How Did Russia Become The Evil Empire And Is China next
-
- Posts: 630
- Joined: October 22nd, 2020, 2:22 am
- Favorite Philosopher: Alfred North Whitehead
- Location: canada
Re: How Did Russia Become The Evil Empire And Is China next
I am sold! Quoting the old Bush, "The world is just going to have to get use to it, what we say goes." The United States surely lost its humanity in Vietnam.
-
- Posts: 3072
- Joined: November 26th, 2011, 8:10 pm
- Favorite Philosopher: Terry Pratchett
Re: How Did Russia Become The Evil Empire And Is China next
Which humanity? The one that "relocated" the surviving Native Americans, the one that burned witches or the one that imported Africans kidnap victims and starving Irish children to do all its work?popeye1945 wrote: ↑May 12th, 2021, 9:50 am I am sold! Quoting the old Bush, "The world is just going to have to get use to it, what we say goes." The United States surely lost its humanity in Vietnam.
-
- Posts: 630
- Joined: October 22nd, 2020, 2:22 am
- Favorite Philosopher: Alfred North Whitehead
- Location: canada
Re: How Did Russia Become The Evil Empire And Is China next
Humanity as to what defines it, an utter lack of compassion is not part of the definition. Oh, maybe I've got you wrong here, are you saying America never had any humanity? Yes, its got a bloody history to those who weren't white.
-
- Posts: 3072
- Joined: November 26th, 2011, 8:10 pm
- Favorite Philosopher: Terry Pratchett
Re: How Did Russia Become The Evil Empire And Is China next
And also those who were.
All nations have bloody histories, and for all the same reason: they were populated by humans.
All nations have bloody histories, and for all the same reason: they were populated by humans.
Those who can induce you to believe absurdities can induce you to commit atrocities. - Voltaire
-
- Posts: 630
- Joined: October 22nd, 2020, 2:22 am
- Favorite Philosopher: Alfred North Whitehead
- Location: canada
Re: How Did Russia Become The Evil Empire And Is China next
Hi Alias,
"History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awaken." James Joyce What has made history such a blood bath is largely the white man's sense of superiority and his belief in his righteous colonialism. To him the world was full of ****** to oppress and/or save generally simultaneously, something that tragically cannot be undone.
"History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awaken." James Joyce What has made history such a blood bath is largely the white man's sense of superiority and his belief in his righteous colonialism. To him the world was full of ****** to oppress and/or save generally simultaneously, something that tragically cannot be undone.
-
- Posts: 3072
- Joined: November 26th, 2011, 8:10 pm
- Favorite Philosopher: Terry Pratchett
Re: How Did Russia Become The Evil Empire And Is China next
Nah! Hominids of every conceivable shade and hue have been killing one another, raiding one another's settlements, stealing one another's crops, goods, livestock and daughters, occupying one another's land and attempting to dominate one another since long before they were even human. We can negate nature when it's in our interest to do so - as in inventing vaccines and synthesizing food - but invoke nature when that serves our interest - as in justifying carnivorous diets and excusing aggression. We're far too clever, selfish, duplicitous and self-deluding for our own welfare - very possibly for our own long-term survival.popeye1945 wrote: ↑May 19th, 2021, 4:56 pm Hi Alias,
"History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awaken." James Joyce What has made history such a blood bath is largely the white man's sense of superiority and his belief in his righteous colonialism. To him the world was full of ****** to oppress and/or save generally simultaneously, something that tragically cannot be undone.
-
- Posts: 630
- Joined: October 22nd, 2020, 2:22 am
- Favorite Philosopher: Alfred North Whitehead
- Location: canada
Re: How Did Russia Become The Evil Empire And Is China next
Hi Alias,
Yes your right of course, there has always been bloodshed for the baser aspects of our natures. I guess all that can be said is that nineteenth and twentieth-century colonialism has been the vehicle upon which a monstrous amount of bloodshed and oppression has self-righteously been enacted upon the weaker. A form of slavery really, much more profitable than kidnapping and forced labour in ones own country.
Yes your right of course, there has always been bloodshed for the baser aspects of our natures. I guess all that can be said is that nineteenth and twentieth-century colonialism has been the vehicle upon which a monstrous amount of bloodshed and oppression has self-righteously been enacted upon the weaker. A form of slavery really, much more profitable than kidnapping and forced labour in ones own country.
-
- Posts: 3072
- Joined: November 26th, 2011, 8:10 pm
- Favorite Philosopher: Terry Pratchett
Re: How Did Russia Become The Evil Empire And Is China next
More people, more aggression, bigger empires, bigger wars.
Those who can induce you to believe absurdities can induce you to commit atrocities. - Voltaire
- Pattern-chaser
- Posts: 4684
- Joined: September 22nd, 2019, 5:17 am
- Favorite Philosopher: Cratylus
- Location: England
Re: How Did Russia Become The Evil Empire And Is China next
I think it would be very easy to make the argument that "an utter lack of compassion" is central to the definition of humanity.popeye1945 wrote: ↑May 12th, 2021, 11:17 am Humanity as to what defines it, an utter lack of compassion is not part of the definition.
Pattern-chaser
"Who cares, wins"
"Who cares, wins"
-
- Posts: 3072
- Joined: November 26th, 2011, 8:10 pm
- Favorite Philosopher: Terry Pratchett
Re: How Did Russia Become The Evil Empire And Is China next
We're quite good at compassion, pity, empathy, caring, generosity and altruism individually. We're equipped with mirror-neurons that allow each of us - well, most of us - to identify with the plight of another consciousness like our own, whether of another tribe, or even of different species.
What happens in large groups [mobs, rallies, platoons] is that all the mirror neurons fire off at the sight our next-of-kin, comerade, compatriot, shop steward, captain, party leader, king or whatever, and we reflect one another's anger, fear and hate. That overwhelming emotion shuts out every other impulse... until it's passed off and we see the damage.
Then we may be remorseful, guilty and ashamed, which feels very bad. In order to suppress that very bad feeling, we rationalize as how the damage we did was the victim's fault. Thus, we can never forgive those we have wronged.
What happens in large groups [mobs, rallies, platoons] is that all the mirror neurons fire off at the sight our next-of-kin, comerade, compatriot, shop steward, captain, party leader, king or whatever, and we reflect one another's anger, fear and hate. That overwhelming emotion shuts out every other impulse... until it's passed off and we see the damage.
Then we may be remorseful, guilty and ashamed, which feels very bad. In order to suppress that very bad feeling, we rationalize as how the damage we did was the victim's fault. Thus, we can never forgive those we have wronged.
- Sculptor1
- Posts: 5102
- Joined: May 16th, 2019, 5:35 am
- Sculptor1
- Posts: 5102
- Joined: May 16th, 2019, 5:35 am
Re: How Did Russia Become The Evil Empire And Is China next
If conflict is natural to humans, then so too is compassion and cooperation, since we have been copoerating and showing compassion since before we were humans too.Alias wrote: ↑May 19th, 2021, 8:29 pmNah! Hominids of every conceivable shade and hue have been killing one another, raiding one another's settlements, stealing one another's crops, goods, livestock and daughters, occupying one another's land and attempting to dominate one another since long before they were even human. We can negate nature when it's in our interest to do so - as in inventing vaccines and synthesizing food - but invoke nature when that serves our interest - as in justifying carnivorous diets and excusing aggression. We're far too clever, selfish, duplicitous and self-deluding for our own welfare - very possibly for our own long-term survival.popeye1945 wrote: ↑May 19th, 2021, 4:56 pm Hi Alias,
"History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awaken." James Joyce What has made history such a blood bath is largely the white man's sense of superiority and his belief in his righteous colonialism. To him the world was full of ****** to oppress and/or save generally simultaneously, something that tragically cannot be undone.
- Pattern-chaser
- Posts: 4684
- Joined: September 22nd, 2019, 5:17 am
- Favorite Philosopher: Cratylus
- Location: England
Re: How Did Russia Become The Evil Empire And Is China next
We are? Empirical and historical observation seems to suggest that the opposite is also true.
Pattern-chaser
"Who cares, wins"
"Who cares, wins"
-
- Posts: 3072
- Joined: November 26th, 2011, 8:10 pm
- Favorite Philosopher: Terry Pratchett
Re: How Did Russia Become The Evil Empire And Is China next
Didn't I say the also part? Sorry!Pattern-chaser wrote: ↑May 20th, 2021, 11:23 amWe are? Empirical and historical observation seems to suggest that the opposite is also true.
-
- Posts: 3072
- Joined: November 26th, 2011, 8:10 pm
- Favorite Philosopher: Terry Pratchett
Re: How Did Russia Become The Evil Empire And Is China next
Scrutinize at leisure, then let me know which parts are factually incorrect, and how it's an inappropriate response to Popeye's preceding statement:
I guess all that can be said is that nineteenth and twentieth-century colonialism has been the vehicle upon which a monstrous amount of bloodshed and oppression has self-righteously been enacted upon the weaker.