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The Laws of History
Biology
On the inexhaustible subject of the laws of history, Jon Kofas raises the question
of "human biology as a determining factor in shaping the mind and thus
human history. There are scholars (especially those associated with the Skeptics
Society) who maintain that religious faith, for example, is not merely symptomatic
of human beings' emotional and intellectual cravings to entertain a holistic
view of the cosmos, but that there is a biological impetus as well that drives
humans toward religion in the broadest sense of that word. Is the quest for
meaning in life and the cosmos biologically determined, and if so does this
mean that our biology determines history, among other forces like economics,
etc? Does this mean that the irrational aspect of human nature may be a dominant
feature because it is biologically determined and thus human actions are a manifestation
of that aspect thinly veiled in reason? If so, human biology shapes the laws
of history".
History and Mussolini
Christopher Jones writes: "Jon Kofas writes about the rise of Adolf Hitler
and Benito Mussolini as if the German or Italian populations were clairvoyant
and could see the end at the beginning. You can accuse Hitler of many things,
but he did not destroy German democracy. It destroyed itself if it ever had
a chance. Wilson and Clémenceau's desire to destroy the monarchies of
Europe and seek revenge upon the entire German population were the determining
international factors. With democrats like them who needs democrats? The communist
revolution in Germany after the fall of the Hohenzollerns, the massive inflation
of the Reichsmark, the mutiny in the German Hochseeflotte were important elements
too. The well known symmetry between Jews and the Russian Bolsheviks gave Hitler
his bogeyman. The French invasion of the Rhineland with Senegalese troops was
an outrage! The final spark was the Great Depression. Hitler did promise hatred,
but against the nation's enemies, and a rejuvenated Germany strong enough to
command respect yet again. The depraved atmosphere of the Weimar republic (porn,
perversion, drugs) was banned. Kids were organized in the youth movement: in
uniforms, with a huge emphasis on sports, cleanliness and comradeship. 6 million
unemployed were put back to work within one year; a better lifestyle (car ownership,
vacations etc.) backed up the regime. These are some of the reasons why Germans
followed Adolf Hitler. Hatred? Destruction?
Duce Mussolini is a different case. An authentic character from a Shakespearean
tragedy, Mussolini came to power in an almost total vacuum: The Italian state
before the "March on Rome" had almost totally disintegrated. The entire
Italian nation felt cheated (again by Wilson and his cohorts at Versailles)
and yearned for leadership that would put an end to the wave after wave of communist
inspired strikes. Fascist Italy between 1922 and 1935 was a model of good, clean
and healthy government. Schools were built, the marshes drained, health campaigns
in the country initiated, and an all out effort was made to make Italy self-sufficient
in basic foodstuffs (The Battle of Wheat). I am totally convinced like many
Italians that if Mussolini could have managed to stay out of the war he would
be remembered today as Italy's Napoleon (and probably ended his days as a mayor
in one of the villages along Lake Como)".
Leadership
Gene Franklin says: "Leadership can be explained by the fact that individuals'
concerns are strongest about local things: Is my family safe and with food and
shelter? Only when these are satisfied do we concern ourselves with a wider
view. Is it not true that when leaders satisfy the most basic needs of food,
shelter and safety, they are given latitude to do terrible things?". RH:
One could argue just the opposite: leaders do terrible things such as starting
wars to distract the people from their pressing problems.
Sports and Religion
Peter Orne says: "I wonder how much the emulation of athletic heroes and the anticipation around sports events, with all their rituals and rules, serve feed some primitive fire within us. Sports really have replaced religion for many here in the West. (In contrast, this phenomenon seems much less prevalent in the deeply religious Arab world, yet it is growing rapidly in modernizing Southeast Asia with its World Cup-vying Koreans and Chinese basketball squads.)
How do Presidents, who routinely throw out the "first pitch," feed
this sports-loving devotion? What does it mean that God-loving and God-fearing
George W. Bush also to have owned a baseball team? Also, what is the meaning
of these routine Presidential popularity ratings, delivered to us like the Dow
and Nasdaq levels, or perhaps even like baseball statistics? Rather than popularity
per se, do they gauge how high up the Mount is our President, how high his batting
average?). I recall that, in a shift in early January, Howard Dean said he would
mention God more often in his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.
But his Satanic YAWP!!! did him in.
Another dimension of emulation in US society is celebrity worship, which has
reached almost a pathological level for some individuals. In mild form, some
celebrity emulation must be good for self-esteem. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Bobby Kennedy, Malcolm X are popular heroes. But Britney and Missy?
Generally speaking, as nationalisms are put in relief in an interdependent
and globalizing world, and through, specifically, the advancement of the European
Union, global sports heroes, celebrity figures, and religious
figures must continue to soak up the emulation energies that country leaders
should, I feel, be deprived of. It's just a little weird here in the United
States -- the wealthiest nation, the Cold War victor, the greatest military
power. Our presidential emulation almost sprains the psyche, and represents
a kind of forced dysfunction".
RH: This is very timely in view of the orgy of passion st the World Soccer
Cup competition in Portugal. Politicians must envy it-
History Repeating Itself
From the UK, John Heelan writes: "Who says that history does not repeat itself?
2004, "The US Army concedes it no longer fully controls the road linking Baghdad to the airport by insisting that members of the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority, contractors and other foreigners travel on the four-lane highway only at certain times, totalling six hours a day. During these periods, traffic will be protected by stepped-up helicopter and vehicle patrols" [source: Independent 21 June 2004].
From 1865 to 1890, the Plains Cavalry protected American settlers, railroaders, wagon trains, businesses, gold seekers and others from Indian attacks. The famed 1st Cavalry Division was baptized by fire and blood on the western plains in an era of horse-mounted cavalry. Dubbed the "First Team" by Major General William C. Chase, the division has always strived not only to be the first, but to be the best.
Are the helicopters and tanks of the modern 1st Cavalry once again providing
protection to the "settlers" against the "natives" as their
predecessors did in the Indian Wars?"
From the UK, John Heelan suggested that history repeats itself, comparing dangerous convoys in Iraq to the role of the Plains Cavalry between 1865 and 1890. The comparison was not meant to be complimentary, but it is in the details given by Randy Black: "I am grateful that John Heelan reminds us of the incredible history of the 1st Calvary, the legendary group of protectors (and attackers) who fought over the years, beginning from their roots in 1855 as the the 2nd Calvary, patrolling, protecting and fighting along the borders from Alaska to Mexico, led charges at Gettysburg and Bullrun among many other Civil War battles, was at one time led by General George Custer, engaged Pancho Villa just before WWI, trained tens of thousands of citizens during the Great Depression for the Civilian Conservation Corps, but by 1943, had left their horses behind and had become foot soldiers"
RH: It was not involved in Custer's last stand? Engaged Pancho Villa? I thought
they never found him. Became foot soldiers? Most former cavalry groups are now
motorized.
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