The Metaculture: Our Global Culture

Abstract

The low hum of conversation in the crowded Paris airport lounge was broken by the sound of the intercom. The speaker’s voice instructed passengers to make their way to the gate for the Singapore flight. First the announcement was made in English, then in French, and passengers from around the room one by one rose to their feet. One woman with jet-black hair and wearing a smart, gray business suit laughed into her mobile phone. She spoke softly and quickly in Spanish, and then walked purposefully down the lounge hallway toward the gate, already making another call. Another man sat intently looking into his laptop screen, while two younger women next to him talked quietly to one another. From the kiosk a tall man wearing a long, floor-length robe turned around with the newest Financial Times in his hand. He strode quickly down the hallway towards the gate. Out of the corner of the room a young mother struggling with two toddlers adjusted the strap of her child stroller, and then headed down the hall with one child in the stroller, and holding the other’s hand. She passed three teenagers who were completely absorbed in their music, which fortunately was only audible through their headphones.