What is a culture? Is it an onion with plenty of leaves until getting to its core? Is it an iceberg that only some of its parts can be seen and that clashes when it meets other icebergs? Is it the software of our minds, which needs to be re-installed from time to time, especially when we change environments?
What is an identity? Is it something that we have since we are born? Is it something imposed by society? Is it something static or dynamic? Is it who am I, who I think am I, who others think am I or who I think others think am I?
What is a stereotype? Is it a fixed form in our mind about others? Is it the way our brain simplifies things? Is it positive? Is it negative? Is it neutral?
What is a conflict? Is it that we don't understand each other? Is it that we can't understand each other? Is it that we don't want to understand each other? Is it that we don't care about understanding each other?
And, finally,
what is other?I don't know the answers to the questions above. I believe, however, one thing. Humans are rather members of the body of humanity than parts. So, the same way my heart needs my lungs, the same way I need other humans. Because, as heart fails without oxygen and lungs die without blood, the same way I'm not complete without other humans and other humans are not complete without me.
As I said before, that's my belief, a kind of faith of mine. But in my language, the word trust has the same root with the word for belief or faith. Hence, by trusting people, I'm just following my belief, my personal faith.
So, I'm Michail, I'm a Greek from Crete, I live in Cyprus and I blog for Trust!