DIVISIONS
The
natural order mandates that certain creatures form groups (packs, colonies,
herds, etc.); and man is one such creature. Normally this system functions as a
method of ensuring the success of a species, allowing for more efficient
predation and/or defense, as well as reproduction. Animals that form groups are
generally territorial, particularly predators, and will chase away, fight, or
even kill, members from a different pack (naturally, exceptions are often made
for fertile females). Checks and balances present in nature guarantee that
these species are just successful enough. Group size is governed by both
available resources and overcrowding; a crowd may simply be two equally
dominant individuals: a bee hive will only have one queen, a chimpanzee troop will
only contain one dominant male.
Man has
taken his pack mentality to an extreme, and has created a seemingly infinite
number of divisions within humanity; with the added complication of grouping
people into numerous overlapping categories. We will set aside aspects of the
two ends of the spectrum for now, and look at general clan classifications.
Family
units are basic, and natural; providing for the safety of animals that are born
with undeveloped survival skills. Human infants require years of care before
they gain the ability to fend for themselves. To ensure this care, pair bonds
are established using a reward system: sexual reward for the male, and security
for the female. [human sexuality as applied to
behavior, is a lengthy topic, and will be expanded upon in a later section].
Extended family units are the typical primate groups; these are generally
patriarchal, and genetic diversity is accomplished through capturing or
enticing non-related females into the group. In nature, this is as far as it goes
for primates; but one primate, man, has taken it considerably further.
Mankind
groups by religion, political affiliation, geographical region, race, gender,
class, recreational pursuit, age, and by any other detectable difference. The
most damaging to harmony within the human race is nationalism. Grouping people
together because of imaginary lines drawn on a map is based on territorial
instinct. Protecting or enlarging one's territory is typical animal behavior;
however, the scale of confrontation is considerably less in nature. The entire
political system that drives nationalism is in place because the vast majority
of people have no interest in managing the infrastructure necessary to make our
technological world function. A relatively small number of individuals manage
society as proxies for the masses, and direct world events from a perspective
that is quite alien to most people. A large portion of humanity now lives a
parasitic existence; they are incapable of existing without the
"host" society. In a totally natural environment, these people could
not provide for the basic needs of shelter and sustenance, nor could they
provide themselves with clothing, nor successfully give birth to and raise
infants without outside intervention. Much of their knowledge is restricted to
what they are told by politicians and the media, and their opinions are
carefully molded to serve whatever is in the best interests of the elite.
The
people who are in control: politicians, the rich and powerful; are primarily
motivated by animal drives. The quest for material gain, power, and prestige,
is simply the way human males subconsciously manifest sexual competition: to
demonstrate that they are the dominant, and therefore most suitable, of mates.
It is no different from primitive man dragging home the largest animal carcass.
This behavioral trait applies to all men, and is deemed competitive spirit. The
emergence of women, in the normally male dominated arena, is a socioeconomic
phenomenon, and is not instinctive: females compete in nature, but not to this
extreme.
Fundamentally,
there are no significant differences between forms of government. It doesn't
matter whether a system is Capitalist, Communist, Monarchist, or any other
type; all have a ruling class which manages the masses. It is advantageous for
aggressive nations to cultivate a fear in the general population of governments
that are dissimilar, for this enables the elite to manipulate the people into
supporting actions, detrimental to those other nations, that they would
otherwise perceive as immoral. In theory, politicians are supposed to act in
response to the wishes of the citizens; but in reality, the leaders act in
their own interests, and then create a favourable response from the people
through media manipulation.
Leaders
of nations frequently provoke warfare for purely economic or political reasons.
A war between countries requires that a significant number of citizens are
easily brainwashed: from the soldiers who must be willing to kill strangers,
and be killed themselves, for something they do not understand; to the general
public, which must support the ideal of murdering others for gain. In reality,
all the standard excuses countries use to defend acts of aggression do not
justify slaughtering people who have done you no wrong. War against another
nation is perceived as a war against that state, as an entity unto itself; but
a state is composed of the individuals inhabiting that area: women, children,
the elderly, the poor, the handicapped; people you would normally treat with
compassion.
Countries
assume the identity of the majority of citizens: they are a representation of
the type of people living in that region. Theocratic governments function as
religious entities, and tend to enforce laws and enact policies according to
sectarian doctrine (example: Iran). A theocracy in conflict with another nation
risks having the religion, rather than the state, seen as the enemy; this
situation can easily escalate, as other nations that share the same religion
feel obligated to defend/support their beliefs.
Countries
that are predominantly of one race tend to develop a cultural identity, and
often view other races with distrust. Humans, like other animals, are
suspicious of any creature different from themselves; this is based on
instinctive fear, and fear frequently breeds aggression. Obviously, there are
other factors involved in racism. There are also exceptions to the rule, where
a racial minority governs; but these situations are the result of conquering
forces maintaining control, and are temporary: the masses will eventually
supplant the rulers.
Bias due
to race, culture, or status, is not logical for a species that wishes to rise
above animal instinct. Fear or mistrust of the unfamiliar serves to protect
animals from danger; but man is an intelligent creature, and can determine the
level of risk through reasoning. There is no compelling reason to assume that a
member of a different group would pose more of a danger than any other
individual; but man is a victim, of not only instinct, but the sum of millions
of years of conditioning. The attitudes held by society shape each and every
individual within it. Most information a person acquires is filtered through
others; everything taught in school is not necessarily the truth, but is what
society perceives as the truth. Centuries ago, science held that the universe
revolved around the Earth; this was truth because all knowledge at the time
established this to be so. Human knowledge evolves slowly, with the influences
of each member affecting the flow of change; each person altering society to
varying degrees, for better or worse. An apparent sudden alteration of human
culture by an individual is not as it seems; for the actions of that person are
the culmination of two million years of genetic and behavioral events, all
leading to that one point in time. Humanity, as a whole, is the result of the
actions of every person that has ever lived; and is in a state of constant,
gradual transition: but transition that is confined by limits set by instinct.
The animal drives are a major reason why new knowledge does not necessarily
lead to widespread change. The realization that followers of Animistic
religions did not have magical powers may have stopped witch burning, but
religious persecution continues. Science has shown that the differences between
races are superficial, but racism continues. Man is a creature of habit;
enlightenment will take time.
