution center in the city where both citizens and strangers can get a meal, but mainly, people produce what they need and exchange items with neighbors, without any aspirations of earning from the barter economy.

As a result of the cosmopolitan spirit embedded in the city, today it is inhabited with representatives from more than 50 nations.

It is protected under the authority of UNESCO, which in a way secures its future existence.  The town has no restrictions – everyone is welcomes to come and to find his own peace.

Certainly, the example of Auroville might be perceived as extreme to someone, but without a doubt, it sets an example of how societies should search for organizational and functional forms that will stop the destruction of the environment and will reduce human suffering. As Mirra Alfansa would say: “Widen your consciousness to the dimension of the earth, and you will have a place for everything”.

Canadians are ‘Spocking’ their fivers in tribute to deceased actor Leonard Nimoy, aka Spock from the Star Trek series.

In a trend that has taken on Twitter, hashtagged #Spocking and #Spockingfives, Canadians have started drawing pointy ears and tiled brows over Canada’s seventh prime minister’s face.

Sir Wilfrid Lauriel’s face seems to have served as perfect basis for Star Trek’s famous Mr. Spock, played by Nimoy.

The Bank of Canada is not so happy with this trend though. Their spokeswoman Josianne Menard, sent USA Today an emailed statement that showed the reasons on why the Bank disagrees with this practice:

However, the trend continues and Canadian’s fivers aren’t the only notes that received a makeover.

Here are some of the tweets:

Source: dangerousminds.net