There
are two schools of thought: inclusive and exclusive. The inclusive way of
thinking assumes that all human beings are the same with regards to their
mental capacity, hopes, fears, wishes, and social interactions. The difference
is in the community, where one is raised and is accustomed to its way of life.
The other school of thought believes in exclusion and assumes that everyone is
different, and all characteristics are unique to each person. According to this mode of thinking, a person can be
inherently active or lazy or smart or stupid or sociable or unsociable. These
two schools of thought are on two opposite spectrum of envisioning humanity in
general, views which are shared by small extremist minority. Beliefs of the
rest of the population of the world are somewhere between these two extremes.
We were all born without our
knowledge, our consent, or our desire to live this life. We may say it is work
of God, and therefore do not question it, or accept that all humanity is something curious out of our mental capacity to understand. It gets more curious when we realize that there is nothing in this universe that is an
exact duplicate. Every person and everything that is a part of the earth (and universe) is unique. People start their
lives as a continuum of the proceeding lives, and a link to future lives.
Therefore, we need to learn from the past, maintain all cultures and
traditions, use our logic, senses, and wisdom, compete with others for
excellence, and create a world according to our individual desire. Acknowledging that, people who
believe in exclusion remind everyone that their success depends on their
individual ingenuity. The mildest form of this way of thinking considers every
individual as a member of a society whose success, however, does not depend on the success of
other individuals. The extreme form believes that everyone’s success is built on
someone else’s faliure. The individual has to use his or her education and
experience, without relying on other individuals, and put extra effort in order
to become successful. Of course, not everyone is an executive of a large firm.
Those who do not have the granted inginuity or trend of thoughts are subordinates
to others, as every society needs all the professions from a dirt digger to a
scientist. The most extreme form of exclusiveness are: stepping on others in
order to succeed, thinking like the leaders whose proclamations should be dictated
to the rest of the society, believing in disparity between the rich and the
poor, having certain metaphysical tendencies, and even believing in race,
gender, and other inequalities, and eventually phobia. According to exclusionists, this is a
brutal world where everyone has to fend for himself or herself. No one is
invited here, therefore if you don’t seize the opportunity from others, they
will grab it from you. The one who has wealth and power has achieved the best in
life as a result of his or her intelligence, which is a God given gift. Every
society needs a minority rich and a majority poor, including disadvantaged who
receives hand out from the rich. Social, economic, and political powers are as
a result of the mind power. Capitalism is the best economic system devised, and
monopoly is the natural result of it. Separation of economic classes, races,
religions, and even genders is beneficial; and togetherness and closeness of
individuals is threatening. Conservatism and preservation of customs and
traditions would keep the society from upheavals, and keep people busy serving
the rich. Any change in the society may tip the power to the other side. Indeed
a society needs to preserve old values while maintaining private property on
every aspect of the society. A person’s property is what that person has
achieved through the labor or ingenuity of oneself or generations before that
person. Those who are outcast, such as physically or mentally handicapped are tested by the supreme power,
or they are paying some kind punishment. It is up to the generosity and
philanthropy of the rich to assist those in need, if desired.
The
other belief system also considers living organisms to have been born without
their consent while each one is unique. However, they still view human
societies necessary for the survival of human being, as they see humans as
social animals. Only through cooperation, not competition, can people, and therefore societies advance
themselves. Any ill of the society, such as homelessness, would affect the
whole society at large. A powerful government should run a country, with such
strength to provide all members of the society with their minimum requirements.
Instead of waging wars or protecting the rich and powerful, a government should
have enough sympathy to service all the people alike and maintain them
economically and socially equal. The government should spend more of its
resources for those who are deprived of basic necessaties, due to their
physical or mental limitations, financial weaknesses, or racial or status
inferioritiees (in the eyes of others). The Persian poet, Saadie, once said:
"human beings are parts of the same body, as they are all created from the
same substance. When one part is weak, other parts suffer the same. If you are
not effected by the suffering of others, you cannot be called a human being."
Earth or globe is a miniscule rock in the vast universe, where one's life begins
and ends. We strive to extend this life and enjoy living longer with health and
happiness. The earth can sustain our lives as long as its environment is
balanced. Global warming and nuclear accidents can change this environment, and
although they would not destroy the earth, it will make the earth inhospitable
for all living organisms. Those who preach another life outside of what is scientifically
proven, and those who preach nationalism and racism, are all preaching to
uneducated and naive people in order to increase their personal benefits in
this and the only life form that we are certain of. Socialists have been in a defensive posture since the fall out of the Soviet Union, and China adopting a strange mode of capitalism. In fact, they were both dictatorship before collapse or change of economical system, a far cry from Socialism. When socialists are asked "name a country where socialism worked", the answer should be "it has not happened yet, as neither Soviet union nor China has ever been a socialist country." The same question should be asked for capitalism and whether there is a country where capitalism ever worked. The only Western countries where standard of life is better than the rest are those with infusion of socialist policies. When a government is
asking people to shed blood for the sake of the country, or blames a group of
people or certain social programs for some economical melt down, or wages wars to export its failed brand of democracy, people behind
such government advocating such theories should be replaced by those who
believe in fairness for all. J.F. Kennedy's famous statement should be altered
to: ask not what your country (meaning government) does for you, ask what your
country does for those in need of basic human necessities; nutrition, health,
education, shelter.
