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).
Well, yes. A first comment is that we shouldn't try to force every historical event into a single explanation. The Third Punic war, which ended with the final defeat of Carthage (149-146 BCE) can be seen as an especially deadly event. Perhaps an exception to my interpretation in my post. But note that there is no evidence that the Romans exterminated the Carthaginian people. We don't know exactly what happened to them, but after the battle of Zama, there was still a Carthaginian government in Carthage. And Hannibal was a member of it! There is a legend that the ruins of Carthage were sown with salt after being razed, but there is no evidence for this. In short, we have no evidence that the 3rd Punic war was anything like the current wars of exterminatin.
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.
The analysis of the data doesn't show cycles but, yes, exterminations may go in bursts -- not cyclical ones, but recognizable. And, unfortunately, we may be on the verge of another big one. About the crusades, I chose not to discuss the subject because the post was already too long. Let's say that the Crusades were an ominous signal of things to come, although, by themselves, not aiming at exterminations
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?
Well, yes. A first comment is that we shouldn't try to force every historical event into a single explanation. The Third Punic war, which ended with the final defeat of Carthage (149-146 BCE) can be seen as an especially deadly event. Perhaps an exception to my interpretation in my post. But note that there is no evidence that the Romans exterminated the Carthaginian people. We don't know exactly what happened to them, but after the battle of Zama, there was still a Carthaginian government in Carthage. And Hannibal was a member of it! There is a legend that the ruins of Carthage were sown with salt after being razed, but there is no evidence for this. In short, we have no evidence that the 3rd Punic war was anything like the current wars of exterminatin.
I actually had no idea that event was not necessarily accepted historical fact. Thanks for that.
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.
The analysis of the data doesn't show cycles but, yes, exterminations may go in bursts -- not cyclical ones, but recognizable. And, unfortunately, we may be on the verge of another big one. About the crusades, I chose not to discuss the subject because the post was already too long. Let's say that the Crusades were an ominous signal of things to come, although, by themselves, not aiming at exterminations
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