The current condition of the United States of America is not perfect. It is no utopia free from struggle, class inequality, poverty, crime, etc., etc. As US citizens, we wake up every morning and do what we can to survive; if we are lucky, we may even seek to better ourselves. For those among us who strive to better the lives of our fellows, I say Thank You. I'm sure that sentiment is not expressed nearly as often as it should.
There is no shortage of people in the US who believe conspiracy runs rapant in politics - the authorities wield their power like tyrants who wish for nothing more than to stifle the masses and prevent any deviation from the status quo. The wealthy seek to hoard all resources and force the common rabble to fight over the scraps. They ensure that there is no opportunity for a neo-Spartacus...
On that note, one cannot consider present-day America without drawing the obvious parallel to that notorious experiment known as The Roman Empire. Did citizens dwelling within Rome realize that a couple thousand years in the future, history students the world over would view their system as an example of what not to do? Wait a minute - I shouldn't say students. After all, I do not speak for everyone. I only speak on behalf of any person who believes slavery is heinous and deplorable. My view on that particular subject is in fact a product of my geographic location. In a wonderfully idealized way, the writers of the United States' governing documents pushed this notion that every person had an inalienable right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." What an incredible concept- it is incredible to think that people actually had to write that down as if it wasn't a natural way to think about the state of living as a human. I cannot think of anything more natural than to live and find joy in life, and to promote the well-being of others so that all may find the beauty that exists in simply living. Talk about idealism. Even as I write these words that seek to promote peace and good among all people, there is inevitably someone in the world who is plotting a way to destroy life and bring pain and suffering to others. What a place Earth is. Sociologists probably have endless theories of why this dichotomy exists, but I suppose it is not worth getting too worked up over it.
Back to the topic at hand- how anyone could imagine slavery being a natural order is beyond me. Reading Strayer's account of slavery through the ages is depressing and tragic. To think the institution of slavery has become interwoven with the fabric of humanity is a shame on our species. I cannot help but wonder what the world would look like today if everyone naturally rejected the notion of enslaving other humans. Imagine over the course of millennia how many potential innovators or great thinkers were engulfed by the suffocating evil of slavery.
America was partially built on the backs of slavery. I consider myself lucky to live in an era where I can look back to the early dark days of this country and realize that slavery is a horrific institution that was rightfully abolished. Slavery still exists in some unenlightened places in the world, and that is an ongoing tragedy. Humankind is much better off on the whole than the way things were only several hundred years ago. Where can we go from here? As always since the dawn of "civilization," the people have the power to live right and justly. However, the masses always have found themselves in need of guidance and government- the key to providing good life and opportunity for all lies within the chosen leadership. In those brutal, class-based societies in classical India, China or Rome, the leaders seemed to exercise control over the people that seems unreal. No government should ever be allowed to get that all-powerful. It's up to the people to ensure that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is not infringed upon.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Comments on classmates' Blogs:
On Courtney A.'s Blog: I see a good overview of what is going on in the chapters, and how those events relate to one another. I believe there could be some more analysis and personal reflection, however- I understand that one of the aspects of blogging for the class is supposed to be personal thoughts/reflections, and maybe expanding on the textbook material into more creative subjects. This kind of personal touch might not be very comfortable for everyone as not everybody wants to put personal stuff on the internet. But the personal thoughts don't have to be extremely controversial or slanderous- just something to allow the reader to ponder what the blogger might be thinking/feeling as she or he reads the material. That's the stuff which makes for entertaining reading...
On Bianca L.'s Blog: The post I read from Jordanlee's blog gave a good look at the train of thought going from our modern way of living back to the paleolithic way of gathering/hunting. Although the seed was planted for an in-depth comparison of the two methods of survival, the post stopped short of giving more of the author's thoughts and opinions on the subject. The most interesting and fascinating reading arises from the author who is willing to give themselves up to the reader- I do not mean to say that every last detail and opinion must be expressed (after all, some might be too controversial or inappropriate to share!) but something should be given up to give the reader a sense of feeling or emotion. Comparing prehistoric life and modern life is a great way to express one's feelings on the current state of the human experience.
On Jordanlee C.'s Blog: Very interesting to compare modern US with some of the ancient civilizations we have been studying- So many times people in the US believe that the system of government in use is a stand-alone and nothing can be added or removed, but there is room for reconsideration. This is the kind of thought process that can be expanded upon greatly; books are written on subjects such as this. When blogging about such a topic, the author may feel uncomfortable when expressing opinions about such controversy, but the thoughts and opinions are the real meat of the discussion. By giving this extra dimension to the discussion, any educated person will read it and reflect on their own opinions and thoughts- only the uneducated would use someone's thoughts and opinions as a threat to some long-standing tradition or institution.
On Rachel O.'s Blog: This is the kind of blog that grabs a reader's attention and presents creative thoughts and material. By adding that personal touch, I as the reader feel a better connection to the blog because it stirs my imagination- I was glad to read that Rachel had pondered the existence of other culture and artifacts on the Greek peninsula. That is the kind of thinking that leads one to wonder about the material; upon doing that, the material becomes more than just words on paper. It becomes real; an actual world that is lost to winds of change. But the remains are still out there, waiting to be discovered.
On Ben G.'s Blog: The philosophical questions raised in this blog really work over the mind- Was it all simply destiny? Was Man's pursuit of ultimate power a conscious decision? Did the rise of human civilization spell the end Man's connection with the natural world? As one can immediately realize, when a blog goes on this kind of philosophical journey, there tends to be no end to the questions one can ask. What is in far fewer supply is real, undeniable answers. But that is the wondrous thing about philosophy- the answers are not right or wrong; the only answers that matter are the ones that bring the individual and sense or peace and comfort. When no answer brings peace nor comfort, the individual is in a bad place- although one does not need to answer all of life's mysteries wrapped up in a neat bow, there must be a feeling of ease. When a person or peoples is/are uneasy, the outcome tends to be tragic...
On Courtney A.'s Blog: I see a good overview of what is going on in the chapters, and how those events relate to one another. I believe there could be some more analysis and personal reflection, however- I understand that one of the aspects of blogging for the class is supposed to be personal thoughts/reflections, and maybe expanding on the textbook material into more creative subjects. This kind of personal touch might not be very comfortable for everyone as not everybody wants to put personal stuff on the internet. But the personal thoughts don't have to be extremely controversial or slanderous- just something to allow the reader to ponder what the blogger might be thinking/feeling as she or he reads the material. That's the stuff which makes for entertaining reading...
On Bianca L.'s Blog: The post I read from Jordanlee's blog gave a good look at the train of thought going from our modern way of living back to the paleolithic way of gathering/hunting. Although the seed was planted for an in-depth comparison of the two methods of survival, the post stopped short of giving more of the author's thoughts and opinions on the subject. The most interesting and fascinating reading arises from the author who is willing to give themselves up to the reader- I do not mean to say that every last detail and opinion must be expressed (after all, some might be too controversial or inappropriate to share!) but something should be given up to give the reader a sense of feeling or emotion. Comparing prehistoric life and modern life is a great way to express one's feelings on the current state of the human experience.
On Jordanlee C.'s Blog: Very interesting to compare modern US with some of the ancient civilizations we have been studying- So many times people in the US believe that the system of government in use is a stand-alone and nothing can be added or removed, but there is room for reconsideration. This is the kind of thought process that can be expanded upon greatly; books are written on subjects such as this. When blogging about such a topic, the author may feel uncomfortable when expressing opinions about such controversy, but the thoughts and opinions are the real meat of the discussion. By giving this extra dimension to the discussion, any educated person will read it and reflect on their own opinions and thoughts- only the uneducated would use someone's thoughts and opinions as a threat to some long-standing tradition or institution.
On Rachel O.'s Blog: This is the kind of blog that grabs a reader's attention and presents creative thoughts and material. By adding that personal touch, I as the reader feel a better connection to the blog because it stirs my imagination- I was glad to read that Rachel had pondered the existence of other culture and artifacts on the Greek peninsula. That is the kind of thinking that leads one to wonder about the material; upon doing that, the material becomes more than just words on paper. It becomes real; an actual world that is lost to winds of change. But the remains are still out there, waiting to be discovered.
On Ben G.'s Blog: The philosophical questions raised in this blog really work over the mind- Was it all simply destiny? Was Man's pursuit of ultimate power a conscious decision? Did the rise of human civilization spell the end Man's connection with the natural world? As one can immediately realize, when a blog goes on this kind of philosophical journey, there tends to be no end to the questions one can ask. What is in far fewer supply is real, undeniable answers. But that is the wondrous thing about philosophy- the answers are not right or wrong; the only answers that matter are the ones that bring the individual and sense or peace and comfort. When no answer brings peace nor comfort, the individual is in a bad place- although one does not need to answer all of life's mysteries wrapped up in a neat bow, there must be a feeling of ease. When a person or peoples is/are uneasy, the outcome tends to be tragic...
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Herodotus - Hail to the Home Team!
On one hand, the bias towards the cause of the Greeks as they battled the vast Persian army is obvious in the piece. But after reading Herodotus' passage about the valient stand made by the Greeks at Thermopylae, something occured to me - this is a story of defense of a homeland. In all of human history, defense of the homeland is always a stirring tale of heroics and noble sacrifice. In turn, I realised something else - there is no honor to be gained from bloody expansionism. Conquerors are greedy, blood-thirsty, and without human decency. So many times in history, the odds are against the defenders of the homeland. When the defenders are victorious, good has truly conquered evil.
When has a conquering power actually done something good for the people that have been crushed? I challenge the reader to name an instance of a conquered people being better off afterwards. When a people is beaten down, enslaved, and robbed of their home, it is more than just a loss of physical property or health - the very spirit of the people is destroyed. Here we are, several thousand years after the events of Thermopylae, and the story still inspires feelings of pride for the Greeks. If the early European colonists of the Americas had been soundly beaten back by the native people, we would probably not be here, but songs of praise would be sung in the present day about the bravery of the native defenders. Instead, the spirit of Native Americans has been virtually destroyed, with the current situation consisting of run-down reservations and gaming casinos that fail to give much back to their communities.
In the end, that kind of sentiment does not really get us anywhere. The strong defeat the weak and that is all there is to it. Amazingly, one would think that the huge army of Persia would have easily crushed the small company of Greeks. But as it was written by Herodotus, "[Xerxes] had plenty of combatants ... but very few warriors." That statement proves how a huge onslaught of untrained, unorganized army cannot count on the strength of shear numbers. In the same fashion, tactics play a huge role. The Greeks utilized tactics and the knowledge of the terrain to give themselves the advantage. It reminded me of how the American revolutionists used "guerilla warfare" and sniping British officers from hiddden positions in trees to give themselves the upper hand. Although the lasting legacy of the experiment known as the United States will be argued for all of human history, there is no doubt that the actions of the revolutionists are a source of pride for millions of people.
On one hand, the bias towards the cause of the Greeks as they battled the vast Persian army is obvious in the piece. But after reading Herodotus' passage about the valient stand made by the Greeks at Thermopylae, something occured to me - this is a story of defense of a homeland. In all of human history, defense of the homeland is always a stirring tale of heroics and noble sacrifice. In turn, I realised something else - there is no honor to be gained from bloody expansionism. Conquerors are greedy, blood-thirsty, and without human decency. So many times in history, the odds are against the defenders of the homeland. When the defenders are victorious, good has truly conquered evil.
When has a conquering power actually done something good for the people that have been crushed? I challenge the reader to name an instance of a conquered people being better off afterwards. When a people is beaten down, enslaved, and robbed of their home, it is more than just a loss of physical property or health - the very spirit of the people is destroyed. Here we are, several thousand years after the events of Thermopylae, and the story still inspires feelings of pride for the Greeks. If the early European colonists of the Americas had been soundly beaten back by the native people, we would probably not be here, but songs of praise would be sung in the present day about the bravery of the native defenders. Instead, the spirit of Native Americans has been virtually destroyed, with the current situation consisting of run-down reservations and gaming casinos that fail to give much back to their communities.
In the end, that kind of sentiment does not really get us anywhere. The strong defeat the weak and that is all there is to it. Amazingly, one would think that the huge army of Persia would have easily crushed the small company of Greeks. But as it was written by Herodotus, "[Xerxes] had plenty of combatants ... but very few warriors." That statement proves how a huge onslaught of untrained, unorganized army cannot count on the strength of shear numbers. In the same fashion, tactics play a huge role. The Greeks utilized tactics and the knowledge of the terrain to give themselves the advantage. It reminded me of how the American revolutionists used "guerilla warfare" and sniping British officers from hiddden positions in trees to give themselves the upper hand. Although the lasting legacy of the experiment known as the United States will be argued for all of human history, there is no doubt that the actions of the revolutionists are a source of pride for millions of people.
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