Where Is Home? | Pico Iyer | TED

New Section

In this section, the speaker discusses the complexity of answering the question "Where do you come from?" and shares their diverse background.

Where do you come from?

• The speaker acknowledges that people expect them to say India since 100% of their blood and ancestry is from India. However, they have never lived there or can speak any of its dialects. They don't feel they have earned the right to call themselves Indian.

• The speaker mentions being from England but left as soon as they completed their undergraduate education. They didn't look like the classic English heroes represented in textbooks.

• If "Where do you come from?" refers to where one pays taxes, sees a doctor, and dentist, then the speaker considers themselves very much of the United States where they have been for 48 years. However, they still carry a permanent alien identification card.

• The speaker reveals that they have been living in Japan for the last 25 years but on a tourist visa. They don't believe many Japanese would consider them one of them.

New Section

In this section, the speaker reflects on how their sense of home has evolved over time and how it is not tied to a physical location.

Home as a work in progress

• The speaker observes that many people today have multiple homes associated with different aspects of their lives such as parents, partners, current location, and dreams. Home becomes a combination of various places that are constantly evolving and being improved upon like a stained glass whole.

• Home is no longer about a piece of soil but rather about a piece of soul - what is carried inside oneself emotionally and spiritually. When asked about home, the speaker thinks of their loved ones, friends, and the songs that accompany them wherever they go.

• The speaker shares a personal experience of losing their physical home in a wildfire and realizing that their true home is what they carry within themselves. This realization brings a sense of liberation.

New Section

In this section, the speaker discusses how the ability to choose one's sense of home and create a sense of community has become more prevalent in modern times.

Choosing our sense of home

• The speaker contrasts the limited choices for a sense of home that their grandparents had with the freedom to choose one's own sense of home today. They highlight how individuals can now create their own communities and shape their identities beyond traditional divisions.

• The increasing number of people living outside their native countries is reshaping notions of nationality and belonging. There are now 220 million people living in countries not their own, forming a large global community.

• The speaker emphasizes that being surrounded by foreign cultures can be enlightening as it challenges assumptions and makes one appreciate diversity. Traveling is compared to being in love, where all senses are heightened.

The Age of Movement and Cultural Blending

The speaker discusses how movement and travel in the modern age have opened up new possibilities for cultural blending and connections between people from different backgrounds.

The Power of Movement

• Movement brings exhilarating new possibilities.

• People from diverse backgrounds meet and recognize each other as kin.

• They form friendships, fall in love, and create a mix of cultures in their children.

Rooted in the Future

• Where you come from is less important than where you're going.

• Many people are rooted in the future or present tense as much as in the past.

• Home is not just where you were born but where you become yourself.

The Challenge of Finding Stillness

While movement can be exciting, finding stillness becomes challenging. The speaker shares a personal experience that highlights the importance of stillness amidst constant movement.

Accumulating Miles

• Accumulated one million miles on United Airlines alone.

• Realized that movement was only valuable when accompanied by a sense of stillness.

Discovering Stillness

• A friend recommended a Catholic hermitage as a place to find stillness.

• Initially skeptical, but decided to give it a try.

• Arrived at a remote location with silence and pulsing energy.

Embracing Stillness and Freedom

The speaker describes their experience at the hermitage, where they found freedom through stillness and embraced the absence of distractions.

A Place for Writing

• Found comfort in a small room with picture windows overlooking nature.

• Started writing extensively despite intending to get away from work.

Vanishing Concerns

• Underneath the starry sky, concerns from previous days seemed to vanish.

Importance of Stillness and Decision Making

The speaker reflects on the importance of stillness in decision making and how it allows for critical thinking and clarity.

Crying Out for Stillness

• Realized that something within them had been yearning for stillness.

• Running around prevented them from hearing this inner voice.

Seneca's Wisdom

• Recalled a phrase by Seneca: "That man is poor not who has little but who hankers after more."

• Acknowledged the need to find stillness amidst the desire for constant activity.

Embracing Stillness Without Monasticism

The speaker clarifies that embracing stillness does not require entering a monastery, emphasizing that finding moments of stillness can be beneficial in any context.

Not Suggesting Monasticism

• Encourages finding moments of stillness without suggesting joining a monastery.

New Section

This section discusses the privilege of movement and its impact on our lives.

Movement as a Privilege

• Movement is a fantastic privilege that allows us to do things our grandparents could never have dreamed of doing.

• However, with the advancements in technology, people are becoming less inclined to engage in physical activities or disconnect from their devices.

• It is important to appreciate the opportunities that movement provides and not take it for granted.