I am

....approaching 200 blog posts.

Not too terribly many, considering my postings are so irregular.

Today, I would like to recommend to any dear readers, do read books written by Farish A.Noor. He writes very good books, books about his travels are GREAT. Because I love how he injects his feelings, emotions and revelations as he travels around searching for himself, searching for enlightenment and above all else, searching for meanings in life.

I practically devoured his books, and during work time at that.

And a recurring theme he writes? Loss of self, seeing too much and he highlights that an all too always-repeating source of conflict is the lack of understanding and communication. Every conflict ridden place he trods on, people lament that they are not being understood or appreciated.

The elite, the learned, the academics who do not truly step foot in and talk to them always misunderstand. Sometimes, what people want above all else is recognition, respect and not development in the capitalist sense.

In a sense, I am happ that such people are out there. People who do not seek comfort in air conditioned malls, convenience and comfort in life. All they want is an identity, to live out their life as they please and not subject to the fashions and trends of the rich and the urban people. Materials are all they are, materials. They mean nothing if you understand what you are, an animal. Not that I am an extreme who thinks he can live without contact with money or materials (there are people like that. I forgot what the term is to describe them)

I would very much love to talk to the man. Perhaps I should consider travelling, real travelling. Not one where the itinerary has been planned beforehand, where tourist spots are visited. No, travel and talk to people. Understand people.

Our dream of a united humanity will never come true until the day we understand one simple thing; variation. Tolerance does not even come into the picture. And acceptance not really. Just understanding.