Airport Tourist

In June 2005 a man wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, white knee-length shorts and no shoes passed through the security gates at Terminal 2, Heathrow Airport.

The security guards didn’t like him: he had no shoes, so they could not order him to take them off. He had no bag, so they could not search it. He did not set of the metal detector as he had no coins, keys or belt.

In fact, all he did have was a passport and boarding pass in the breast pocket of his shirt. It was a busy day, so they let him through.

The men monitoring the security cameras didn’t like him either. He stuck out like a clean patch on a soiled tea-towel, so they followed him with their cameras and they were surprised at what they saw.

The man, smiling faintly, walked every aisle of every shop, yet never touched or picked up any item.

He stood in every que at every coffee shop and fast food concession, yet every time he got to the front he just walked calmly on.

After he had done all this, he left the airport and was not seen again.

He was the worlds first airport tourist.

Meeting of two worlds

 Saving the world. All i can do at this stage is small things, even though systemic change is needed.

The difficulty is with getting out of the ‘western’ mindset. This is the thought process that leads you come up with stuff like USB food.

anathema to this is the, still western, idea that you can save the world by supporting one of millions of groups of activists, none of whom are coordinated enough to do more than cosmetically alter the way we conduct our lives. (pauses to refill cynicism drip).

I’d like to wake people up to the wider context within which we exist in the world, so that the above links become unnecessary. Of course, its hypocrisy again, as that would require me to lead by example and not use anything, such as a blog, that required electricity.

So you see my dilemma…

Still, the intention to change the world is still there. lets hope something comes of it!

Cheers,

Philip