How do we develop our concept of international community?

We need to get out more. That doesn’t just mean travelling (though that certainly helps), but learning more languages (this is crucial), and interacting more with other cultures. This isn’t hard in many parts of the UK; we are a country of net immigration, as it says on the Big Conversation web site.

This answer may seem to address the question only literally, rather than as intended (more “What concepts do we need?”). The point is that many people have no idea and are in no position to judge. They’d be much better off if they did and were, and then they’d rapidly form useful ideas of international community anyway.

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Learning more languages does indeed seem crucial - it is rather shocking (and almost unbelievable) that a foreign language will stop being compulsory after GCSEs in Britain. — C

In fairness, learning one’s own language stops being compulsory at that point also. And, by then, many if not most people still haven’t. D

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Last updated 2005/02/27