Does what we own make us happy?

Over the last few weeks Ed and I have been looking at issues from migration to happiness. It seems to me that the movements of people that we see as populations from the war torn middle east moving north are people seeking happiness. We have been talking about whether or not the things that we have, our possession can make us happy.

Is what you have now enough? Is what you have to be shared? Are others allowed to have the same that you have?

Topically does where you live make you happy? People have always moved around the world seeking happiness and fulfilment.

Do we own the countries in which we live?
Having just returned from Italy through the Channel Tunnel led me to think about the idea of ownership of land and the idea of who owns the world. Who are we Brits? Where do we come from? Do we own the land that is described as Britain or the United Kingdom?

“Imagine there’s no countries it isn’t hard to do”
(John Lennon)

When humans moved out from the Eden of the African plains to populate the world we took possession of territories, which in turn became tribal domains, kingdoms and countries. As we did this we created a sense of belonging. We began to own our territory that belongs to “us” and no one else.

When we identify with a group of human beings we see them as ‘us’. Those people that we do not identify as ‘Us’ who exist outside of our group we identify as ‘them’. ‘Us’ equals inclusion acceptance and support. ‘Them’, equals denial and rejection. When ‘They’ seek to take what ‘We’ have or what we feel that we own we fight to defend it.

And so in 2015 the ‘Us’ that is the UK has an army of migrants massing on the borders attempting entry. The ‘Us’ that is the UK says you cannot come in becomes you are not ‘Us’ so they are ‘Them’ and you do not belong here.

And yet Britain is, and always has been, a melting pot of many people that has been mixed for thousands of years by people from all over the world.

1968, Kenyan Asians flee to Britain
1951, people from the colonies mainly the West Indians were encouraged to work here
1881, Jews flee to Britain from the Russian pogroms
1066, it was the French and William the Conqueror who populated the UK.
793, it was the Vikings
410, it was the Angles and the Saxons.
43, it was the Romans
500 BC, the Celts invaded Britain

I am only picking out a few of the events that I am aware of. I am sure that there are many, many more as people, that have, for a variety of reasons moved around the world, and will continue to do so. On the basis of what I have written above should we concede the domain of the UK to the Celts? That would be the people of Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Cornwall.

I do not know anyone who is pure British or who could even claim to be Celt. With the wonders of the Internet we can now do amazing research and discover all sorts about our own ancestry. In my own case on my mother’s side there is Irish, Negro and Chinese and on my father’s eastern European Jew and Viking. Yet I would say that we are as British as you can get. My lot all fought in the last two World Wars and I guess we all fight again if we feel threatened.

Human beings are all one people. We choose the divisions of colour, race, religion and ethnicity. What would solve the world’s problems, our problems, would be inclusion, tolerance and the law of allowing.

Perhaps we should be asking ourselves why are these migrants wanting to be here with us and not staying where they come from? Perhaps our energy should be focussed around helping heal and develop their places of origin and in so doing, help to expand the concept of humanity rather than developing our bunker mentality and reinforcing that sense of “Us” and “Them” because in the end surely we are all one.

The big question is do we own the territories that we deny other people?

The coming years will test our concepts of who owns what.

Take care and be happy

Sean x

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