How Humans Deal with Difference - Report Example

Name Tutor Course Date How Humans Deal With Difference: “Exterminate all the brutes” Introduction “Exterminate all the brutes” is one of the earliest literal works that focuses on colonialism and racism. It is a story that relates to Darwin’s theory of evolution to back the saying “survival for the fittest”. According to the theory, the strong animals survived environmental changes and consequently, the weakest animals could not. Lindqvist uses the theory of evolution to imply that there are weaker and stronger races hence the stronger races should be exterminated. He argues that the colonization is an example of natural selection that will reduce the number of lower races and inferior countries and foster civilization. He focuses on the paradigm of superiority scale of countries. This paper is a research on the justification of colonization from the world view and expounds on the reasons that Europeans used to justify their colonial actions. Systems theory In the system, Gregory states that most human beings have systems that make them self-corrective beings and opt to sideline or nor perceive what may appear disturbing. Similarly, the world has systems that must be understood in order to reduce imbalances that are brought about by war, racism and colonization. These systems are three and include the human individual, the society an individual live in and the ecosystem. The society system defines the norms, values and practices that the person lives in. The individual human being system comprises of the neurology and physiology that keeps a person’s physical body in place. It defines someone’s personal descriptive features. It helps in the conservation of the status quo’s components and opinions. The ecosystem is the biological sphere that a human being is in (Gregory 4). The balance in each of the systems is paramount because it ensures that there is harmony. In the body of a human being there is a dependency and competition of the various body parts, if this balance is not maintained, there is a risky liability in the system. The same factor applies to the society. In the individual, the thoughts of a person are compartmentalized. The larger mind knows all that is happening around it but only a portion of this is relayed to the consciousness. It is a person’s purpose that chooses what information will be communicated to the consciousness. Purposive consciousness relies on what one part of the mind without consideration of the full mind and hence leads to greedy and unwise decisions. In this case, wisdom refers to use of knowledge of the total systematic nature in decision making. Lack of this knowledge is punishable. For example, misuse of the natural ecosystem has led to environmental problems like global warming. Therefore it is paramount for all decisions (personal or governmental) to be made without regard to common sense but to the systematic nature of the world (Gregory 5). Justifications for colonization According to Lindqvist, there were several paradigms that colonizers used to justify colonial actions(46). Most of the actions in the colonization were brutal, undignified and without regard of the opinions of the country to be colonized. Although some of the colonial actions have been of positive impact in the countries that they were based, imperialism was a competition of the stronger nations. One of the justifications for the colonization is the principle of lebensraum. This was the justification that the Nazi regime used for the colonization of western countries. Lebensraum is translated to mean “living space”. At the time German believed that the civilized were the only ones that were justified to own land. It also believed that people that were primitive did not deserve the land because they did not use it. Additionally, any land that was not being used belonged to the superior people. All this was done to provide land for the German population that was increasing. The land was taken from Jews and gypsies who were taken concentration camps. Lebensraum was also racially motivated because the Nazi leaders worked toward elimination of Jews from Europe by deporting them to concentration camps, selling them or killing them. This was also the defense used by the Germans of the holocaust. Apart from talking away the land, Germans took their property and identity. German used this excuse of lebensraum and racial superiority to justify colonization (Lindqvist 146). According to Lindqvist, some of the countries believed in social Darwinism where specific countries considered that they were supreme to others (135). Social Darwinism is defined as the thought of the existence of superior nations and weak nations. The superior powers believed that the world was a place of natural selection and their superiority allowed them to rule over the weaker countries. Additionally, they accepted Darwin’s theory of extinction where weaker powers would be weak. This was one of the justifications that Europeans used when they started colonizing African nations. They used the territories as a sign of superiority and gifts among themselves. For example, after World War 1, Ruanda-Urundi was given to Belgium after defeating the Germans. They also believed that through colonization, they will be able to civilize some of the African countries. The spread of Christian religion was one of the main factors that led to colonization. Some of the colonizers started out with intentions of spreading Christianity but later colonized the countries. An example is Portugal whose colonization of Congo, Ghana and Mozambique started as a missionary post. This however changed with time as colonization brought with it salve trading. Most of the colonizers in African countries started as missionaries compared to German colonization which started with land ownership. Additionally, in the Bolivian colonization, the film on Spanish colonization of the Americas shows a helicopter that tows a crucifix on the sky of Bolivia. Therefore, spread of Christianity was an earlier justification and a pathway to colonization. As stated Lindqvist, racial supremacy is an excuse that has been presented and used by the white colonizers who colonized the dark colored countries (126). An analysis by Robert Knox, who specialized in the study of the brain cavity, of an African’s head reveals that Africans have a smaller brain which denotes that they had low intellectual power compared to the whites. Additionally, blacks were associated with negative personalities such as laziness, immorality, irresponsibility and carelessness. This stereotype was the justification used by the morally upright, innovative whites to cover their social supremacy. In order to improve this, there was the Great Chain of Being which highlighted that is the list of races in descending g superiority. The first were the whites, followed by non-white races and the last were blacks followed by apes. Blacks were seen as inferior due to the fact that they were very similar to apes. The great chain of being was an enhancement of racism and superiority. The modern western world view was a great contributor of the mindset of the colonizer. It defines the characteristics of the western community that define the western countries. They include individualism, scientific methods, use of technology to ease issues, capitalism, sense of mission and patriarchy. Capitalism is the ability to use materials to produce products through required processes band selling these p0reoucts to get a profit. The use of technology and scientific approaches to solve problems or heal sickness was helpful as powerful nations had made technological advances that inferior ones lacked. The superior countries had more of these resources compared to the weaker ones. Superior countries defended their colonization as a way of expansion and extending civilization to the inferior countries. The Germans during the Nazi Regime colonized Jews because they wanted the land that would cater for the growing German population. Any territory that a country controlled became a part of the colonizing country and this is the reason that agriculture, education and trade were increased at the cost of the countries being colonized. The expansion was helpful because it benefited the colonizing country that would justify itself and say that it was spreading civilization to the weaker and inferior country. Progress of the paradigm in the present The paradigm of superiority and inferiority is still present in today’s society. There is news of financially superior countries that are indirectly in control of financially inferior countries. This may be due to financial debts and hence inferior countries have to consider the superior ones to make certain financial decisions. It is also noted that there are many wars and unfair treatment of other countries. According to Chomsky, the war in Gaza is a method that the Israelis hope will affect Gaza civilians until it exerts pressure on its leaders give in to the demands(6). The only solution to the war is for the Israelis to understand the systematic nature of the world and change its own mindset as a leadership on the conflicting issues. Conclusion This paper has highlighted the main justifications that the colonizers used and are still using in defense of brutalities that were part of the colonization. The main justification ids the fact there are nations that are superior to others and the superior ones are hence able to colonize the inferior ones. The main justifications were increased civilization and their superiority in race, technology, scientific advancements and financial capability. Most of the actions of the colonial powers were not based on the true knowledge of the world system but on purposive knowledge that has had negative effects on the world. Lindqvist denotes that an understanding of the world system is important in solving many societal evils. Additionally, the past and present colonizers should be able to understand the fault is within them and not use differences to justify brutalities. Works Cited Chomsky, Noam, and Join ZSpace. "" Exterminate all the Brutes": Gaza 2009." (2009). Gregory, Bateson. Steps to an Ecology of Mind. The University of Chicago Press (1999). Lindquist, Sven. "Exterminate All the Brutes”: One Man’s Odyssey into the Heart of Darkness and the Origins of European Genocide." Trans. J. Tate. London: Granta (1992). Read More

Although some of the colonial actions have been of positive impact in the countries that they were based, imperialism was a competition of the stronger nations. One of the justifications for the colonization is the principle of lebensraum. This was the justification that the Nazi regime used for the colonization of western countries. Lebensraum is translated to mean “living space”. At the time German believed that the civilized were the only ones that were justified to own land. It also believed that people that were primitive did not deserve the land because they did not use it.

Additionally, any land that was not being used belonged to the superior people. All this was done to provide land for the German population that was increasing. The land was taken from Jews and gypsies who were taken concentration camps. Lebensraum was also racially motivated because the Nazi leaders worked toward elimination of Jews from Europe by deporting them to concentration camps, selling them or killing them. This was also the defense used by the Germans of the holocaust. Apart from talking away the land, Germans took their property and identity.

German used this excuse of lebensraum and racial superiority to justify colonization (Lindqvist 146). According to Lindqvist, some of the countries believed in social Darwinism where specific countries considered that they were supreme to others (135). Social Darwinism is defined as the thought of the existence of superior nations and weak nations. The superior powers believed that the world was a place of natural selection and their superiority allowed them to rule over the weaker countries.

Additionally, they accepted Darwin’s theory of extinction where weaker powers would be weak. This was one of the justifications that Europeans used when they started colonizing African nations. They used the territories as a sign of superiority and gifts among themselves. For example, after World War 1, Ruanda-Urundi was given to Belgium after defeating the Germans. They also believed that through colonization, they will be able to civilize some of the African countries. The spread of Christian religion was one of the main factors that led to colonization.

Some of the colonizers started out with intentions of spreading Christianity but later colonized the countries. An example is Portugal whose colonization of Congo, Ghana and Mozambique started as a missionary post. This however changed with time as colonization brought with it salve trading. Most of the colonizers in African countries started as missionaries compared to German colonization which started with land ownership. Additionally, in the Bolivian colonization, the film on Spanish colonization of the Americas shows a helicopter that tows a crucifix on the sky of Bolivia.

Therefore, spread of Christianity was an earlier justification and a pathway to colonization. As stated Lindqvist, racial supremacy is an excuse that has been presented and used by the white colonizers who colonized the dark colored countries (126). An analysis by Robert Knox, who specialized in the study of the brain cavity, of an African’s head reveals that Africans have a smaller brain which denotes that they had low intellectual power compared to the whites. Additionally, blacks were associated with negative personalities such as laziness, immorality, irresponsibility and carelessness.

This stereotype was the justification used by the morally upright, innovative whites to cover their social supremacy. In order to improve this, there was the Great Chain of Being which highlighted that is the list of races in descending g superiority. The first were the whites, followed by non-white races and the last were blacks followed by apes. Blacks were seen as inferior due to the fact that they were very similar to apes. The great chain of being was an enhancement of racism and superiority.

The modern western world view was a great contributor of the mindset of the colonizer. It defines the characteristics of the western community that define the western countries.

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