Weare all responsible for each other, but not responsible for them.
We were always distinct from them, and owe them nothing. We don‘twant to see any of them in our territory, and we don‘t care an iotawhat happens in their territory. - P196
We can understand the decolonisation process of the last fewdecades in a similar way. During the modern era Europeans con-quered much of the globe under the guise of spreading a superiorWestern culture. They were so successful that billions of peoplegradually adopted significant parts of that culture. Indians, Africans,
Arabs, Chinese and Maoris learned French, English and Spanish. - P201
Cultural trends also spread with lightning speed. Almost every-where you go, you can eat Indian curry, watch Hollywood movies,
play English-style association football or listen to the latest K-pophit. A multi-ethnic global society is forming over and above theindividual states. Entrepreneurs, engineers, bankers and scholarsthroughout the world speak the same language and share similarviews and interests. - P207
1. Religion is an entire system of norms and values, rather thanan isolated custom or belief. Knocking on wood for good luck isn‘t areligion. Even a belief in reincarnation does not constitute a religion,
as long as it does not validate certain behavioral standards.
2. To be considered a religion, the system of norms and valuesmust claim to be based on superhuman laws rather than on humandecisions. Professional soccer is not a religion, because despite itsmany rules, rites and often bizarre rituals, everyone knows thathuman beings invented soccer themselves, and FIFA may at anymoment enlarge the size of the goal or cancel the offside rule. - P210
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