This text is based on a chapter of a book titled “The Age of Exterminations” that I am slowly putting together but for which I haven’t yet found a publisher (suggestions are welcome). The gist of the book, and also of the present post, is that exterminations, and in particular “ideological” exterminations, have not been common during history. They are a modern phenomenon related to the structure of modern society.
An alternative way to interpret the data in the chart could be as a repeating cycle rather than a trend. There are big jumps in death from war/murder followed by a time of rules and civility. In this time between major wars there are rules to regulate the conduct of wars and limit the outbreak of war. Then these rules start to break down as people have forgotton what the horror of war is like or just don't care because they're not on the receiving end. Same with how the horror and barbarity of witch trials led to them being stopped but now we are finding new scapegoats.
I also wonder if the crusades should be considered the start of the Western obsession with killing evildoers. There wasn't simply the killing of Muslims in the holy land but also Jews and heretics in Europe in particular the Albigension Crusade and the mass slaughter of Cathars. Christianity has never liked other religions and has sought to convert pagans to the one true faith and resort to violence if this ever fails.
Islam again sees itself as the one true faith and it's justified to kill those who insult Islam and of course the penalty for apostasy is death. Advanced communications means Muslims can know about Koran burnings in Sweden and nervous Westerners can read about beheadings in Syria.
We are not just subjected to our own propaganda but the propaganda of the enemy. How can there be a two state solution in the holy land when Israelis are fully aware of the desire of the arabs to wipe them off the map and the Palestineans know Israelis want to occupy the whole of Palestine.
I've heard that our need to have enemies results from us projecting our shadow self onto the world.
A compelling explanation of the current metatrends in our world. Now for the sake of discussion, what would be the dialectical alternatives to population growth, weapons and information? How about permaculture/regenerative ag, the internet, spiritual disciplines?
Thanks for your probing ever deeper into the dilemnas of our time.
Any comments on the Third Punic War. Ahead of its time?
An alternative way to interpret the data in the chart could be as a repeating cycle rather than a trend. There are big jumps in death from war/murder followed by a time of rules and civility. In this time between major wars there are rules to regulate the conduct of wars and limit the outbreak of war. Then these rules start to break down as people have forgotton what the horror of war is like or just don't care because they're not on the receiving end. Same with how the horror and barbarity of witch trials led to them being stopped but now we are finding new scapegoats.
I also wonder if the crusades should be considered the start of the Western obsession with killing evildoers. There wasn't simply the killing of Muslims in the holy land but also Jews and heretics in Europe in particular the Albigension Crusade and the mass slaughter of Cathars. Christianity has never liked other religions and has sought to convert pagans to the one true faith and resort to violence if this ever fails.
Islam again sees itself as the one true faith and it's justified to kill those who insult Islam and of course the penalty for apostasy is death. Advanced communications means Muslims can know about Koran burnings in Sweden and nervous Westerners can read about beheadings in Syria.
We are not just subjected to our own propaganda but the propaganda of the enemy. How can there be a two state solution in the holy land when Israelis are fully aware of the desire of the arabs to wipe them off the map and the Palestineans know Israelis want to occupy the whole of Palestine.
I've heard that our need to have enemies results from us projecting our shadow self onto the world.
A compelling explanation of the current metatrends in our world. Now for the sake of discussion, what would be the dialectical alternatives to population growth, weapons and information? How about permaculture/regenerative ag, the internet, spiritual disciplines?
Thanks for your probing ever deeper into the dilemnas of our time.
Ian G, Old 99 Farm, Hamilton Canada