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Roots and Definitions
by Trevor Batten The BBC TV programme "Motherland - A Genetic Journey" charted the journey of three black Britons of Caribbean origin, who had their DNA investigated to determine their geographical family origins and trace their genetic roots. A mixed reaction -one, was rather surprised and disappointed to discover his European ancestors, it also turned out that his African ancestors were probably slave traders. Others felt more at home with their discoveries. But how important to an individual are these (hidden) ingredients? http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/2757113.stm A BBC programme on autism concluded with a relative claiming that in the begin she wished for a magic wand that would cure her loved one -later she realized that this was such a fundamental part of their personality that she no longer wished for a cure and was happy with both parties learning to live with the situation. http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/autism.shtml http://newssearch.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/results.pl?scope=programmesifs&tab=programm\ es&q=autism&x=8&y=8 Similar sentiments have also been expressed by burn victims who have suffered severe disfigurement. http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/humanface/beauty_introandlinks.shtml So how much does being an American, a Bangladeshi a Digger or a Pom -even an Architect, a Lawyer, Writer or Tramp -perhaps being Autistic, Spastic or Left-Handed contribute to, extend -or even define, ones existence as a human being? Are the labels tools to increase understanding or camouflage to hide behind? Bourgeois culture believes in self-improvement. This implies dissatisfaction with the present and a hope for the future. It is a breeding ground for an implied dissatisfaction with self and surroundings -a neurotic drive to improve things -and one that can only be solved through the purchasing of commercial products. So do we exist to consume -or consume to exist? Perhaps "American" (commercial) values are fundamentally incompatible with, and destructive of, "human" values. Apparently, one common characteristic of the wide spectrum of disorders known as "autism" is that those involved have difficulty recognizing (and making contact with) other people as human beings. Perhaps it is time that the current economic, political and military crisis was used as an opportunity to radically examine our own social, cultural and economic values. Perhaps we can exploit the current situation -not as an excuse to oppress others -but as a chance to liberate ourselves! by Sophia Barkat Re: Trevor's post - roots and definitions - self and wealth I remember as early as the age of three my father asking me, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I had no clue at the time what he meant, and laugh even know when I think he had asked a 3 yr. old child that question. But, that's society for you. There is an inherent race amongst humans to accomplish themselves over and above their siblings, neighbors, classmates, colleagues. "Do you have an American car? How about a house?" is often the question hurled at me. Things define people. Accomplishments make one feel loved and respected. It's how we humans have treated each other since the beginning of time. In the midst of it all, we are always reminded of how alone we are and will be on some level irrespective of friends, family and all those trappings of life that make us forget of our selves. It is out of this being alone which sometimes gets mistaken for loneliness that I think that people often stay with what makes them more loved. God only knows how many marriages are held together by the fear of being alone. How many families put up with each other despite deep irreconcilable differences... And friends....the closer we get to them the more they know of all our little peculiarities - our annoying quirks. So we create some distance only to fall back into society when it gets too close. I think it is during this continuous reassessment of our relationships with the world that we find something about us. http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/humanface/beauty_introandlinks.shtml Trevor wrote: "So how much does being an American, a Bangladeshi a Digger or a Pom -even an Architect, a Lawyer, Writer or Tramp -perhaps being Autistic, Spastic or Left Haanded contribute to, extend -or even define, ones existence as a human being? Are the labels tools to increase understanding -or camouflage to hide behind?" Hide behind, amuse oneself, depress oneself...? Trevor wrote: "Bourgeois culture believes in self-improvement. This implies dissatisfaction with the present and a hope for the future. It is a breeding ground for an implied dissatisfaction with self and surroundings -a neurotic drive to improve things -and one that can only be solved through the purchasing of commercial products." All culture must be bourgeois then. Buddhists talk about self-improvement, too, as do every other religion. Clergy can be more fanatic about self-improvement. However, you are right about the fact that bourgeois culture pushes the "survival of the fittest" dogma and pushes people into the search of some form of accomplishment. Whether lack of accomplishments lead to depression depends on what is considered an accomplishment. Some people tend to have fewer needs. You couldn't for e.g., make me unhappy by telling me that I won't win the Miss World Contest anytime soon. :-) But try it on a contestant and see what happens...LOL I don't think it's a neurotic drive to improve things that comes out of a bourgeois culture. We are bourgeois. At some point we discovered the utility of tools and we want them. I don't find anything wrong with inventing tools to make my life easy. I do have a problem when things or culture or society or some other externality starts to define me to such a point that I can't enjoy myself. However, having said so, emotions come and go. If someone told me I was the descendant of some slave trader, I suppose I would be disappointed - maybe frown once or twice - and then make fun of my ancestor as I do of peculiar persona in my family anyway. It would be something to laugh about, and to get annoyed about when someone teased me about it. But things move on. Perhaps, I too could bury that skeleton in the closet for a while and get a hobby. Trevore wrote: "So do we exist to consume -or consume to exist? Perhaps "American" (commercial) values are fundamentally incompatible with, and destructive of, "human" values." Considering Clergy/"the pious" are more fanatic about self-improvement, and they don't profess consumption, I can't say consumption and self-improvement are related. However, self-improvement is a kind of consumption. The ego gets bigger. Awareness of the world gets smaller. I've been there...It's boring. We certainly need some amount of food, clothing, shelter, fuel, and even some weekly entertainment perks to make us happy and alive - esp. in the case the people around us are miserable. I hate to live for the new house I am buying or the new car etc or the new face lift... However, considering how much we have puts us in a pedestal in the social circles we move in, having things and thus consuming is a source of happiness. Not to say that poor people don't have friends, but they don't have rich friends. Their friends have the same needs in this world and treat each other as equals. Trevor wrote: "Apparently, one common characteristic of the wide spectrum of disorders known as "autism" is that those involved have difficulty recognizing (and making contact with) other people as human beings. Perhaps it is time that the current economic, political and military crisis was used as an opportunity to radically examine our own social, cultural and economic values. Perhaps we can exploit the current situation -not as an excuse to oppress others -but as a chance to liberate ourselves!" Hmmm....but the people who can bomb others for Oil move in their little circles of power. They get shunned for their "lack of accomplishments" - the values they have agreed to represent them. Bush et all believe in that they are making America better by bullying other nations around. It's how they define their happiness. More haves for this little group of cavemen. Not everyone in the world can live by this belief system. For one, to live for more oil, more money, is boring. It puts two more cars in the garage and two more brats in expensive colleges, but how does it enrich me? Perhaps "me" is not a sum total of "My mind/heart, my things, my family, my friends, my enemies, my things....my things....my things....?" Then again, what is me? The mind? My greed, my anger, my creativity, my wants...my wants...my wants....? by Trevor Batten Re: Sophia's post "Sophia Barkat" <quietpoly@yahoo.com> wrote: "I remember as early as the age of three my father asking me, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Yes, I don't think I ever managed to answer that one either. Sophia wrote: "I had no clue at the time what he meant, and laugh even know when I think he had asked a 3 yr. old child that question. But, that's society for you. There is an inherent race amongst humans to accomplish themselves over and above their siblings, neighbors, classmates, colleagues." Yes, I sure that kids get really screwed up at school. Once inside, they seem to loose all their individuality. Sophia wrote: "Do you have an American car? How about a house?" is often the question hurled at me. Things define people. Accomplishments make one feel loved and respected. It's how we humans have treated each other since the beginning of time." Not quite true. Different groups of people do seem to have different ways of mixing socially -some societies are more supportive, or aggressive, than others. "Bourgeois" (northern European) societies are socially mobile -but the price is insecurity. Because it is not what one is but what one has that determines status, members are always scared of loosing everything they have. "Aristocratic" (southern European) societies are socially static -but the reward is security. Because it is not what you have but who one is that is important, ones position cannot be improved or lost simply through gaining or loosing material possessions. Sophia wrote: "In the midst of it all, we are always reminded of how alone we are and will be on some level irrespective of friends, family and all those trappings of life, which make us, forget of our selves. It is out of this being alone which sometimes gets mistaken for loneliness that I think that people often stay with what makes them more loved. God only knows how many marriages are held together by the fear of being alone. How many families put up with each other despite deep irreconcilable differences..." Sounds a pretty good reason to me -but then I come from a more group orientated society. Sticking together for mutual support certainly sounds better than bombing shit out of people just because you don't agree with them. Sophia wrote: "And friends....the closer we get to them the more they know of all our little peculiarities, our annoying quirks." Yes. Somebody has said that we admire people for their good qualities but we love them for their bad ones.... Sophia wrote: "So we create some distance only to fall back into society when it gets too close." The ebb and flood of human emotions.... Sophia wrote: "I think it is during this continuous reassessment of our relationships with the world that we find something about us." http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/humanface/beauty_introandlinks.shtml How can one see oneself without a mirror? |
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