Ubuntu – Even When You Don’t Know Them

In this Coldplay video, we are introduced to the concept of Ubuntu. Watch the first 30 seconds.

The direct translation of Ubuntu is “humanity.” The first (beautifully wise) voice we hear in the video explains the concept further…

“To help others, your brothers, your sisters, even when they are strangers and you don’t know them, you are supposed to help them, that is Ubuntu.”

Even when they are strangers and you don’t know them, you are supposed to help them.

The world just changed. We saw it coming for a while but now it feels like we just hit third gear. Feels faster now.

We don’t know, and we don’t know what we don’t know, and we don’t know when we will know it. Google doesn’t know. Siri and Alexa…nope. In our know everything, buy anything (right this instant) world, there’s just no app for that.

If there was a pilot for the 8 billion of us on Blue Marble One, she might say, “Hi folks, this is your captain speaking. It’s going to get pretty bumpy here for awhile. We’ll do the best we can to steer around it but make sure you are buckled up, give your seatmate an elbow bump for good luck and we’ll get through it together.

Two paths diverged in the woods. Down one path will bring out the worst in us.

Down another is our chance to help our brothers and sisters, even if we don’t know them. That is Ubuntu.