Philosophers, poets and even some rockers have this penchant for probing what makes us human. Is it a soul? A gene pool? An evolutionary set of predispositions? A Freudian complexity of repressions? What?
The number of choices -- in either prose, poetry or guitars -- can all probably be reduced down to one. Not that this is the only one; but it is the one where everything else starts: Pride....! That foundational instinct for survival and supremacy that whirs like a little engine in all of us from the moment of our risky birth.
To understand human pride is to understand the history of the world. Perhaps in just 3 easy chapters.
Pride often goes under other names. Confidence...self-reliance...ambition....courage....and today's hot ticket: be-all-you-can-be. Whatever, pride helps explain why CEOs will sell their grandmother to beat the other guys, athletes will kill to win, criminals are devoted to beating the system, the system is devoted to beating the people, generals see no substitute for victory, and nations fight to be first.
* It all started in Eden where Genesis reports humanity's pride just couldn't resist playing God. Thus the infamous Apple. We are told that as a consequence, humanity "fell from grace" and has been stuck with our flawed and painful human nature ever since.
*Several eons later came Coca Cola, the enormously popular American soft drink which by the 20th C had become number one in the world. But when number two, Pepsi-Cola, was for sale, corporate pride in Atlanta headquarters scoffed. Today Coke has to share market with the competition they could have bought out.
* Iraq was invaded by President Bush for a dozen different reasons, starting with the elusive WMD Dick Cheney still knows were there. But when Bush said, from his gut, "Bring 'em on!" his pride and bravado spoke for most of the American people's pride and bravado. But, once again, pride came before the fall. And as we fell into aimless bloodshed, we have learned only to do it all again in Afghanistan.
See, what did I say...? The history of the world in 3 easy chapters on human pride. What, one wonders, will be the epilogue to these chapters.
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America has fallen into the same trap that other Empires did in the past. The Old British Empire is an example. Not many years ago, if you looked at a World Map, you would see it coloured in red to show areas under British Control, and there were not many areas not this colour. Now, if you also look at the size of Britain, say against the size of the USA, it makes you think.
ReplyDeleteHow did such a little Nation manage to control most of the World, and also make 'English' the International Language ?
It was not all done by being nice, in fact some of the things carried out by Britain, makes your blood run cold. However, outside that, there were many good things done by the British, because as a rule, they used good and experienced men to rule for them. Men who gave their lives for their Country, and tried to do what was best for the Country under their control, and though this was always with British interests first, and then for the Foreign Country as well. But, it worked...for a while.
But after a while, the people of these other Countries either 'thought' of themselves as being 'British' and Britain was their 'Mother' Country, and tried to 'live' in Britain, or, wanted their own Country back, which the British could not understand. "After all the nice things we gave them ?" was the cry.
Britain, in India's case [the Jewel of the British Crown], gave them Hospitals, clean water, food, a Government [under British Control, a transport system [railways] which was one of the best in the World, as well as the Rule of Law.
But Britain forgot the most important thing, 'Freedom', which the ordinary people, as well as those in Power [again under British Control] they all wanted. True Power, to run their own Countries..yes, using the systems introduced by the British, but with Indian idea's, which were not always the same as the original British idea's.
So Britain had to leave. But this was not because they wanted too, but because they could no longer afford to run another Country, and anyway, the rest of the World was growing up, and other Countries of the World no longer supported an Empire run by one Country. So the British Empire died out, but was replaced by other Empires, such as the Old USSR, or the USA.
In time, the USSR aloso died out, leaving the USA more or less as the only World Power, outside China, which was also thinking of becoming a World Power. But it was no longer so easy to become a World Power anymore, as Countries had the Atomic Bomb, and would use it if ordinary methods of invasion, or trade, did not work.
So, now the USA finds itself as the Worlds Policeman. But, this costs money...a lot of it, and energy, and that it getting in short supply. And, the USA has found that these other Countries, such as the old USSR, [now Russia], China, the Middle East, and other Nations have the Energy supplies, which gives them, Power, and money...lots of it. In some ways more than the USA has anymore, but they are unable to get away from their thinking of being the 'Worlds Policeman'. In time, the USA will join all the other Empires, and have no option but to do the same as the old British Empire, and no longer 'think' of itself as the leading Nation, but a 'partner', and try to keep its friends by allowing them to have the same 'say' about things, as they used to enjoy.
Then, and only Then, will there be true World Peace..but don't hold your breath!