LOSING OURSELVES TO SAVE THE WORLD? 🌏

A BRIEF STORY OF CULTURES, IDEALS, AND DOUBLE STANDARDS

Welcome to the Great Irony Show

In a world increasingly wired together by trade, technology, and treaties, we were promised unity. Diversity. Progress. A future without borders—physically, emotionally, and politically. But what if, in our noble quest to embrace everyone, we end up becoming no one?

What if, while striving to make room for every culture, we forget to preserve our own?

What if the very ideals we parade—tolerance, freedom, equality—become the Trojan horses through which we usher in the erosion of everything that made us… us?

This isn’t just a cultural critique. It’s a call to consciousness. It’s about the slow, quiet death of local identity in the name of global ideals. And it’s about the astonishing speed with which virtue can turn into vice when it's weaponised by politics, guilt, or naïveté.

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Globalisation: A Disappearing Act

Globalisation promised us economic growth and cultural enrichment. It brought mangoes in winter and sushi on every street corner. It introduced us to yoga, K-pop, hummus, and hygge. It made the world our oyster—or at least a global food court.

But while we danced to Afro beats and wore Peruvian ponchos on Instagram, something quieter happened beneath the surface: cultures began blending to the point of blurring. Languages disappeared. Traditions faded. Accents were ironed out. And in the name of universalism, we began to let go of the specific.

Consider this: Diversity used to mean we respected other cultures while remaining rooted in our own. T. oday, it’s become something else. A race to deconstruct, de-platform, and denounce anything that isn’t immediately “inclusive” of everything, even if it has centuries of history.

Like renaming Christmas Markets to "Winter Markets" so as not to offend anyone. Or turning chocolate Easter bunnies into "sitting bunnies" to avoid religious connotations.

Remember when globalisation was sold to us like the ultimate win-win? Borders would dissolve (in a good way), cultures would bloom together like a gorgeous garden, and we’d all sit around sipping ethically-sourced lattes while solving world peace on our smartphones.

Fast forward to today: the lattes are there. The peace… not so much.

Instead of a vibrant celebration of diversity, we’re witnessing something very different: the slow, determined steamrolling of what makes each culture unique. And all this, ironically, under the shimmering banner of “inclusion.”

What happens when an entire world writes a story based on good intentions, bad execution, and a hearty dose of arrogance?

Spoiler: it’s not exactly a bestseller.

We’re not adapting anymore. We’re erasing.

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Yes, globalisation had a dream. A vibrant, interconnected world where ideas flowed like rivers, cultures mingled like spices, and humanity danced in one giant, joyous conga line.

Globalisation had a reality. A Starbucks on every corner. Tribal tattoos on people who couldn’t name a tribe. The steady erosion of traditions, languages, and identities that took centuries—sometimes millennia—to build.

We were promised diversity. Instead, we got "Planet Same."

Traditional dress? Optional. Fast fashion is cheaper.

Local dialects? Dying. English (and emojis) will do.

Ancient recipes passed down for generations? Irrelevant. UberEats delivers.

It's a strange paradox. In trying to make the world accessible, we accidentally flattened it. The beautiful, chaotic patchwork of humanity now risks becoming one big, beige quilt.

"When everything is for everyone, nothing belongs to anyone."

This isn't evolution. It’s erosion. And the saddest part? We're clapping while it happens.

Virtue Signalling on a Global Stage

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions... and occasionally feminist foreign policies."

The former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock launched the notion of a “feminist foreign policy.” On paper, it sounded inspiring. A vision of diplomacy rooted in equality, human rights, and female empowerment.

But then came the awkward part: teaching war-torn patriarchal societies like Syria or Afghanistan about feminism.

It was tone-deaf at best, delusional at worst. The idea of exporting progressive Western ideals into cultures that not only reject them but criminalise them is a lesson in arrogance disguised as activism.

It’s a classic Western mistake: infer from ourselves to others. If it works for us, it must be good for them. If we believe in freedom of speech, gender fluidity, and green energy, surely they just need a little education. Maybe a PowerPoint. Maybe a campaign with hashtags.

But culture isn’t code—it can’t just be uploaded. It’s rooted in centuries of religion, trauma, survival, pride, pain, land, and lineage. And assuming others should want what we want isn’t empathy—it’s imperialism in a hoodie. Attempting to impose our version of “good” onto others isn't just ineffective—it’s offensive. It’s a staggering act of arrogance masquerading as compassion.

Because—brace yourself—not every culture is ready, willing, or even interested in receiving Western ideals like gospel

Imagine walking into an emergency room and announcing that all ailments can be cured with a daily kale smoothie. That’s roughly how Western feminist policy lands in societies grappling with basic survival.

"You can’t liberate people by lecturing them in a language they don’t speak."

Global solutions need local ears. And local hearts. Without them, even the most beautiful ideals become just another form of cultural imperialism with a prettier Instagram feed.

The Fatal Flaw: Inferring from Ourselves to Others

Here lies the beating heart of the problem: we infer from ourselves to others.

We believe that if we want freedom, democracy, and gender equality, then surely everyone else must want the exact same thing, in the exact same packaging, right now.

The reality? Humans are not mirror images. They are mosaics—messy, fragmented, gloriously different mosaics.

But we cling to the mirror because it's comfortable. It reassures us that we’re right, that we’re good, that we know best.

We assume that every human heart beats in time with ours.

That everyone dreams the same dreams.

That what worked in Berlin must naturally work in Baghdad.

"Good intentions without understanding are just another form of colonisation."

When we project our solutions without first listening, without first understanding, we are not empowering others. We are erasing them.

It is breathtakingly audacious—and heartbreakingly naive—to believe we hold the moral blueprints for the entire human race.

Compassion at a Distance: The Double Standard at Home

There’s a curious thing happening in Germany—and across much of Europe.

Asylum centres are being built with enthusiasm. Migration, even uncontrolled and illegal, is defended passionately. And the louder the voices get about “welcoming everyone,” the more you hear a quieter undertone in suburban conversations: “Just not near me.”

Yes, we’ll house refugees. Just not next to my child’s school.

Yes, we’ll celebrate multiculturalism. Just don’t expect me to live next to the cultural clash.

We’re walking contradictions. Applauding open borders while building higher fences around our own lives. It’s as if we’re outsourcing our guilt to public policy while privately clinging to comfort.

It’s not racism. It’s realism. Integration is not instant. Cultures clash. Norms collide. And tolerance requires both sides to show up. If only one side adapts while the other demands, we don’t get harmony—we get resentment.

Translation: "We want to be virtuous. But from a safe distance, please."

"We love humanity. We just hate the inconvenience."

It’s an uncomfortable truth: many are happy to embrace diversity, as long as it remains a theoretical concept or a charming article in National Geographic. The minute it disrupts daily life—the minute it becomes real—the enthusiasm cools significantly.

Virtue, it turns out, is easiest when it’s outsourced.

The same people who cheer for open borders often balk at open neighbourhoods. And until we confront that hypocrisy, real solutions will remain as elusive as ever.

Double Standards and Cultural Sacrifice

This isn't just about immigration. It’s about what we’re willing to sacrifice in the name of being seen as good.

We say we believe in women’s rights. Yet we tolerate practices that oppress women—when they come packaged in cultural relativism.

We say we believe in free speech. Yet we silence ourselves to avoid offending others who may not even share that value.

We cancel traditions that formed the very soul of our societies—Christmas, Easter, Oktoberfest, Saint Nicholas—because someone might be uncomfortable. We dilute them until they're unrecognisable, and then congratulate ourselves on being inclusive and to a job well done.

But what happens when you remove all the defining symbols from your culture?

You get a beige society. Bland. Safe. Soulless. And it’s not respect—it’s fear dressed as virtue.

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The Uncomfortable Truth: Not All Cultures Align

This needs to be said—and loudly: Not all cultures are compatible.

That doesn’t mean some are better. But it does mean values can contradict. In some cultures, women are equals. In others, they are property. In some, dissent is democracy. In others, it’s heresy.

If we want to welcome people from diverse backgrounds, that’s a beautiful thing. But we must also protect the framework they are entering. Otherwise, integration turns into erosion.

Multiculturalism without boundaries leads to chaos. It’s not a melting pot—it’s a pressure cooker.

Losing Ourselves in the Name of Inclusivity

In our desire not to offend, we have become allergic to distinction.

We no longer say, “This is how we do it here.”

We say, “However you want to do it is fine.”

But a culture that makes no demands of its newcomers—while constantly bending to accommodate—is not tolerant. It’s weak.

You don’t preserve peace by avoiding discomfort. You preserve it by setting clear values and inviting others to respect them.

Tolerance, when unreciprocated, becomes submission.

Waiting for Perfect: The Myth That Holds Us Hostage

Another dangerous side effect of this global delusion is the paralysing belief that we must wait for the “perfect” solution before acting.

• "We can't have kids yet. The world’s too unstable."

• "We can’t travel yet. The economy’s too shaky."

• "We can’t take risks yet. The timing isn’t ideal."

If you’re waiting for a flawless moment, let me save you some time: you’ll be waiting forever.

Babies are born during wars.

Love stories unfold during plagues.

Dreams are chased during recessions.

The perfect time is a myth, spun by fearful minds to justify inertia.

"If you wait for all the traffic lights to turn green before starting your journey, you’ll never leave your driveway."

Life is inherently messy. It’s gloriously inconvenient. It will never grant you perfect conditions to do anything worth doing.

The same goes for change on a global scale. Waiting for perfect consensus, perfect solutions, or perfect timing guarantees only one thing: perpetual paralysis.

Is It Still Ours?

Ask yourself:

Can a society remain cohesive if it has no shared language, no shared holidays, no shared sense of belonging?

Can a nation preserve its soul if every sacred ritual must be rebranded to avoid offending outsiders?

If we remove all the crosses, cancel all the carols, rename all the feasts… is it still our country? Or just a global waiting room with IKEA furniture?

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So What Now?

If globalisation is the vehicle, and good intentions are the fuel, then maybe humility needs to be the map.

What if we dared to assume that we don’t have all the answers?

What if we respected the wild, beautiful complexity of human cultures instead of trying to streamline them for easier digestion?

What if we stopped projecting our fears and desires onto others—and instead asked them what they need, what they value, what they dream?

And closer to home: what if we embraced true compassion—the kind that’s messy, inconvenient, and sometimes really uncomfortable?

And when we wake up in a world where everyone belongs but no one feels at home, it won’t be because we lacked heart. It will be because we lacked spine.

Because compassion without sacrifice isn't compassion. It’s public relations.

"Saving the world requires less preaching and more listening."

A Call for Courage, Curiosity, and Common Sense

Globalisation doesn’t have to be the villain.

Diversity doesn’t have to mean dilution.

Compassion doesn’t have to mean convenience.

But it will take courage—the kind of courage that admits when “helping” actually hurts.

It will take curiosity—the kind of curiosity that listens before it speaks.

And it will take common sense—the kind that recognises that no single society has a monopoly on wisdom, morality, or progress.

It’s time to stop waiting for perfection. Stop worshiping the mirror. Start honouring the mosaic.

“A nation that forgets its past has no future.” – Winston Churchill

Let’s not forget. Let’s not fall. Let’s not disappear while trying to include everyone else and making the wet dreams of the elites of the WEF come true.

Let’s remember who we are.

Before it’s too late

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🎶My Song for you

Is one I haven’t heard in ages - Coolio with Gangsta’s Paradise

For more good music, go to this Spotify playlist where you can find all the songs from the Change & Evolve Letters!

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📚My Poem for you

Is by Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)

Unity

There is something dense, united, settled in the depths,
repeating its number, its identical sign.
How it is noted that stones have touched time,
in their refined matter there is an odor of age,
of water brought by the sea, from salt and sleep.

I'm encircled by a single thing, a single movement:
a mineral weight, a honeyed light
cling to the sound of the word "noche":
the tint of wheat, of ivory, of tears,
things of leather, of wood, of wool,
archaic, faded, uniform,
collect around me like walls.

I work quietly, wheeling over myself,
a crow over death, a crow in mourning.
I mediate, isolated in the spread of seasons,
centric, encircled by a silent geometry:
a partial temperature drifts down from the sky,
a distant empire of confused unities
reunites encircling me.

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👀Impression

Another beautiful day at Lake Starnberg

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Do you see the culture in your country fading away?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments, leave a ❤️ or send me a message. I always love hearing from you.

Wishing you a happy weekend wherever you are.

Yours

Tanja 🤗

PS. You can now also find my podcast on Spotify

Change & Evolve and feel free to get in touch