Travel Weakens The Mind

Every so often I meet someone who will, by way of conversation, speculate as to how much better the world would be if we didn't have things like "countries" and "borders" and "passports", and instead just learned to live in peace as "world citizens", sharing and sharing alike and revelling in our common humanity. If the person has read a book within the preceding two months, they will sometimes speculate further that the fascistic country-border-passport complex to which we are beholden stems from "fear of the Other", and it is then that the temptation is strongest to test their faith in our common humanity by pouring a drink down their shirt.

I am worried that prolonged exposure to the Australian system - now with over nine million visa subclasses! - is going to turn me into one of these people. Please, a slap in the face. Hard enough to bring me to my senses, not hard enough to loosen any teeth.