It's a beautiful world.

Humans are 95 percent similar. We're all composed of the same parts. We have the same organs, the same emotions, the same general abilities. We are hardly as unique as we think we are. Black, white, Asian, Dominican, rich, poor, stuck-up, humble. That five percent difference accounts for practically nothing, yet somehow that's where we place all the emphasis. That five percent difference is why people are racist, why there are hair salons specifically for black women, why Asians have narrow eyes, why my last name wreaks of bratwurst. That five percent difference is what breeds the bulk of the hatred infesting the world.

This morning on the subway, a homeless man started his schpiel about how he was hungry and all he wanted was some change for a coffee or warm sandwich. I hear this story at least once a day. My heart is mostly hardened to it. I kept my eyes in my book (The Book of Mormon, ironically) and casually glanced at those better than I who gave him some change, a dollar, anything. We passed 50th, arrived at 42nd Times Square. The homeless man turned to a yuppie white guy, garbed in Lands End, and asked, "This is Times Square right?" Yuppie guy ignored the homeless man. He repeated, "Is this Times Square?"

Yuppie man knew full well that homeless guy was talking to him, yet he still straight up ignored him. Yuppie guy turned to leave, still fully avoiding homeless guy, and homeless guy yells, "F*** you, man." It was the only fitting thing to say, I suppose, and it was deserved.

It's that darn five percent.