This week, after hearing about the website www.7billionothers.org, I decided to visit it and learn what it was about. The idea is a project to learn about what connects everyone on Earth and what makes us different. Several people traveled the world to interview different individuals. They have filmed, recorded, and documented each interview in order to give people an idea of the those we share the planet with. The overarching thesis appears to be that we cannot accomplish anything on our own. We must work together for the environment, for government, and for freedom.
Several videos have been made that encompass these ideas. I watched one of the longer ones, and this is what I learned:
The video focused on nature, a topic I thought would be applicable to my study. People from Italy and France and Algeria talked about how they feel about nature. Many of them were passionate about it; it almost seemed like they were pleading with me to appreciate the outdoors. Most felt that nature is our mother and that we have a responsibility to preserve her. In nature, you can "let your thoughts run wild." These people have realized how small they are in comparison. A woman from New Zealand said that nature is in us, and we are in nature. If we do not protect us, then we cannot protect nature and vice versa. It is therefore important to realize that human beings are also important. Nature is something that nearly everyone on Earth appreciates. People find it important to the serenity of their lives. And in this we find that there are so many of us with the same ideas towards God's creations.
The people that put these films together have spent many years on a field study that just consists of a general survey of the people on Earth. I think that through this project we can learn about the people all over the planet with a very individualized perspective. And this brings a perspective to my own field study. The work is not easy and people are very diverse. Different ways of thought and lifestyle are scattered across the Earth, but there are also small things that connect us.
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