You know among people who kind of travel a lot and have exposure

The words of Yuri Milner — “You know among people who kind of travel a lot and have exposure to the United States and some other countries, they do have accounts, but you know, Russia is not exactly the place with multiple language skills so local networks kind of have an edge.” — are a window into the meeting point of culture, commerce, and communication. He speaks not only of markets and businesses, but of the deeper truth that the flow of ideas and opportunities is shaped by language, by exposure, and by the bridges between peoples. His reflection reminds us that those who move widely across the world, who learn new tongues, gain access to wider horizons; but where these skills are scarce, it is the local networks that hold sway, shaping the way communities live and connect.

At the heart of this saying is the recognition that travel is not simply movement across land, but an opening of the mind. The one who journeys beyond his borders, who encounters new lands, new ideas, and new voices, becomes more attuned to the global currents. Such a person can bridge cultures, can act in many worlds at once. But where few possess this gift — where language skills are rare — the people turn inward, relying more on what is near, what is local, what they can understand with ease. Thus, the local networks gain strength, becoming the trusted channels of connection.

History gives us many echoes of this truth. In the days of the Silk Road, those merchants who mastered multiple tongues and could cross cultural barriers thrived beyond measure. They were the ones who linked the East and the West, carrying not only silk and spices, but wisdom and invention. Yet in places where such skills were absent, the communities relied on their own merchants, their own storytellers, their own inner circles. Local voices held the greatest power, for they spoke the tongue of the people and understood their customs.

Consider also the Roman Empire. Latin spread as a unifying force, binding provinces under one tongue. Yet even in its vast dominion, where language skills were limited, local dialects and traditions remained strong, preserving their influence long after Rome’s legions departed. The empire itself learned that while conquest may impose a language, the soul of a people is often preserved in its own words and in its local networks. What Milner observes in modern Russia is a reflection of this ancient truth: without widespread mastery of foreign tongues, local platforms rise and dominate, because they belong to the people’s lived reality.

Milner’s insight also speaks to the tension between the global and the local. The United States, and other nations with greater exposure to multiple languages, often produce platforms and networks with global reach. Yet in places less accustomed to travel and linguistic diversity, the people gravitate to what feels native, what does not demand translation. This is not weakness, but the assertion of cultural identity: the affirmation that one’s own networks can stand strong even against global giants.

The lesson for the generations is profound: if you would thrive in a world ever more connected, cultivate the gift of language and the courage of travel. For these open the doors of opportunity, enabling you to walk across borders both physical and cultural. At the same time, honor the power of the local networks — the traditions, the languages, the ways of your own people — for they are the roots that anchor you. The greatest strength lies not in abandoning one for the other, but in weaving both together: to be rooted locally yet open globally.

In practice, let each listener take heed. Learn a new language, even slowly, for every new word is a step into another world. Seek chances to travel, not only for pleasure but for understanding. Build bridges between your own people and those beyond, while also supporting and preserving your own local networks. For in this balance lies wisdom: the ability to move outward like the merchant, and to stand firm inward like the village elder.

Thus Milner’s words, though spoken of markets and media, rise into timeless counsel: that the power of travel, the mastery of language skills, and the strength of local networks shape the way nations and individuals thrive. To ignore them is to remain confined; to embrace them is to open the gates of destiny.