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This site is a member of WebRing. To browse visit here. Monday, September 20, 2004 US and THEM I've puzzled repeatedly over what prompts otherwise intelligent, responsible, educated Americans to hold some of the opinions they have. This weekend, author Frederick Forsyth inadvertently contributed to some degree of understanding. I'm sure other people figured this out long before I did, but my forte is computers, not psychology. I picked up a copy of his book, Avenger, in the supermarket, looking for a bit of fluff to read. The main bad guy of the story, a Serb, is described as having been violent and vicious from birth. No other motive, reason or justification is offered for his behavior. He hates and destroys because that is his nature, a kind of extreme version of original sin. Forsyth goes on in numerous passages to expound upon this view, in fact. Some people are simply bad to the bone and there's no help for 'em. Forsyth quotes an old friend of one of the characters, who says Americans are hated not so much because of what they do in the world as because they are enterprising, resourceful and hard-working, and as a result of those admirable traits, wealthy and powerful. You can't change how "they" feel about you, says this old friend, because it's based on envy. Now, I do have a certain degree of sympathy with that point of view. I remember asking my mother why the other kids in school didn't like me. "They're envious of you," she would tell me, "because you make good grades. It's easy for you to do some things that they find difficult, and so they resent you." But most of those kids grew up to be perfectly acceptable and pleasant members of society. Once they were older, and realized where their own strengths lay, they no longer felt whatever envy might have colored their behavior in earlier years. Their earlier actions were prompted by immaturity, by insecurity, not by some inborn quality of hatred. The problem with Forsyth's analysis of human nature is that he reasons from the particular to the general. Everyone who commits a violent act must be inherently violent and full of hate. Anyone who dislikes Americans must do so from irrational envy. The obvious conclusion to be drawn from this reasoning is that Americans have no obligation to be other than they are, because it isn't their behavior or policy that causes other people's violence. I'm over-simplifying, of course, but as I listen to conservative conversation and read conservative blogs, that is indeed the mindset I find. Why are we hated? Not because of any action or policy, but simply because we're Americans. There are people in the world whose inherent nature is to hate, and that hate is turned against us because our virtuous qualities have given us the wealth and power they wish to possess. How convenient. If we play no part in other people's opinion of us, then we have no responsibility for the consequences of our behavior. If it is our virtues that people hate, we can hardly share any blame for their actions. Worse, if it is their inherent nature to hate, then we have no obligation to change. Wouldn't make any difference anyway, goes the reasoning. It pains me that traditional Christianity is employed to enforce this point of view. People who reject Christ, says this line of thought, have no redeeming qualities, regardless of the circumstances of their lives. Those who accept Christ are bound for glory simply by reason of who they are, not because of anything they do. That's another over-simplification, of course, ignoring all the scriptural passages that urge us to "do good." But in a world ruled by slogans and sound bites, anything more complex gets ignored, and otherwise intelligent, well-meaning, educated Americans can say with a straight face that they are voting for Bush because "he's a Christian and will protect us from the people who hate us." Someone needs to point them to the Old Testament passages in which God tired of the wickedness of His "Chosen People" and punished them. posted by Liz @ 6:19 AM | The template is set to display 10 posts. To see all the posts for this month, click on the month name in the Archive section RSS Feed PERSONAL Send email toliz at life-as-a-spectator-sport.com Home I'm a mother, grandmother, a computer professional, Democrat, Christian. I welcome politely worded comments and email, my spam filter throws the rest away, so don't bother to flame me WHY 'LIFE AS A SPECTATOR SPORT' "If you're lucky not to live in the gutters of a slum, but still can't afford to take vacations in the Alps, you're part of that enormous middle class who lives life through the medium of the television, further separated from "real" life by air conditioner, by automobile, by dishwasher, microwave and ice-in-the-door refrigerator, by automatic washer and dryer, and all the other appliances and conveniences that make it possible for America to live life at second hand. I'm not sure why Americans decided that televised drama was better than the real thing, that cardboard microwave food containers were an adequate substitute for real dishes, and their contents for real food, or that cooking, dishwashing and face-to-face conversation wasn't worth the effort and time it required. Someone fed this nation a plastic crate of out-of-season tomatoes and told us it was life and we took them at their word, and we're so much the poorer for it that it's hard to know where to start to list the shortcomings." I wrote this a couple of years ago, but I have to admit it's much less amusing than I thought it would be to see the artifical construct falling apart. THE NON-ELECTRIC HOME Cleaning, 1 Cleaning, 2 Cleaning, 3 KNITTING BLOGS Extravayarnza Knitting Heretic Mind of Winter Pie Knits Persistent Illusion See Eunny Knit The Keyboard Biologist Taleweaver's Ramblings TECHnitting Wendy Knits FINISHED PROJECTS -------FINISHED IN 2006------- Peruvian Cap Tutti-Frutti Socks Shelley's Socks Carol's Socks -------FINISHED IN 2007------- Chain Link Socks Baby Surprise Jacket Valerie & Friend Baby Bonnet Rainbow Baby Socks Girls Pixie Hood Mitred Square Heart Red & White Socks Coffee Cup Pot Holder Nubbins Dishcloth Garterlac Dishcloth Suede Booties Kate's Socks Norwegian Sweet Baby Cap Half Thumbless Mittens Red Mittens for Akkol -------FINISHED IN 2008------- SELF-RELIANCE AND THE FUTURE -- Blogs and websites -- Causubon's Book Club Orlov Food Storage Made Easy From the Wilderness In the Wake Listening to Katrina Survival Topics The Modern Homestead The Oil Drum Notes from a Hillside Farm -- Mailing Lists -- 12vdc Power Living on the Land Rainwater Refrigeration Alternatives Old Ways of Living POLITICAL BLOGS and SITES The political sites have moved BOOKS I'M READING How to Grow More Vegetables, etc. Small Scale Grain Raising ARCHIVES February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 August 2008 July 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002 February 2002 Feedjit Live Blog Stats
I've puzzled repeatedly over what prompts otherwise intelligent, responsible, educated Americans to hold some of the opinions they have. This weekend, author Frederick Forsyth inadvertently contributed to some degree of understanding. I'm sure other people figured this out long before I did, but my forte is computers, not psychology. I picked up a copy of his book, Avenger, in the supermarket, looking for a bit of fluff to read. The main bad guy of the story, a Serb, is described as having been violent and vicious from birth. No other motive, reason or justification is offered for his behavior. He hates and destroys because that is his nature, a kind of extreme version of original sin. Forsyth goes on in numerous passages to expound upon this view, in fact. Some people are simply bad to the bone and there's no help for 'em. Forsyth quotes an old friend of one of the characters, who says Americans are hated not so much because of what they do in the world as because they are enterprising, resourceful and hard-working, and as a result of those admirable traits, wealthy and powerful. You can't change how "they" feel about you, says this old friend, because it's based on envy. Now, I do have a certain degree of sympathy with that point of view. I remember asking my mother why the other kids in school didn't like me. "They're envious of you," she would tell me, "because you make good grades. It's easy for you to do some things that they find difficult, and so they resent you." But most of those kids grew up to be perfectly acceptable and pleasant members of society. Once they were older, and realized where their own strengths lay, they no longer felt whatever envy might have colored their behavior in earlier years. Their earlier actions were prompted by immaturity, by insecurity, not by some inborn quality of hatred. The problem with Forsyth's analysis of human nature is that he reasons from the particular to the general. Everyone who commits a violent act must be inherently violent and full of hate. Anyone who dislikes Americans must do so from irrational envy. The obvious conclusion to be drawn from this reasoning is that Americans have no obligation to be other than they are, because it isn't their behavior or policy that causes other people's violence. I'm over-simplifying, of course, but as I listen to conservative conversation and read conservative blogs, that is indeed the mindset I find. Why are we hated? Not because of any action or policy, but simply because we're Americans. There are people in the world whose inherent nature is to hate, and that hate is turned against us because our virtuous qualities have given us the wealth and power they wish to possess. How convenient. If we play no part in other people's opinion of us, then we have no responsibility for the consequences of our behavior. If it is our virtues that people hate, we can hardly share any blame for their actions. Worse, if it is their inherent nature to hate, then we have no obligation to change. Wouldn't make any difference anyway, goes the reasoning. It pains me that traditional Christianity is employed to enforce this point of view. People who reject Christ, says this line of thought, have no redeeming qualities, regardless of the circumstances of their lives. Those who accept Christ are bound for glory simply by reason of who they are, not because of anything they do. That's another over-simplification, of course, ignoring all the scriptural passages that urge us to "do good." But in a world ruled by slogans and sound bites, anything more complex gets ignored, and otherwise intelligent, well-meaning, educated Americans can say with a straight face that they are voting for Bush because "he's a Christian and will protect us from the people who hate us." Someone needs to point them to the Old Testament passages in which God tired of the wickedness of His "Chosen People" and punished them.
The template is set to display 10 posts. To see all the posts for this month, click on the month name in the Archive section
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PERSONAL
WHY 'LIFE AS A SPECTATOR SPORT'
"If you're lucky not to live in the gutters of a slum, but still can't afford to take vacations in the Alps, you're part of that enormous middle class who lives life through the medium of the television, further separated from "real" life by air conditioner, by automobile, by dishwasher, microwave and ice-in-the-door refrigerator, by automatic washer and dryer, and all the other appliances and conveniences that make it possible for America to live life at second hand. I'm not sure why Americans decided that televised drama was better than the real thing, that cardboard microwave food containers were an adequate substitute for real dishes, and their contents for real food, or that cooking, dishwashing and face-to-face conversation wasn't worth the effort and time it required. Someone fed this nation a plastic crate of out-of-season tomatoes and told us it was life and we took them at their word, and we're so much the poorer for it that it's hard to know where to start to list the shortcomings." I wrote this a couple of years ago, but I have to admit it's much less amusing than I thought it would be to see the artifical construct falling apart.
THE NON-ELECTRIC HOME
Cleaning, 1 Cleaning, 2 Cleaning, 3
KNITTING BLOGS
Extravayarnza Knitting Heretic Mind of Winter Pie Knits Persistent Illusion See Eunny Knit The Keyboard Biologist Taleweaver's Ramblings TECHnitting Wendy Knits
FINISHED PROJECTS
SELF-RELIANCE AND THE FUTURE
POLITICAL BLOGS and SITES
BOOKS I'M READING
How to Grow More Vegetables, etc. Small Scale Grain Raising
ARCHIVES
February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 August 2008 July 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002 February 2002
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