Hi David
You're absolutely right, I was being sarcastic but with a serious edge so thanks for the
reply - the Pirsig quotes wre very useful.
Victorian (UK) foreign policy was to subdue each and every nation that failed to comply
with it's favoured economic model and goals ( and even prior to this hence the American
revolution - terrorists to a man! [and woman]) - which appears to be identical to current
US foreign policy.
My main worry now is that with the recent apparent acceptance of a US first strike
initiative the modern day equivalent of the drift into a WW1 equivalent could mean
billions not millions killed.
Very dynamic I'm sure but hardly a step up the evolutioary ladder.
Hopefully the new(ish) US imperialism will go the same way as Victorian imperialism -
before "the whole ****house goes up in flames" (Morrison)
Horse
On 10 Mar 2002 at 18:23, David Buchanan wrote:
> Horse and everyone else:
>
> Thanks for dropping in. Its a rare treat to hear from you.
>
> Horse said...
> But David, surely you must understand that the USA sees all the above things
> you
> mention as a means of promoting and fostering Freedom and Democracy in the
> same
> way that it intends to apply exorbitant tariffs to imported steel in order
> to ensure a free
> market. Surely you couldn't think that the USA's actions are purely for its
> own political,
> military and economic benefit? Could You!!!!!?? That would be unamerican and
>
> downright cynical!
>
> DMB...
> Clearly, you're being sarcastic. It shines through even in print. But I'll
> answer you seriously anyway. I think the list of actions is what's cynical
> and unAmerican. And believe it or not, I have no problem with nations
> seeking their own interest. The problem is that these kinds of actions don't
> serve the USA's interests. They're too short sighted to be effective in the
> long run. Not to mention the fact that they contradict our own principles
> and ideals, which only makes us look hypocritical and cruel.
>
> Once again I'll refer to that Pirsigian battle between the 3rd and 4th
> level. I see the attitude behind these actions in the author's description
> of the Giant & Victorians...
>
> "When societies and cultures and cities are seen not as inventions of "man"
> but as higher organism than biological man, the phenomena of war and genocie
> and all the other forms of human exploitation become more intelligible.
> ..the giant,.. doesn't mind losing a few bodies to protect his greater
> interests." P218
>
> "The statement, the only good Indian is a dead Indian, was a Victorian
> statemet. The idea of extermination of all Indians was not common before the
> 19th century. Victorians wanted to destroy "inferior" societies because
> inferior societies were a form of evil. Colonialism, which before that time
> was an ecomonic opportunity, became with the Victorians a moral course, a
> "white man's burden" to spread their social patterns and thus virtue
> throughout the world." "And so this social base which had no intellectual
> meaning and no biological purpose slowly and helplessly driged toward its
> own stupid self-destruction: toward the senseless murder of millions of its
> own children on the battlefields of WWI." P268-9
>
>
>
>
>
> MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
> Mail Archive - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
> MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net
>
> To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
> http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html
>
MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
Mail Archive - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net
To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat Aug 17 2002 - 16:01:57 BST