A Need for Ubuntu

"there is a need for understanding but not for vengeance, a need for reparation but not for retaliation, a need for ubuntu but not victimisation"

So as I was working on a paper this week, I came back across the word "ubuntu." Ubuntu is an African philosophy (particularly South African) which basically means humanness... but can't really be defined because it is a way of life. It refers to a sense of community and belongingness...kinda like saying "we are all in this together." When I first came across the Ubuntu a year or so ago, I kinda read it, though it was cool, and put it in the back of my mind. I honestly didn't even remember what it meant until it was in a book I was reading this week on restorative justice and democratic collaboration. Yea, yea, I know that it sounds lame but I think that stuff is interesting (which means I'm becoming old, or nerdy, or both). 

As I reflected on Ubuntu I began to notice how small of a place this has in our society. Ubuntu is meant to affirm identity, but  only while recognizing diversity. The way our society acts is as if we shouldn't see diversity at all (though we do, maybe not even in a constructive manner). When we recognize diversity, whether it be race, religion, sociology economic status or sexuality, we tend to try to ignore it on the surface. Because we are are so obsessed with equal treatment, we think that "equalness" must restrict our conversations. I would have a hard time believing, that for anyone when you come across individuals, you do not create identities based on the way they look or talk. We all do it and in my opinion THAT IS PERFECTLY OKAY. What fun would this world be if we all shared the same history, values, and beliefs? If we all stopped obsessing over these differences and struggling to hide them, we may be able to learn a lot from each other? 

We are all different and that is what makes this world SO INCREDIBLY AWESOME. My hope though, despite all these differences  we realize that we share 99.9999% of our DNA with each other. We are all human, we are all need each other, we all need ubuntu. 

Ubuntu has a place in all of us, whether we are ready to recognize it or not. Ubuntu does not mean we all agree either, it allows plenty of room for disagreement. What it encourages is collaboratively discussion about disagreements until we are all able to find a peaceful consensus. All this may sound a little Utopian but I have full faith that one day we our society will find ethical ideal and embrace it. We are progressive, not draconian. If we want to "civilize" our society, we will learn to find peace with one another. The best part about all of this is it starts now, with all of us. It doesn't take some huge movement, it just takes people loving people. So the next time you see someone that is different from yourself of share has an opposing viewpoint, LISTEN. Ask them questions. RECOGNIZE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR DIFFERENCES.  Even though they may seem like they are so different from yourself, you still are invested in each other, you are all part of the same community, you all hold a stake in ubuntu.