When we arrived at the 7 billion Others installation at the Museum of Photographic Arts in
Balboa Park, San Diego, CA, Erasmo and I sat to watch a few videos of people
from all over the world discussing love, poverty, person-hood, and many other
topics that can either plague or bring joy to a human being. The questions asked of these people were not
hard questions. They were very simple
and direct.
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| 7 billion Others www.mopa.org |
What
does family mean to you? What have you
given up? Do you feel free? What is the greatest enemy of man? Do you know a prayer? What is your favorite song? Sing it.
What does love mean to you? Do
you give enough of it?
They weren't questions that would have you thinking for ages or questions that
required deep worldly knowledge. At
least this is what I would want to think.
These questions had far more implemented roots and required each person
to seek further within themselves. Their
answers told so much about their character and displayed how much of the world,
no matter where we find ourselves, had similar answers. If we broadened our scope of understanding one
another we would find that as a human populace we are not so different from
each other. It’s a very simple phrase to
type out, a simple phrase to plaster on a FB status or puff our chests out
during polite conversation. It’s harder
to come face to face with someone whom we think is entirely different from us
and search all the ways they are similar.
I have difficulties with this daily.
“What
is your greatest fear?”
A
gentleman looked into the camera and smiled shyly.
“My
greatest fear is that God doesn't exist.”
He paused, looked away from the camera, looked down into his hands. His accent dangled from my ears and they
became hot. The blood rushed into
them. He voiced what many people feel
and think. The audacity. Oh, but the courage.
Next
person, same question.
“What
is your greatest fear?”
The
gentleman laughed like he’d been caught committing a crime. I touched my elbow nervously. His
response took me by the hand and led me elsewhere.
“That God exists.”
“That God exists.”
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| The making of 7 billion Others sdcitybeat.com |
Click here for: 7 billion Others at Museum of Photographic Arts
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