Civilization is a great idea. Somebody ought to start it.
Civilization is a great idea. Somebody ought to start it.
What is civilization?
The dictionary defines it as: “the stage of human social and cultural development and organization that is considered most advanced.”
When we discuss civilization, all of us believe that we are thinking the same things. But the reality is, there are more flavors of civilization, then there are flavors of ice cream (and gelato) all over the world.
Different cultures have disparate definitions of that which constitutes civilized behavior. So, when people on a global basis, discuss civilized behavior, the communication breakdown starts immediately with the lack of a common definition.
Civilized behavior is highly cultural and impacted further by socioeconomic status, and other marginalizing variables in a society. In our attempt to find peace between nations, we work most diligently to find a common ground in which we may all join together in a clear band of camaraderie and brotherhood.
Sadly, we are quick to discover that it is the core differences between us, that precludes our ever reaching any common overarching goal of this magnitude.
We work in joint efforts to create and deploy policies, economic options, and other crucial variables, so that large chunks of humanity are unburdened from unfair forms of repression. In our labor to find this human commonality, countless variables must truly be contemplated in the quest to achieve something of this magnitude.
It would be nice if we could just look inside of our collective heart and see some clear definition that is as our Constitution delineates as being self-evident, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Yet as soon as you get one degree away from the idealistic phrase, everything starts to splinter into variables that require further definition, such that they could be potentially applicable and enforceable. “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,-That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.”
Civilization is a great idea. Somebody ought to start it.
Happy Thursday!
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