Common Idea, Common Enemy

We are all human beings, social animals that cannot exist without each other. We are creatures that require honest opinions, good gossip, or a warm hug. We smile, we joke, we like pictures on Instagram, we lie; we get married and divorced. We build cities and create institutions. We either follow the law or go against it.

We are all united by shared values or desires, interests, or dreams that can be such a mysterious creative force through which we build skyscrapers and discover space. However, this is precisely that mysterious force that distinguishes us from other mammals in this world.

We tend to unite with people that have common aspirations and admiration. No matter if it is your beloved auntie or a stranger from a random coffee shop in Shanghai. Because you are connected by love – love to the theatre, Europe, nature, money, Lana del Rey, or good Brazilian coffee. It is such a wonder that we can find the love of our life at the music festival or make a lifetime friendship just because you have something in common. Both of you can love the same YouTube blogger or be obsessed with Hip Hop culture. However, what can also be a good connection point is that both of you hate your math teacher. „Hate.“ That is also something that unites. We all heard the phrase: „Nothing unites people as much as a common enemy.“

Unfortunately, we are just people – savages that cannot just live in harmony and peace. Every day, we look for someone with opposite opinions to confront. That is why we read articles with a negative title daily or watch aggressive clickbait videos on the Internet. We are incorrigible. However, that is who we are. We will need to divide each other, label, and conflict as long as people are called „people.“

But we learn. We really do because we are not done, not finished. Because evolution is a long process, and we are a bit part of it. And the only thing we need to try is to really try to become wiser, cleaner, and more intellectual. So there is no need to kill, steal, or lie running inside our DNA.

Nevertheless, despite the fact that we are animals, we still should remember that we are humans. We can realize our faults and make things not happen again. Even though we need to hate something sometimes, we still need to love it. We want to be together and united. We all want to live in peace, respect, and safety. Likewise, even though some people have been willing to take this dream from us throughout history to get some personal benefits, we see that we are not ready to spin in the vicious cycle of wars. We finally realized that building, creating, and respecting each other is the key to light and progress. We still can compete and get what we want with no harm and wreck.

Moreover, We all are united by these values. We all are woven by one belief – creation. Similarly, we can see that this way of thinking has already become an inalienable part of our lives, and so has ourselves.

The full-scale war in Ukraine that Russia caused has clearly shown it to the Universe. It finally made people realize that there are no winners in wars and showed how fervently people worldwide are willing to fight for their freedom and peace. Moreover, this terrible, dark, and cynically unfair war has caused something unprecedentedly light. It brought to the world a new chapter – a case of solidarity that has never happened in the history of humankind.

That such intense togetherness that we can see now is basically that only real true power is much stronger than bombs. It is a power I could physically feel with my skin. It brings me goosebumps and the belief that we can learn and love as much as is needed to create a world we would love to live in.

This terrible war has brought thousands of cases of heroism. Every street, every building, and garden in Ukraine is impregnated by awe-inspiring stories of courage, self-sacrifice, and tears. Dentists give first aid in occupied cities of Ukraine, general managers of the biggest international companies help deliver food and medicaments, and taxi drivers risk their lives to evacuate others. Star chefs from television cook pasta carbonara for soldiers, talented artists create to inspire, and millions of people help financially while losing their homes and staying in cellars for weeks.

Now we finally know how vital everyone is and that everyone is in charge of our future. These words have never yet been so true. Each of us is not a tiny detail in an extensive system, but an individual, personality, and a big human being.

It is impressive to observe and feel the network of light spreading broader and tighter. To see how fast and productive our mindset switches from egoism to full-scale altruism.

And no matter if it is a common idea that unites us, or a common enemy who wants to steal this idea, we should keep on going and fight for our future – fight in an office, school, or theatre, fighting by doing what you do best using the power of kindness, solidarity, creation, and love. Because freedom is something, you always need to fight for.


Photo Credit ©Unsplash

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Andrii Punko

Born in 2001, in 2008 when joined a ballroom dance club just for an after school activity. In 2016 entered Kyiv Choreographic College where has started his ballet education. Since 2019 attended the bachelor dance program at University of Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt am Main. In February of 2022 Andrii has made his own Piece called „One of a Billion“, which was performed in Gallus Theater. After Russia invaded Ukraine, he decided to prolongate his piece and set the second part to attract attention of Europeans to the war.

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