I remember when the song Around the World by the French electronic music duo Daft Punk (1997) was trending in France. I was in middle school, and the music video stood out as something truly unique. Each group of characters in the video represented a different instrument. According to Michel Gondry’s notes, the robots represent the vocals, the athletes’ physicality and rapid movements symbolize the ascending/descending bass guitar, the disco girls embody the high-pitched keyboard, the skeletons dance to the guitar, and the mummies bring the rhythm of the drum machine to life.
I particularly loved the bassline, and when I started playing the bass myself, this track became one of the first I attempted to emulate. You can relive the iconic video here:
The lyrics? Simple yet profound—“Around the World” repeated 144 times. Daft Punk later collaborated with Leiji Matsumoto, the visionary behind anime classics like Space Battleship Yamato and Galaxy Express 999, for their album Discovery. This partnership led to the full-length animated masterpiece Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem.
A Shift in Global Connectivity
International relations have existed for centuries, but technological advancements like boats, planes, and now the Internet have drastically transformed how we connect. The sheer volume of data available at our fingertips today was unimaginable when this song was released just three decades ago.
Despite these advancements, our mindset hasn’t fully evolved. Many of us remain confined to local or nationalistic perspectives, as exemplified by slogans like “Make America Great Again,” which prioritize a single country’s interests. This insular thinking has been the norm for centuries, but for humanity to progress, we must embrace a more global perspective.
Thinking as Citizens of the World
To truly evolve, we need to reshape education to promote a global vision for our species. Psychologically, our brains are wired to prioritize our ingroups, often at the expense of empathy for outgroups. This lack of understanding can lead to cultural conflicts and, in extreme cases, war.
However, by viewing ourselves as part of a global network, much like neurons in a brain, we can achieve incredible things. Just as individual neurons communicate to create complex thoughts and actions, billions of human brains working together could solve challenges far beyond what we can currently imagine.
Unlocking the Power of Collective Intelligence
Research in every domain could benefit from the creativity and fresh perspectives of individuals not traditionally involved in those fields. Innovation often arises from out-of-the-box thinking, yet billions of minds worldwide remain untapped. By creating platforms where anyone—regardless of background—can contribute ideas, we could accelerate advancements for the betterment of all humankind.
Children, in particular, have a unique advantage: their brains are more plastic, their creativity boundless, and their perspectives refreshingly different. Encouraging children to contribute their ideas might reveal solutions that adults, constrained by rigid thinking, fail to see.
The Call for a Global Shift
What if we could build a platform where every individual—child or adult—could contribute to solving global challenges? A space where diverse perspectives spark innovation and collaboration?
Let’s explore this vision together. What do you think? Could this shift in mindset and global collaboration be the key to solving humanity’s most pressing problems?
Share your thoughts in the comments! Let’s discuss how we can make this vision a reality.
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