Are You a Citizen of the World?

What does it mean exactly to be a citizen of the world? (sorry for my ignorance).

In a legal sense there's little substantive in being a citizen of the world. It's more of an acknowledgement that strictly national identities are being supplemented by larger, global concerns and responsibilities. This leads to an acceptance of international actions and support for the various agencies charged with meeting global challenges - the World Court, the IPCC, international security and aid agencies.

I see it as a rejection of isolationism and a recognition that some of the institutions we crafted in the wake of WWII to organize and regulate our world may no longer serve as usefully as we had initially hoped. It reflects the inescapable fact that we are now much more inter-related and interdependent than before and likewise more engaged in each other's destinies which demands new levels of co-operation and shared responsibilities.

- Rob

Given that Newt Gingrich holds a PHD, I would say that at least he is more educated than Obama, weather it counts for much is a different story. He has made intelligent comments as well as less intelligent ones.

I am not a citizen of the world by definition. I can't go a live in any country I wish to and the policy of other countries still only tangentially affects me. The reverse may not be true, but so is the nature of power, the country with the most of it has the most influence.

Honestly, I don't trust Obama, nor do I trust any of the slime politicians. This hope and change b.s. is ludicrous and I think that the result of this term will be a whole wave of cynical voters. A great deal of moronic ideas are floating around, like trying to bring in a new gvernment healthcare system taht we cannot afford. So far, it has been admitted that only .25 % of the jobs that were promised have been provided, but they were not created, they were 'saved' and created. A curious rhetorical comment that really seems to mean nothing.

A populist primo bullshitter proceeding an incompetent nutbag who thinks he has devine purpose, sounds great, America the brave!

To answer that question, let me just say this. No one, as long as gold rules. Rather than it's citizens, we will become it's slaves. Let me leave it at that.
William

I am a citizen of the state of Pennsylvania and of the United States of America, not of the world. No 'global governance' for me thanks

I see no reason to bind the term to some ideology. A citizen is someone who inhabits a particular community, so to be a citizen of the world is to be someone who inhabits the global community.

Obviously, we all live in the world. But are we part of that community?

It is strange that a politician like Gingrich does not understand himself to be or even want to be a citizen of the world. As a prominent American politician (well, he was one) Gingrich had a responsibility to acknowledge his role in the global community - Congressmen make decisions which involve the US's relationship with the rest of the global community.

What about us? I think we are all necessarily citizens of the world, active members in this global community. We do make regular use of the internet.



You cannot live in any[i/] country you like, but you do have options. The policies of other nations have no real direct influence on you, that is true, but there are policies made on a global scale that affect you as much as they do anyone else.

It depends on what type of citizen of the world you speak of. Much like Obama did, I can declare myself a citizen of the world today, but it has no real physical meaning. If you mean this, then that is cleary cosmopolitanism.

If you put a real political meaning behind this however, the ideology changes. What if we all were subject or citizens to a global authority instead of multiple regional ones. Will that change the current stae of things for the better or the worse?

A 'citizen' of this species?
A 'citizen' of this family?
A 'citizen' of this neighborhood?
A 'citizen' of this city?
A 'citizen' of this state?
A 'citizen' of this country?
A 'citizen' of this planet?
A 'citizen' of this galazy?
A 'citizen' of this Universe?

'Citizen'; a 'feature' of?
An integral part of?
An isolated unit in a local context?

Round and round it goes...
Where to draw the 'isolation' line; the "I care about and respect us ~vs~ the fluck you!" line?
The 'us' ~vs~ 'them' line?
Personally, I generally don't have one.