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Are You a Cosmopolitan?

The idea of cosmopolitanism is an old one.  The Greek philosopher Diogenes of Sinope, a man whom Plato described as “Socrates gone mad”, was the first to claim the term.  Diogenes is famous, not only as one of the founders of cynicism, but also for living in a ceramic tub in the marketplace and urinating on his enemies.  Early on in his life he was exiled from Sinope because his philosophical convictions led to defacing the state’s currency.  After being expelled from the Sinope, Diogenes was asked where he came from.  “I am a citizen of the world (kosmopolitês)” he replied.  

Cosmopolitanism is the ideology that all humans belong to a single community; that they are “citizens of the world”.  The human community transcends nation and state.  It transcends cultural and ethnic identity and requires that a loyalty to the broader human cause trumps all other loyalties.

Nathan PeaceRGBIn today’s increasingly globalized world, this idea is perhaps more relevant than ever.  The economic and social systems that have evolved as a result of recent technological advancements have tied our world together in extreme interdependence.  The effects of our decisions in the US are not contained by our nation’s borders; they exceed boundaries and affect humans across the globe.  These effects are obvious in international policy decisions, but even small decisions about the way we shop and how we recycle have substantial effects on the larger human community.  

Many of the biggest problems that we are currently facing require solutions that are larger than the nation.  Environmental degradation and climate change are easy examples .   They are problems that require the cooperation and commitment of the entire human community.  In his recent papal letter, Laudato Si, Pope Francis urges us to “care for our common home.”  In his opening passages he makes a point of addressing the encyclical not just to the church, but to “all people.”  He emphasizes that the problem affects our entire planet and requires a response that is not limited by nationality or religion.

The European migrant crisis is another current issue in which cosmopolitan values can be easily seen.  Germany’s response has been to accept hundreds of thousands of migrants.  This process will cost Germany an incredible amount; they are not doing it for their own benefit but out of a sense of moral obligation to humanity.    

A cosmopolitan view does challenge other loyalties.  It urges us to be human before we are American. But this does not mean that we should disavow our national identities and assume some sort of cosmopolitan citizenship.  That is neither practical nor possible.  National governments are necessary and often very helpful.  But problems do arise when we place greater value on our own nation and favor it at the expense of other human communities.  

It is ultimately a question of allegiance.  We owe our allegiance first to the global human community, and then to the American nation.  Patriotism is valuable, but it must be coupled with a cosmopolitan value for the broader human community.