[Bad username or unknown identity: Scott Ruggels (ruggels)] I never really believed in the inherent goodness of man. I believed in the inherent good of Western Civilization.
Just to be sure we're using the same terms, "Western Civilization" is usually used to refer to cultures derived from European tribal roots. Is this what you mean?
Do you have any good examples of the "inherent goodness" of Western Civilization, or is this something you take on faith?
Mahatma Gandhi was once asked what he thought about Western civilization. "I think," he replied, "it would be a very good idea."
[Bad username or unknown identity: Scott Ruggels (ruggels)] They have to grow up in the right environments with equally indoctrinated parents to produce positive members.
What do you mean by "positive members" in this context? Your phrase "equally indoctrinated parents" seems to imply the production of "positive members" would be the ideological equivalent of cloning; each generation having an uncorrupted copy of the (presumably "correct") ideology of the prior generation. Is this how you see the transmission of Western Civilization occurring?
[Bad username or unknown identity: Scott Ruggels (ruggels)] Other wise(sic) people fall into some form of tribalism,(sic) or another, be it actual tribes,(sic) or gangs.
I don't have a lot of patience for "Arcadian nostalgia" (utopian garden paradise where serene pastoral folk drink, dance and lounge around in an endless summer, i.e. the past is always perfect) but the students of history, sociology, anthropology, etc. I've had occasion to palaver with have commented on the general perception in their fields that many of the cultures encountered by the representatives of Western Civilization were reported to be (in general) much happier before their cultures were destroyed by Western Civilization.
Given that, I'd have to say your perception that tribalism is somehow a "fall" from some higher state or associated with "gangs" is more indicative of the tribal roots of Western Civilization, and is not representative of human tribes in general. Do you think there is there something about the roots of Western Civilization that makes it susceptible to the degeneration and violence you describe?
Promote Western Civilization! Go forth and plunder!
I never really believed in the inherent goodness of man. I believed in the inherent good of Western Civilization.
Just to be sure we're using the same terms, "Western Civilization" is usually used to refer to cultures derived from European tribal roots. Is this what you mean?
Do you have any good examples of the "inherent goodness" of Western Civilization, or is this something you take on faith?
They have to grow up in the right environments with equally indoctrinated parents to produce positive members.
What do you mean by "positive members" in this context? Your phrase "equally indoctrinated parents" seems to imply the production of "positive members" would be the ideological equivalent of cloning; each generation having an uncorrupted copy of the (presumably "correct") ideology of the prior generation. Is this how you see the transmission of Western Civilization occurring?
Other wise(sic) people fall into some form of tribalism,(sic) or another, be it actual tribes,(sic) or gangs.
I don't have a lot of patience for "Arcadian nostalgia" (utopian garden paradise where serene pastoral folk drink, dance and lounge around in an endless summer, i.e. the past is always perfect) but the students of history, sociology, anthropology, etc. I've had occasion to palaver with have commented on the general perception in their fields that many of the cultures encountered by the representatives of Western Civilization were reported to be (in general) much happier before their cultures were destroyed by Western Civilization.
Given that, I'd have to say your perception that tribalism is somehow a "fall" from some higher state or associated with "gangs" is more indicative of the tribal roots of Western Civilization, and is not representative of human tribes in general. Do you think there is there something about the roots of Western Civilization that makes it susceptible to the degeneration and violence you describe?
[Continued in next note]