Brexit, Trump & ghosts of the past

The Brexit referendum at its core isn’t about immigration, the economy or bureaucracy. They are all important topics that needs to be taken into consideration or require urgent reforms, but they are not at the core . That is about the culture of our society:

Do we want to live in an open society, that is collaborative, listens, integrates, challenges, with the right mix of data and emotional intelligence? Do we want to live in a society that is ultimately about creating a healthier world?

Or do we want to live in a walled garden, with rigid controls, little movement, harsh, ruled by fear and blame, where data and creativity are being rejected? Do we want to live in a society that is ultimately all about making sure that what we have is for us to keep and protect, even though it will still result in ultimate loss? 

It is the difference between going into the future confidently yet questioning, or choosing nostalgia and resurrecting the ghosts of the past.

This isn’t just a UK phenomenon but a conflict that is also at the heart of the US election and will be at the heart of the French and the German election. We already lost societies to the ghosts of the past in Hungary, Poland and Turkey and we don’t give it enough attention and support.We have become complacent.

Let’s make sure we don’t let this happen in our countries. Otherwise we might find it difficult to stop the tide. Let’s not jeopardize but celebrate enlightenment, progress & peace and at the same time work harder and challenge ourselves to participate more to make our societies, systems & establishments healthier and more appropriate for the 21st century.