Remain or Leave? My thoughts on Brexit.

Firstly, no one here is an expert or an economist and predictions over what will happen if Britain leaves the EU are pure speculation. So I'm going to talk from a personal point of view. As a Human Being.

We live in the United States of Europe. A wonderful place where, in just an hour and a half by plane and at a cost of 50 euros, we can drop ourselves in a brand new culture, rich with history waiting to be discovered. We can open our eyes to new sights, our ears to new sweet music and our mouths to explosive tastes of local foods that have been embedded in a society that has existed just as long as our own. And then we can choose to stay or move on to the next discovery. We travel to explore, gain experiences and educate ourselves about everybody else out there in this world we share. With this new knowledge, we take the best of it, we tell stories to inspire others to get up, get out and explore too and this whole journey simply bolts on to our personality. It becomes who we are: An ever-changing identity who becomes more intelligent and more emotional every day.

As someone who is obsessed with constant learning and education and who strives to be a better person daily, I open my eyes, my ears and my arms to people from all countries, cultures, ages, beliefs and backgrounds. I listen to their stories, I tell them mine. I try to understand their point of view. Where do their ideas come from? Why do they differ to mine? In a debate, I will always argue my position but at the same time be open to admit I was wrong or that their belief is better than mine. I can change my stance at any time if it becomes logical to me. This can only be done through listening. If we only speak, we don't learn anything, we're only stating what we already know. We are all great communicators now, if we just listen first.

This is how I've grown as a person. As a communicator. As a story-teller. As someone who can embed themselves into any culture and fit in. Whether I'm in a place for 2 days or 200 days, I can belong. I can feel like a citizen of that place. I don't go away for a weekend to sit at English pubs or eat Fish & Chips, I go to discover local customs off the beaten path. And I will continue to do this for the time I am alive.

I've lived in Barcelona for the last 10 years with my Manx passport. I was only supposed to be here 3 months. I pay taxes here. I contribute to a society I sometimes disagree with but I'm always looking for solutions for improvement rather than just complaint. I've listened, adapted, integrated, rebelled, applied my ideas, changed the ideas of others, let my voice be heard by thousands of people. From this cosmopolitan hub, I flow freely across borders and people spill over mine from all corners of the earth and, as I sit around a dinner table of 15 people in Barcelona, I realise that we are from 14 different countries. Do you understand the value that holds? I find myself in regular situations like this and I often refer to our group as The United Nations of Pleasure. Because that's what it is.

Am I lucky to have been born in the Isle of Man and have so much flexibility? Probably yes. But most EU countries now enjoy a similar freedom with a small book of unstamped pages that sits comfortably inside your back pocket. We've been given more freedom to explore and integrate, we've been given more choices and being in a position of choice is the most luxurious place you can be. It's why we work each day. Not for money. Not for cars. Not for houses. But for choice.

We are free to choose and pursue the opportunities we want to pursue. And there's opportunity behind every door, especially the huge door we opened up when the EU was formed. So why would we close these doors on ourselves? Opportunities like these are where ideas and innovations come from. It's where we discover and create technologies that make our lives easier and give us back more of our most valuable commodity as a human, time.

Britain leaving the EU simply doesn't make sense if you're someone with a love for life and learning and enjoyment. Think of yourself as a citizen. Forget the political agenda. You will always be suppressed by your Government.

I don't just want European Citizenship. I want Global Citizenship. Where my rights are respected in the same way their culture is respected by me. I want to roam freely through the world educating myself and assisting in the education of others. The European Union is an example of how much communication and trust-building has evolved. We were designed to collaborate and participate and inspire others to do better. Let's not go back in time.

I'm still standing here with open arms. And I vote Remain.

Yours Sincerely,

Ben Walker.

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