Is there always an other?

Is there always an “other”?

We often asked this question in class. Will there always be an other? And the answer is yes; there will always be another being or population to construct our identities against.
The act of creating an other isn’t the evil, however. The evil lies in the creation and manipulation of the ”other”. Whether it be for economic, social or sexual purposes, when this image and idea is manipulated, the construct of the other becomes the most damaging.
The east has always been quite different from the west. The language, dress, religion, food, and general culture are vastly different from that of European and American nations. However as westerners, we must remain vigilant in the fight against ignorance. There are many nuances of eastern culture that the west may never understand. But we must fight to respect them. We cannot become cowboys of the world and go tearing down institutions of the east, simply because they are different. Because just as the east is different from the west, England is different from France, New York is different from San Francisco, Harlem is different from Midtown. We are all blessed with the gift of diversity, a gift I cherish every time I eat a gyro, dance salsa, or watch Britain’s got talent. Its okay to have “others”, because we are all human, and all different, but the humanity of every being must never be denied.