Stories are a great place to start when tackling big themes, says author and speaker Yang-May Ooi. Personal stories resonate with many people and from there universal themes are more easily approached. Audiences love to connect with ideas that have personal meaning and these become a stepping stone to discussions of bigger and more complex issues. Her talk at the GX Philosophy Group on the theme of Belonging is a meaningful example of this process.
Belonging Across Cultures is a Universal Theme
Belonging is a theme that seems to resonate with many people. Whenever I’ve chatted to friends or others about my new project Belonging Across Cultures, interest lights up their faces.
Some have had experiences of feeling that they don’t quite belong because they have moved from one country to another. Others have felt a deep connection to where they and their family have lived for generations. Others are working with refugees or other marginalised groups trying to find their place in the world.
Still more are simply engaged with the current debates in our modern world around migration and differences in cultures, often with their own lived experience of working and living in another country and culture.
An Energizing Afternoon Discussing Belonging
It was among this last group of internationally-minded people that I passed a thought-provoking afternoon a few weeks ago. I was invited by my old friend Fauzia Rahman-Greazley, Director of Studies at the GX Philosophy Group to present a talk on the theme of Belonging for the group.
I have written up my experience of the lively discussions among these deep thinkers at my Belonging Across Cultures project. You can read the full story here…
LINK:https://belongingacrosscultures.uk/2026/02/19/philosophy-belonging/
Some Highlights from the Talk
Here are some highlights to give you a flavour of the issues we talked about …
My personal story of my family’s migration resonated with many people:
“I shared my family history of migration. My family migrated in the late 1800s from China to British Malaya. And many relations migrated again from Malaysia to America, Canada, Australia – and the UK – in the 1970s. All were looking for a better life, prompted to move by flood, famine or political unrest. My parents took a punt and stayed on in Malaysia, which has emerged in recent times as one of the Asian Tiger Economies, evolving from a developing country to a developed one.“
In the discussion, a quiet-spoken man shared a story about his Swiss heritage:
“He sounded totally English but his father had been from Switzerland and although his dad had distanced himself from his European origins, this man felt a pull to mountains and a longing to visit his ancestral land. Were the mountains in his DNA?”
We also grappled with how social media is affecting human relationships:
“There was also a wide-ranging discussion about the impact of digital technology and the internet on causing more isolation and disconnection even while it seems we can be connected 24/7. We pondered whether, as we become more disconnected and globalisation creates a more generic culture, there is a pull towards tribal belonging and identity as people try and assert their uniqueness.”
Bespoke Talks for Your Group
I love the energy and discussions that spark up during live talks. I love giving talks and also learning from participants’ experiences in an exchange of openness and trust.
If your organisation or group may be curious about how the theme of Belonging could engage your teams, do get in touch via the Contact page. I would love to craft a bespoke talk or workshop for your people.
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Photo: screenshot of video from GX Philosophy Group
