Let’s get this out of the way: Borders are BS.
They’re imaginary lines drawn by dead men in wigs and kept alive by people in fear. They exist on maps but not in the hearts of the evolved.
And yet, we worship them like holy commandments. We let them define who gets access to safety, love, wealth, healthcare, and freedom.
Let’s break the spell.
A borderless world isn’t just a utopian ideal whispered by John Lennon and the Federation in Star Trek—it’s a data-backed, spiritually aligned, economically smart direction for humanity.
And yes… It’s the opposite of what Trump is trying to do to the world.
I started reflecting on this post today while at Singularity University in Silicon Valley, attending a dinner with fellow execs and tackling a very unique dinner table conversation.
On our table was a conversation starter card that made the nerd in me light up:
What can business leaders learn from the original Star Trek series?
My response to the question?
Let’s slowly dismantle borders. Bit by bit.
Let me explain.
Why do we believe in borders?
Ready for an entertaining ride on why we might want to reconsider how we tie our identities (and our mental models of how we understand others) to these imaginary lines? Buckle up.
In my book The Code of the Extraordinary Mind, I use a term called brules (short for bullsh*t rules) to describe useless laws and rules we humans still cling to in simplistic attempts to make sense of a complex world. The idea of borders is one of the biggest brules out there.
We worry about immigrants flooding into our civilized countries and raising crime rates.
We fear that refugees will leech off public funds and allow their exotic but alien cultures to taint our pristine way of life.
We worry that our ways will be replaced by people with a different skin color or who worship God based on a different ancient text.
In short: we fear.
But is this fear irrational?
Turns out, in a study of how much we truly understand the world—conducted by Swedish social scientist Hans Rosling—we’re basically clueless.
We have what’s called a negative bias toward the world. And these three facts show just how wide the gap is between reality and perception.
So I want you to do this quiz with me. Real quick. Answer these three questions:
- What percentage of the world lives in poverty today?
- What percentage of the world population now lives in a country other than their country of birth?
- What’s the birth rate per woman outside the Western world?
Got your answers down? Okay, now let’s check your score.
Three beliefs that fuel the fear of “a borderless world”
1. The myth of global poverty
In a 2018 study asking 32,000 people from 26 countries whether world poverty had increased or decreased over the prior 20 years, only 2% got it right.
The truth? Global poverty dropped from 40% in 1980 to under 9% today.
We’re living through the greatest poverty reduction in human history—and hardly anyone knows.
I was sitting in an Uber in Tallinn just a few months ago when the driver asked, “You’re of Indian origin, correct?”
I said, “Yes.”
He then proceeded to say, “Indian. Such friendly people. Pity your country is so poor. People suffer so much. Ah, the poverty. Very bad. Very bad.”
What my European Uber driver failed to understand was this:
Poverty rates in India have fallen so sharply that today, only 2% of Indian households live on under $2/day—the global measure for extreme poverty.
Poverty is falling globally. But if Westerners think the world is swarming with starving, poor, decrepit souls seeking better chances… you’re going to shut your borders tight.
2. The myth of migration
According to Rosling’s data in Factfulness, only 3.4% of the global population lives outside the country they were born in.
That means 96.6% of humanity stays put. Most people want to stay home—they just want the opportunity to thrive while doing so.
Contrary to popular belief, millions of people aren’t trying to sneak into your rich country. They’re busy making life better and better in their own.
India, China, the Middle East —all are experiencing tremendous bursts in quality of life and GDP. And fewer and fewer of them care about the “American Dream”.
3. The myth of “baby machines”
It’s common in the West to assume that people in India and the Muslim world have truckloads of kids. And if you let “those people” into your country—oh no! Prepare to be replaced.
Turns out this is far from true.
Today, the global average fertility rate is 2.1—exactly at replacement level.
And shockingly, this includes countries like Pakistan, Nigeria, and Bangladesh.
Let me repeat that: Westerners and non-Westerners are both barely having children… at replacement level.
The exception? 9% still living in extreme poverty. When your child has a high chance of dying before age 5, you procreate more.
So why are Westerners so wrong?
Simple: right-wing politics in the US and Europe thrive on fear.
The most useful fear? The fear of the other.
Western media is designed to make its citizens fearful, insular, and… let’s be honest—proudly ignorant.
Let’s rewind…
The American border crisis was manufactured
Hear me out for a moment…
The U.S.-Mexico border is one of the most emotionally charged political issues in America today. But what if the “crisis” dominating headlines was, in fact, a problem created by the very people who claim to be solving it?
Back in the 1980s, America didn’t have a border wall—and didn’t need one.
Mexicans would cross over, work as day laborers, and then return home.
There was even a term for it: rotating door migration.
During the 1980 Republican presidential primary debate in Houston, Texas, on April 23, 1980, candidates Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush engaged in a surprisingly humane exchange about immigration—particularly concerning undocumented immigrants. Both emphasized compassion and practicality.
George H.W. Bush said:
“These are good people, strong people. Part of my family is Mexican.”
Ronald Reagan added:
“Rather than talking about putting up a fence, why don’t we work out some recognition of our mutual problems, make it possible for them to come here legally with a work permit?”
Imagine that. Reagan, patron saint of modern conservatism, advocated for migrant workers—not demonizing them.
He didn’t see immigrants as threats. He saw them as neighbors.
He believed in circular migration—that workers could come to the U.S. temporarily, contribute, and return home without being criminalized. No walls. No mass deportations. Just legal, respectful cooperation.
But something changed.
What changed? The politics of “control”
By the mid-1980s, immigration had become a political lightning rod. The economy was under strain. Unemployment was up. And the media narrative started shifting from “hardworking migrants” to “illegal invaders.”
Even though Reagan held personal compassion, he faced growing pressure from within his own party to “restore control.”
So in 1986, Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA)—a sweeping law that did two things:
- Legalized about 3 million undocumented immigrants already in the U.S.
- Criminalized hiring undocumented workers and increased border enforcement.
Reagan called it a “humanitarian” measure. And in many ways, it was.
But it came with a price.
The unintended consequence: From circular to permanent migration
Before IRCA, Mexican workers would come seasonally—they’d work for months, then return to Mexico. It was a rotating door.
But after IRCA’s enforcement kicked in—especially employer sanctions and increased militarization of the border—crossing became riskier, costlier, and far more dangerous.
So what happened?
Migrants stopped going back. They brought their families and settled permanently.
The very enforcement meant to “control” immigration actually cemented it.
Sociologist Douglas Massey put it best:
“We transformed a circular flow of male workers into a settled population of families.”
So Reagan’s legacy is complicated.
He wanted openness and dignity. But in trying to appease both sides, he set in motion the very crisis the right wing would later weaponize.
Fast forward 30 years.
The GOP has gone from Reagan’s “Let’s work together with our neighbors” to Trump’s “Build the wall.”
From compassion… to cruelty.
From policy… to panic.
From work permits… to cages.
Reagan wasn’t perfect. But he never wanted a wall. He didn’t dream of bans and raids. He believed immigrants made America stronger.
What changed?
Fear won.
Fast forward to today:
Right-wing politicians have mastered this fear-based playbook.
Enter Trump. Enter JD Vance. Enter tariffs, bans, walls, and panic.
All built on useful myths.
The real stats: Illegal immigrants are not the problem
Contrary to campaign soundbites:
- Illegal immigrants do not commit more crime.
- They’re not causing rape waves.
- And most of those horror stories? Fabricated. Recycled political fiction.
Now, here’s a dose of reality:
Each year, undocumented immigrants in the U.S. contribute over $10,000 in taxes per household, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. That’s more than some citizens pay—and they do it while being ineligible for most public benefits.
They pay income taxes, property taxes (through rent), sales taxes, and Social Security—even though they’ll likely never see a dime of it in return.
So again—who’s really freeloading?
Americans are good, kind people. They get this. Even many who voted for Trump—when presented with the realities undocumented families face—respond with empathy. In fact, when asked about what should happen to undocumented immigrants already in the U.S., 70% of Americans said they preferred a pathway to citizenship over deportation. But at political action rallies? We see the dark side. (Some politicians bring out the worst in us.)
We’ve built a mythos around the “drain on the system” when, in fact, they are helping keep the system afloat—from farming to food service, from childcare to construction.
And let’s be honest: if you live in the U.S. and enjoy affordable strawberries in winter, a clean hotel room, or a well-maintained garden, you’re already benefiting from undocumented labor.
The fear machine reloaded: Trump’s tariffs and global poverty
And now, fear takes another form: economic warfare dressed up as patriotism.
Trump’s tariffs weren’t a strategy. They were a tantrum—one that tanked the stock market, raised consumer prices, disrupted global supply chains, and risked plunging the world into disconnection and poverty.
Why?
Because American voters fell for it. (Again. Sigh.)
These weren’t smart, tactical moves to protect American jobs. They were emotionally charged, fear-fueled maneuvers designed to punish an imaginary enemy called “everyone else.”
The result? Tariffs that cost the average U.S. household $400–$500 a year in added expenses. Billions in lost business. And a breakdown in trust with global trading partners.
Borders—which were being gently dissolved by global trade and digital collaboration—are rearing their ugly heads again.
And it’s hurting everyone.
Which brings us to the trillion-dollar question—the one that could redefine the future of our species if we’re brave enough to answer it honestly…
What happens if we erase borders?
According to economist Michael Clemens, global GDP could double.
That’s not a typo. Double.
Because when people are free to move to where their talents are most needed, productivity soars. Innovation spreads. Opportunity multiplies.
And some economists take it even further: some models estimate global GDP could grow by up to 147% if we opened borders worldwide.
That’s not just a bigger pie. That’s a whole new global bakery franchise.
Borders trap potential.
They lock brilliant minds and strong hands in environments where their contributions are stunted.
But when we unlock that movement—
We don’t just help migrants. We lift everyone.
It’s the closest thing humanity has to a cheat code for prosperity.
So, what’s stopping us?
Fear. Again. But we’ve already seen what fear costs.
Now imagine what courage could gain.
Star Trek: The federation of us
In Star Trek canon, Earth unifies in the year 2150—just 125 years from now. And soon after, it joins the United Federation of Planets.
No more nations. No more borders. Just one species, one mission: to boldly go where no one has gone before.
The Federation isn’t just science fiction.
It’s a map. A metaphor. A model.
At the heart of this galactic alliance lies a Vulcan philosophy: IDIC—Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations.
The idea? That every culture, every perspective, and every being—no matter how strange or different—adds richness to the whole.
That diversity isn’t something to tolerate. It’s something to celebrate.
That’s not just fantasy—it’s the future we’re capable of creating.
In a way, the Starship Enterprise wasn’t just a ship. It was Earth, evolved. A planetary crew navigating the galaxy with wisdom, inclusion, and curiosity as their compass.
And maybe—just maybe—it’s a glimpse of who we’re meant to become.
Not someday. But soon.
Because the Federation already exists in pieces: in our shared values, our intercontinental friendships, and the billions of us who already see ourselves not just as citizens of nations but as humans of Earth.
And it’s already starting to happen.
Schengen: The real-world federation
Want proof that borderless living isn’t just sci-fi? Look at the Schengen Zone in Europe.
Every single day, 3.5 million people cross internal EU borders without showing a passport. No barbed wire. No interrogations. No identity theater.
I once road-tripped with my kids from Belgium to the Netherlands to Luxembourg to Germany to France—all in the span of 8 days by car. Not a single checkpoint. Not a single customs agent. Even my European SIM card worked seamlessly across countries. Not even a roaming fee to annoy me.
This is what happens when countries collaborate instead of compete.
Now contrast that with post-Brexit Britain:
- British families now face long lines at EU airports.
- They need visas to work abroad.
- Their economy? Shrinking.
UK households are now losing £1,300 a year in income due to reduced trade and investment.
If the average Brit who voted for Brexit had known their holiday in Spain would come with longer queues and a lighter wallet, would they have still voted for it?
Probably not.
The entire thing was built on a lie.
A lie stoked by—yes, again—right-wing politicians who used the fear of “others” to harvest votes.
And now, it’s the everyday people paying the price.
Dubai: A case for openness
If there’s a real-world prototype of Star Trek’s United Federation of Planets, it’s Dubai.
The Emiratis make up only about 8% of the population. The rest? A swirling dance of humans from every continent—working, co-creating, and building a future together.
Crime? Lower than most major Western cities.
Cultural erosion? Nope. Emirati identity isn’t just intact—it’s celebrated, respected, and globally influential.
Economy? Absolutely booming.
Dubai consistently ranks among the top 10 safest cities in the world, beating out cities like London, Paris, and New York. So much for “diversity brings danger.”
While much of Europe is aging, shrinking, and clenching its borders like a scared fist, the UAE opened its doors—and opened its future.
This isn’t an anomaly. It’s a blueprint.
I’ve made Dubai my home, and more and more of my friends, co-workers, and many Mindvalley authors are now moving there. Openness simply works!
Darwin was right: Evolve or die
In 1872, Charles Darwin wrote one of the most prescient paragraphs I’ve ever read in any book. In The Descent of Man, he wrote:
“As man advances in civilisation, and small tribes are united into larger communities, the simplest reason would tell each individual that he ought to extend his social instincts and sympathies to all the members of the same nation… Once this point is reached, there is only an artificial barrier to prevent his sympathies extending to the men of all nations and races.”
Darwin didn’t just predict evolution.
He predicted the European Union.
He didn’t just see where we came from.
He saw our future.
He saw that empathy expands with civilization.
That artificial barriers—like borders—block our most evolved instinct: sympathy.
And what did the British people do with that legacy?
They voted for Brexit.
Yes, Charles Darwin—voted one of the greatest Britons of all time—was spiritually slapped in the face by a nation that let fear rewrite its future.
As Professor Scott Galloway put it:
“Brexit is the greatest act of national self-sabotage since America invaded Iraq.”
Side note: Trump’s tariffs may prove to be an even greater—and dumber—act of self-sabotage.
Why I wrote this (and why I carry 5 residencies)
As an entrepreneur who’s created jobs across four continents, let me give you a real-world example of how fear-driven bureaucracy plays out:
- It took me two days to get residency in the UAE.
- It took me 419 pages of documentation and months to get the same in the United States.
- It’s taken me nearly a year (and counting) to secure residency in London, just so I can be present for my daughter, who is enrolling in school there.
This isn’t about the immigration “process.” This is about paranoia disguised as policy.
These outdated systems were designed for a world that no longer exists—a world run on fear, not facts.
I’ve lived on multiple continents. I’ve created jobs in countries that won’t give me citizenship. I’ve contributed millions to economies where I still get treated like an outsider.
And I know I’m not alone. This is the daily reality for millions of people like me: global citizens trapped by 20th-century paperwork.
This isn’t about process—it’s about paranoia.
These bureaucracies are relics of a world run by fear, not facts.
The Earth flag I fly
That’s why the only flag I’ll ever truly fly is the Earth Flag.
Designed by Swedish artist Oskar Pernefeldt, it features seven interlocking white rings on a deep blue background—symbolizing the unity of continents and all life on Earth.
It’s an amazing idea worth following. I simply don’t believe in the idea of countries anymore. I love the USA, Estonia, Malaysia, the UAE – all the countries that I’ve called home. But I choose to see myself as a citizen of Earth first.
And if this idea resonates, follow the Earth Flag on Instagram here: www.instagram.com/flagofplanetearth
So… What now?
Let’s recap:
- Borders are fiction.
- Fear is the author.
- And the future belongs to those who can imagine beyond the lines.
It’s time to:
- Stop letting fear choose your leaders.
- Demand policies rooted in facts, not fiction.
- Stop voting for anyone who says ‘tariffs,’ ‘border wall,’ or ‘migrant invasion.’ They don’t have a vision. They have a marketing plan.
- Choose Earth. Choose openness. Choose evolution.
Because the greatest wall we need to tear down… is the one in our minds.
And on the other side?
The next version of humanity.
One world. One people. No borders.
Only horizons.
If you believe in a future without borders, speak up. Share this with your friends.
If this newsletter is shared with you and you would like to get more such content in your inbox, subscribe to Weekly by Vishen.
Follow the Earth Flag. Leave a Comment. And help build the world our children deserve to inherit.
116 Responses
Thanks for sharing your thoughts folks
Vishen,
I’m slightly new to Mindvalley, and not so new in age. I find your idea intriguing and definitely worth working towards.
For the last 9 years I’ve lived in Texas, having moved from Humboldt County in northern California by the border of Oregon, And I grew up mostly in Southern California until my family and I moved in 2003 to Northern California. I share this because all three places have different cultures. I’m 63 years old and now have lived long enough to feel my life has enough history to give me certain Perspectives that I would not have otherwise had, say, when I was 18 or 20.
Even just moving around in the United States and visiting many different states, all enlighten me to different valuable, cultural characteristics In the United States alone.
Most people when they first meet me pick me out completely as a southern California girl, And when I moved to Northern California, especially in Humboldt County, where drugs play such a huge role in the economy and the deprivation of the society, And then to Texas, the Republican enclave, I’ve experienced all the subtle nuances of differences just between the border of states. I have not traveled extensively in Europe, but I did live for three months in the Bahamas and have been to England. So, In essence, these experiences of my life make up the conclusions that I come to, Much like your experiences of living in so many places and experiencing so many people create your ideas. I should include here that in my high school years I attended an international high school where I was exposed to many cultures and ideas and beautiful, beautiful people who I still love and value greatly in my life. Perhaps it was my high school experience that allow me to not be particularly xenophobic about cultures and differences.
Since moving to Texas, I have worked in the landscaping industry, and I have worked with many of the people who cross the borders legally and illegally I’ve had to deal with the question of if they have a Social Security number and I know it’s false, do deny them the opportunity of employment or do I employ them and let Social Security deal with them?
Inquiring guidance of how the owner of the company I worked for wished for it to be dealt with, he chose to let Social Security deal with it which of course nothing happened.
I know the value that immigrants bring to the United States and primarily to its workforce where I know that white Anglo-Saxons choose not to do the type of work that I hire these men for. Most of the Caucasian population within this Career are in management positions. rarely do People who do the Back breaking, sweat of brow work, Are the people who are most underpaid and have little chance at advancement.
In order to keep this somewhat short, although it is a fascinating conversation and requires much conversation and thought, The one fallacy that I find is that the premise that you come from is that all people can monitor their own morality and their own self conscience rules them in a righteous fashion I do have an early childhood education certificate, and I know that there’s a philosopher who has discussed this idea I will say, if that was true that we all had the proper moral compass to guide us in proper decisions, Borderless society would be a much greater possibility.
Remember, even in Star Trek, there are borders in space you did not want to go into the Klingon territory. The Klingons and the Borg were cultures and species that were not to be dealt with because they were so dangerous.
I do appreciate your utopian ideas about Dubai, but I also know that I have very close friends who spent 12 years living in Dubai, raising their family and being a leader for his church . He explained to me that the reason the crime is so low is because the police there are given so much latitude in how they deal with crime, and the officers own perception of what is acceptable in appearance and social behavior. There are cameras everywhere, and big brother is watching and taking action. He told me that police officers there can bring home your son if they feel he needs a haircut. Women are still under privileged, requiring male supervision, permission for shopping, travel, Dress, Socialization, etc. So you’ve chosen to live in a beautiful place with many different cultures, melting in to one conglomerate, however, under the surface of that society there are excessively restrictive practices. He worked with many people who were lured By promises of good jobs and great wages only to find when they got there that they were abused mistreated and underpaid, And unable to return home after they were so disillusioned. Many times he needed to use church funds to send people home and there were constant issues regarding visas and the cost associated with straightening out problems. So please paint it An honest picture of each society.
Trump and the tariffs and the stock market and all that has happened recently I do believe was planned by a very evil segment of our society. The people who could most afford to sell off and can now go back and invest in profit, pulled off a lot of the stock market problem. There is a problem here in the United States, with an evil segment, trying to cause panic and fear, And it’s not Trump. What he is doing with tariffs needed to be done many years ago. You can go to YouTube and see all the clips of all the different presidents who were not courageous enough nor truly committed to America being properly treated regarding tariffs, To fix the Tariff issues. The last time we chose to fight tariffs in this magnitude there was a war with Britain and we broke from colonialism and became the United States of America.
So much to think about….
I don’t think it will ever happen in my lifetime but Certainly, as we venture out into space farther and attain a real possibility of living in space or on other planets, these things will have to be addressed. Possibly, some of the borders Within our world will have been erased.
Regards,
Lesley Stehman
Thank you for your sane and inspiring article. Let’s begin!❤️
This is a cause I’ve been advocating for years which is deeply related to my meaning and purpose in life.
I’d willing and truly give my life for LIBERTY , to live in a FREE MOVEMENT WORLD 🌍 If birds can fly the skies and turtles 🐢 navigate 🧭 the oceans 🌊 why can not we as human beings freely move on our beautiful earth 🌏?
We all come from EARTH ! Our ancestry and roots are nomadic.
As a trained Economist I know that a free movement world 🌎 would enable a faster convergence towards love ❤️
That’s very real and another awakening thoughtful arrival just like your Milo video. You have clearly mentioned the problem , it’s politics, they divided us so that they could rule us. Creating fear in our minds is the basic trick . One more thing is very important, we build our thought process with checking out facts , which create problem and scared us. Borderless world is the best concept. We all have right to enjoy this life on earth. For this big change … We all need to change our own self , coming out of our own perception to a perspective.
It’s the first step. I think if we live borderless that would be a better world. Where people have equal opportunity, better life.
I am a man from England writing to you very unhappy about this article. Firstly the title is inappropriate and aggressive, and secondly I did not sign up to Paul McKenna’s mental health videos to get political statements through my email winding me up!
As much as I love John Lenon’s song Imagine I don’t agree with it at all.
The main thing to say about your article is that is nothing more than a Utopian fantasy, here in the UK we’ve lived an approach of this borderless idea in reality in the last 20 years and it has proved to be a disaster.
Instead of a largely cohesive and socially connected society back in the 1990’s we now have completely separated communities often with nothing in common. Growing up we would know many of the people in the street, village and town, and we could strike up a conversation knowing we had things we could converse about. Now we have people from distant lands and cultures and can find very little in common. Less connection and less trust.
You love to call people like me Xenophobic, another negative propaganda word. How do you explain that I like to travel to countries all around the world, enjoying their culture then? I can enjoy other cultures but I don’t want to live in them all the time, I prefer mine. Why on earth is that so wrong?
Human beings like to belong, to have a tribe, a set of values that they like to live by. Having a culture is not some evil thing that is beating humans down, it is a structure that most of us enjoy being part of. Singing national anthems, sharing the language, being patriotic, watching sporting events between different nations are a joy. Are you against human nature? Your idea leads to loads of disparate people who have no idea who they are or where they should be.
I should just say, immigration can be a good thing as it generally was before the 1990s. Small amounts of highly skilled, good natured people brought in adds to the country, as they bring skills and integrate into the culture. Huge numbers of people that we have brought in here in the UK have not integrated and have damaged the fabric of our country forever. Do you think that the UK is a more healthy place because of mass immigration, have you actually visited our major cities?
If you think that mass immigration is so wonderful for the economy, how come we’ve added 10 million people to our population here in the UK in only 20 years and our economy is far worse than it was back then? According to you we should be absolutely booming!
Your idea assumes that everyone is kind natured and open minded and accepting. I’ve got news for you, you’re living in la-la land. Human being are not all the same, it is a huge mix of good and bad behaviour which you will never get rid of, it’s human nature. There will always be bad people and they will always seek others like them, again to find their tribe, and they will behave badly to others. Open borders will not lead in any way to a better natured, happier healthier society. Borders keep the peace, and people safe. Why do you think we have walls on our houses, prisons etc? A country is no different.
Also, your comments about Brexit are based almost entirely on spurious claims.
We are not having longer queues in airports, there were the same size queues before Brexit, it’s just a different queue.
Our economy is not shrinking because of Brexit, other economies in the EU including Germany are having a worse time of it than us, so did they leave the EU? The GDP forecasts saying this are always completely wrong and as we’ve found always anti Brexit. Please don’t believe the left wing liberal woke BBC, they don’t represent the majority of people in this country.
Brexit did not happen because of right wing politicians stoking it. You seem to think that everyone was happy with immigration until the nasty pied piper politicians came along and we all fell under their spell. Do you really have so little faith that people actually have minds of their own? People have been getting angrier and angrier for years about the scale of immigration, we just had no one to articulate it for us because everyone was told by Labour Government officials that they were racist to talk about it – THAT is the real skullduggery that happened here, propagated by people on your side of the argument. Politicians like Farage came along and finally articulated what many in our country felt.
The way you talk about Trump is like a typical liberal left winger, you think he’s the evil man doing evil things. May I remind you that it was real people that voted him in! His closing up of the borders is what people wanted. The presidents before him tried your loose borders idea and it has been rejected, hence why the west as a whole is now looking to reverse the immigration mess. Even your beloved EU is now starting to clamp down on this.
Your idea is a deluded fantasy, the semi open borders experiment has been tried and rejected by real people.
Please do not send through any more political messages through.
Your newsletter brought tears to my eyes. Finally, someone who gets it.
Ever since a child I have had this Star Trek dream of a world where humanity comes first and borders serve a functional purpose, but not an identity to be grasped and not something to will lead to bloodshed. I have my roots in what is now, two different countries and have always had trouble responding when people ask me where I am from. Life has taken me to different cities, towns, countries and I have absorbed so much of everything from all these places that I wonder if I need to bind my identity to a single flag.
I love the earth flag. Let’s start flying this and I hope it will create a ripple effect. I have seen too much of the hatred these labels generate, and wouldn’t it be a dream come true if evolution took us from bring prisoners of our identities to a land of higher possibilities. I might live to see the USS Enterprise and the United Federation, actually come to life 🙂
The world isn’t ready for a borderless reality — not because the idea is bad, but because the systems, values, and power structures we have aren’t built to handle it yet.
A borderless world could be beautiful but only after radical shifts in:
– Wealth redistribution
– Environmental stewardship
– Global governance structures
– Cultural respect and protection
– Technological equity
Without addressing those, a borderless world wouldn’t lead to unity — it would lead to chaos, exploitation, and environmental collapse.
It already is a mess as not all are identifying as global citizens, the “us vs them” overpowers “we”.
Much work to be done to unite humanity before inviting everyone to coexist without borders.
This is a wonderful article.Yes borders are needed and not also. It all depends on how human you are ,what you feel for the humanity and how you work to serve the mankind. Also great work you are doing to help humanity,keep up the good work!
Thank you Vishen, you are inspired and inspiring. This is the only way forward.
Cristina
I appreciate your perspective and ask that you consider other ideas on this topic outside of your current opinion. While the idea of a borderless world might seem ideal to some, borders are vital for maintaining the rights and freedoms of citizens, as well as preserving the diversity of political systems. Borders allow people to live under governments that align with their values and preferences. This variety of constitutions enables citizens to make choices that best fit their cultural, religious, and societal beliefs, fostering a range of legal frameworks that promote personal freedom.
Globalism and a one-world government, however, can present serious dangers. Once a singular authority becomes too powerful, it can suppress dissent and eliminate alternatives for governance. History shows that centralizing power often leads to authoritarian regimes, where individual rights are stripped away under the guise of collective good. In such systems, freedom is eroded, as there is no longer an option to escape to a different legal framework. The risk is especially evident in systems that lean towards communism, where power becomes concentrated and the government exercises excessive control over its citizens’ lives.
While cooperation between nations is important, the removal of borders would remove the option for citizens to seek alternative governments that protect their God-given rights and freedoms. Therefore, borders not only safeguard sovereignty but ensure a diversity of governance options, which is essential for maintaining liberty.
People have been fighting to protect “their” areas since time immemorial. Imagine for a minute, if the Indians in the Caribbean (instead of welcoming him with gifts and help), had a secure border when Columbus showed up!
Or, the native Americans in Canada and the USA had a secure border when the Spanish, French and English showed up, or India itself, which spent many years over the centuries fighting wars to preserve kingdoms. I could go on.
You are from the Asian region, you would know the British are no longer around.
The Chinese in Malaysia are (still) very much discriminated against. Japan has no such problems as the only people in Japan are Japanese. South Koreans are much the same.
England and some other “Anglo” countries have two tiered justice systems, so I wouldn’t place too much trust in any “official” crime figures.
Fijians eye Tongans with suspicion. The Maori still have grievances with the whites, the same with the aborigines in Australia.
Worse, new arrivals in those countries lecture both whites and natives about their culture and demand more government handouts. The media highlight the lectures, (for better or worse), creating an alliance between the latter, who in many ways have a shared culture, while hiding the real story, which is governments selling out their countries to foreign powers to keep debt amiable. It all comes back to debt.
I’m in a troubled country called Colombia. It has a population descended from many parts of the world, and on the outside everyone is a happy Colombian but, the natives still resent the “colonisers,” and descendants of slaves. Assassinations of indigenous leaders are frequent.
As a country, it relies too much on imports and not enough on making stuff, hence only 2/3rds of the country is under government control, because the money is not there to provide services to remote areas.
With high unemployment and about 2 million refugees, people look for “other” ways to make money. The police are stretched, so much so, that in January the citizens of one town took matters into their own hands. Over that month 18 criminals died.
In some ways I agree that the bureaucratic oversight is extreme in many countries. But it is what it is, and probably creates more problems as people try and circumvent the rules. But, you need something to protect the existing citizenry, and countries that fail to do this become shells of their former selves.
Back in the 1840’s-1850’s, after the idea of a “Gran Colombia” collapsed, the Conservatives in Colombia leaned toward protectionist policies to foster local industries and reduce reliance on foreign goods. The Liberals favored free trade and imports to stimulate economic growth. This “economic growth” actually undermined Colombian artisans and manufacturers.
It is a problem the country still grapples with today.
But it is nothing new, in the 1600 and 1700’s the Spanish limited what the English, French, Dutch or anyone else could export to Sth.America.
Time moves on and nothing changes. For a lot of the 20th century Venezuela was the 4th richest country in the world due to oil exports. Their problems when the price of oil collapsed (apart from electing Chavez), they had little to fall back on as they imported nearly everything, and had never bothered to develop their agriculture or create a properly functioning industrial base.
Much like Spain in the 16-1700’s when their treasury was flush with gold, they imported or outsourced whatever it was they needed. By the 1800’s Spain could not protect itself, let alone the territories they had across the world.
In the past few decades blind Freddie could see the USA was developing into a joke.
While China and other countries in S.E. Asia, along with Eastern European countries leading the way in technological development, the USA was being eaten alive with businesses leaving for greener pastures. In many cases they didn’t have to go far. Canada and Mexico were laying out welcome mats and sucking lemons to take the smiles off their faces.
They say in life you get what you pay for. It is also true you get who you vote for.
Americans aren’t stupid, they’ve seen their jobs move to other countries. They know the government needs money to meet its bills and debt repayments.
They know if a company moves to the US employment opportunities increase.
They know it will come at a cost, but with tax cuts they get help to ride out the rough period.
At the end of the day the choice was simple, deteriorate on struggle street, or take a chance for a better life.
This is much better – I was worried that you’d become hypnotised by Trump as so many people have. I’m very glad that you haven’t.
I love the concept of the Earth flag, though I think the design could be better. Blue and white is a little boring. The idea of no borders is interesting: there have only been borders for a few hundred years and I agree that most of the time we don’t need them.
However. It’s a fact that it doesn’t take two people to make a fight, it only takes one. Nobody wanted WWII – except Hitler. It took six years to deal with him and caused enormous horrible devastation and death all over the world.
If we lived in a world where there was no war, we wouldn’t ever need borders. Unfortunately we don’t.
This is all BRULES and YOU know it !!!!!!
This is what my 11yr old daughter had said in response to your article:
You have no idea how much that phrase (borderless world) annoyed me, there would be no culture in the world, no traditions, no religions and no fashion culture, everything would be the same and with no borders who knows how many killers or rapists would be entering our countries, we would probably be dead in seconds, stop spreading this kind of information because you are going to brainwash some stupid people into doing some really illegal things. Back off from London little bro, that’s my home! 🤷♀️
She obviously has more sense than you, Vishen!
Additionally, the reason why Dubai lets you into their country in 2 days is because once you’re there you are heavily monitored, if you steal they’ll cut your hand off and similar. It’s different for America, it is a massive place, they should have given you 838 pages to fill !!
You do not live in the real world. You’re rich and privileged and thus feel entitled to move around the world when and as and how you wish…if it’s too laborious for you applying for residencies why don’t you just have your butler or PA do it?
Your motives are selfish and you don’t care about the implications this kind of world would have on individuals. Out of all people I thought you’d have more intelligence than to advocate a globalist world .. can you imagine how controlled the citizens of that world would have to be? Is that the world you want for your/our kids? You would basically take away their freedom.
If Dubai is now your home, wouldn’t it make sense for your daughter to go to school in (according to you) their excellent country?
You’re bashing England but our schools are good for you? They are exceptional, I must say.
And poverty, you have completely turned a blind eye. Why don’t you use your money to educate yourself and travel to DRC for example, even better, donate some of that cash to them. They are heartbreakingly poor.
Here’s what google says about your native India:
“Yes, poverty remains a significant issue in parts of India, with millions living below the poverty line, facing challenges in areas like nutrition, sanitation, housing, and access to clean water and electricity. “
Nuff said.
Lastly, some really clever people (unlike you) have left you comments here, I hope you’re going to read them all and take heed.
This serves as a great opportunity for all the intelligent people to unsubscribe from your platform, many of them already have.
I have already done it years ago as I have realised that you are quite shallow even back then, but you have emailed me out of the blue with your nonsense article.
Listen to an 11yr old, get your facts straight and get out of your elitist money driven frame of mind, that will be your greatest contribution to our world.
I saw this in my email and the title intrigued me. So I opened it and started reading. I read maybe two paragraphs and the line that enrages me was borders are bs. Really? Why have doors on our homes. Close windows. Pay mortgages. Rent. Why not open our front doors and allow anyone in. Basically that’s what you are saying. When my sick son has to wait weeks to get in to see a doctor because our healthcare system that I pay hundreds a month to access is being inundated with people who crossed a bordered ILLEGALLY and are not paying for anything. Please get a grip. I am so livid I can’t even get my thoughts straight. Your article is BS. Borders are a matter of life and death. You are living in a dream world. Sure, if there was no reality your world sounds blissful. Tell it to the Christian’s that are being slaughtered in Syria and the Congo. Wake up and get real!
It is not all one. Your website has a border of $99 a year, and set to get higher. This is like a tarrif on the world 🙂
Only love can save the world !
A beautiful concept Vishen. I hope the world can evolve towards that!
Thank you for sharing these highly interesting thoughts. I shared them with family and friends!
Very interesting and insightful perspective. I am not in agreement that Dubai is a good example of that prototype. Your criteria seem too limited and superficial – Crime, Cultrual erosion, Economy? That’s it? What about ‘Freedom for All’? There are certain freedoms that are not afforded to all in Dubai – e.g. LGBTQ community.
That said, I applaud your bravery in presenting something useful to think about.
I have always liked Mindvalley because it is a platform free of politics. And now this? I am very disappointed. An ivory-tower-point-of-view hallucination based on a few selected facts, ignoring countless others, perhaps the whole current reality itself. It is good to have dreams, but I wish this platform was not the place for this propaganda.
I got this article in my email and this might have been one of the best newsletters I’ve got. In these chaotic and rather dark days of the world, your words (and presented facts) felt like fresh air. This article gave me the vibe of the book Humankind. The world and even the huma species is not that bad. And get better. It’s been hard to hold on to this thought lately. Thank you.
Vishen, super! I support and believe that your words and message will reach the largest possible number of open people who wish good for the planet and humanity as a whole!
Greetings from Russia )