Some months ago I watched this TED talk on YouTube. The key concept that Taiye aimed to share is a powerful description of the century we live in: we should be more interested in where people are local rather than where they—or their family, for that matter—are from.
(click here for the transcript)
During the last WordCamp Europe I met so many people. Since it’s a conference where local communities gather in one place, The where are you from? question is a popular conversation opener.
In this occasion, I forced myself to ask everyone I met where are you based? in any instance where Where are you from? would have been a legitimate question. The answers I got have been remarkably diverse: some people told me where they live, some added where they are from, some told me where they have lived in the past, some told me where they’ll relocate soon.
We have no control over the town or country we are from. We have the power to influence and shape and build so many aspects of our life: let’s focus on that.
I totally missed this post … what a shame for me. It’s one of the most delicate and enlightening talk seen this year. Thanks for pointing this pearl to me.
Also, what about YOU? Did this speech change your feelings about where you are local now?
Did you feel enriched by the answers people in Vienna gave you?
Let me know…
Hey Nicola, thank you for your comment. I don’t think Taiya’s talk changed anything about my feelings, if anything it made them stronger. I took it as a sort of validation of who I am and where I am on this subject.
I loved hearing how people in Vienna were replying to my where are you based? Q. I loved the diversity in their answers, and I feel that Q leaves people more room to answer with something they’re more comfortable with. Something that represent them better.
I don’t think I’ve ever asked the question, “Where are you from?”. I almost always ask, “where do you live?”.
Hey Khürt, thanks for your comment! That’s great to hear. I’ve realised the importance of formulating this Q the right way just recently… better late than never 🙂