Vive la difference

I sometimes think about the ills and tensions of the world, be it in the Middle East, in North/South Korea, or in your local pub, and wonder whether that whole big old noise could be eradicated if we were all exactly alike. 100% the same in our looks, right down to the anchor tattoo on the right bicep and left eyebrow twitch.

Unfortunately, even that wouldn’t be enough. Even if everyone looked exactly the same, with the same length and colour hair, same height, same bell bottoms, people would still be persecuted for being left handed. Even if we were all left handed someone would find a reason for persecuting those with the messiest handwriting. Or those that forgot to dot the “I”….And so on… Sadly, it's human nature and tribalism in its most exclusive form. Based on fear or superiority, there’s always an excuse.

But we shouldn't want to be all the same. We weren’t meant to be. We come in all sorts of shapes, curves, hues, religions, sexual persuasions, races, interests, heights, weights, abilities and ad infinitum. We should be celebrating these differences not trumping up reasons to attack it. So the next time you run into a left-handed person, be kind to them.