“I'm Nobody! Who are you? Are you – Nobody – too?” asked us, Emily Dickinson, in the 19th Century. I think this question is still relevant.
These historical days that we live in are one of the times to ask this question yet again. “I’m nobody! Who are you? Are you a nobody too?”
Yes, we can’t manage to become a “Nobody”. Instead, we choose to be a citizen of a country, to follow a leader, give our rights to authorities, dedicate ourselves to the ideals of other people. And we are suffering as a whole, because of the fact that we reject to become a “Nobody”.
Probably, you will ask me, “But, what does it mean to be a “Nobody”?
I will try to give an answer to that.
For me, “Being a nobody” means: To not belong to any land, family, class, country or foundation, but first, to be a world citizen. A world citizen, who dares to “revaluate all values“ (Nietzsche). And stands against the oppression of authorities, at any given cost.
‘‘I put my relationship with the world above my relationship with my nation.’’ (Montaigne)
But what about us, will we dare to put our relationship with the world above the relationships we have with organizations that we are a part of, our family, our work?
That is the sacrifice I expect from the world. We have to be a nobody, we have to become world citizens and stand against any kind of war. No matter what the justification made up by governments or the military is. War, itself, can’t be justifiable in any terms.
Isn’t it terrifying to hear siren sounds all around Ukraine? Even if we want to, will we be able to close our ears to sirens as Odysseus did?
Our roots are only connected to one land, and that is our world. Like in John Donne’s amazing poem, For Whom the Bell Tolls:
No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee
Tolls are tolling for us today. When Ukraine or Yemen hurts, the whole world bleeds. A soul passed away in Yemen, Ukraine is also killing us in where we stand. We are crying, praying for innocent people. We think about them night and day. Because like it said in the poem, we are involved in mankind.
Our fate is not determined, the roles are not distributed before we’re born. Our geography is not our destiny. It’s only our birthplace. Our roots are connected to only one land, which is our world. There is only one place we live in, which is our world. We are born as a citizen of one place; We are Sumerians, Egyptians, Ancient Greeks, Ancient Romans
We are the civilizations from the past and the future; We are from the world, we are world citizens.
I invite you all to say ‘‘No’’ to war altogether.
