“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” Mark Twain
Samuel Clemens full well recognized the danger of stagnant thinking that comes from never being exposed to other cultures or schools of thought. Limiting our thoughts and observations to parochial environments retards the developing of the mind.The mind cannot expand if it is not allowed outside the local parameters of pride and prejudices. It is through the light of opposing views that the shadows of self deceit and ignorance melt away.
I know for myself, that travelling opened my eyes to how others live, think, and act. Some prejudices and misconceptions melted away once I was exposed to the attitudes and emotions of others from regions far outside my own. Tunnel vision only dissipates when you leave the tunnel.
The Navy Seabees indoctrinated me to new cultures abroad. I learned to respect the disciplines and customs of the middle east, of Pacific isles and other regions; even though I found some of them quite strange. I learned a little about the beliefs, hopes and fears of people who didn't look like me, who didn't talk like me, who didn't think like me. I was given a better understanding of their society. If I didn't agree with their customs, at least I now understood why certain things were so important to this particular set of people. Here in the U.S, I am sorry to say that most of us don't even know the various customs and cultures of the People, the Native Americans, who live among us, who were here long before us, and suffered much from the narrow-mindedness of others.
Travelling abroad will certainly help us be more tolerant of others views, even if we still disagree.We do not have to travel too far, however, to learn that the world does not revolve around us, but is evolving around us.
I have known some who have grown up, lived, and died in one small town. These folks never experienced life outside a 200 mile perimeter of their birthplace. Some are so locked into "how its always been done here", that nothing new stands much of a chance of being accepted. There are others from the same small town, however, whose minds are expanded to the fullest, because they have chosen to travel far and wide; not in the physical sense, but mentally. They read book after book. They've watched thought provoking documentaries. They have sought others opinions and have listened...a lot. Their thirst for an education of how others see things, has led them on quests for knowledge of the opinions and positions of others, no matter what part of the globe, and they've used whatever resources were at there disposal to obtain it.
I have also known people who have physically travelled the globe, yet never got past their own thoughts and theories. They thought too highly of themselves and too little of the opinions of others. Their bodies made it around the world... their minds never left home.
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I don't mean to suggest that a person should change their attitudes or core beliefs toward some things just because other folks differ. Not at all. When it comes to matters of spirituality, and matters of the heart, our thoughts often are deep rooted and grounded. If we truly have gathered all the information available, and looked at our opinions or beliefs from every side, then we can feel safe in holding on to them. But, holding steadfastly to a belief based solely on a limited perception of a thing, does ourselves and others a disservice. As one man put it, "some opinions are formed in ignorance and then defended in stubbornness". If we never travel outside our little corner of the earth, our view on many things will be limited.
I plan to travel again soon. I'm going south. I'm heading for my old Kentucky home. My roots are there, but I have branched miles and miles away. I dearly love my Kentucky family, and my beautiful home state, but I have never been sorry for the experiences that taught me that there is a huge, ever changing world out there that doesn't always see things my way.. Those experiences were brought about by travelling to distant places, both physically and mentally. Travel expanded my mind, and once the mind expands, it can never go back.
I want to remember that there are many, many cultures on this planet, and not make hasty generalizations, or draw stereotypes about any group. I hope that I can listen to other ideas and beliefs with an open mind, while not feeling compelled to surrender my core beliefs. I guess I want to listen more, search a thing more, before making a stand of opinion.
I may stay steadfast in my thoughts on a thing, but I at least want to allow my mind see clearly... to let my mind grow and gain from the benefits of travel.
