Chapters 13-15

Following the personal personal trend I have noticed in the reading, I find myself becoming more and more interested as the time frame we are reading about gets nearer and nearer to contemporary times. I am not sure if this is as a result of the greater evidence for the facts and the resulting reduction in imaginative speculation. It was interesting to read the path of the western development across and through the Atlantic. I had no idea the Portugal was a dominant world power. Not only did they spread through the Atlantic, but also established some control in the Indian Ocean. Another surprise was the spread and power of the Dutch people. I had heard of the power of the Spanish before, but never the Portuguese and Dutch. 

Also of interest to me was the mixing of the “slave” and “master” races in the Caribbean areas and South and Central American as compared to the American colonies. I was intrigued at the social mobility of the mixed races of the southern areas whereas in the American colonies there was little to no upward movement possible for quite a long time. 

Not surprising or new, but still good to read about was the independence of the citizens of the American colonies from the governments of their mother countries and the proclivity for individual worship and separation of religion from government. Finally, not new but still interesting was reading about the currency, in the form of resources, of the Americas, the Russian, Middle Eastern, and Asian Empires. 

Chapters 9, 11, & 12

I find I am increasingly interested as the book moves toward more recent history. I have always enjoyed learning about history, and before now, was not more attracted to early or late history. I am not sure of the reason for this new shift in interests. Even Strayer's repeated assault on all things western doesn't slack my interest in history. He demonstrates his position again and again. On page 412 he writes, "As in China, Muslim societies over much of the past century have been seeking to overcome several hundred years of humiliating European intrusion and to find their place in the modern world." He categorizes the expansion and influence of Europeans as humiliating, however fails to mention that Europe had been "intruded" on in brutal and "humiliating" fashion by the Muslim empire which spread from Spain to India. He mentioned the dome on the mount, which was built where it was in part because of the religious significance of the location, but also as an affront to Jews and Christians. Strayer describes the incursion of the Muslim Empire and the resulting banishment of Christians as a "forced removal from the best lands" yet describes the reversal as a "painful extraction of Muslims from Spain". 

While the repetitive bashing of all things European is tiresome, it was still interesting to read of the inevitable rise and fall of empires. Also, the introduction of the Aztecs and Incas brought the subject a little closer to home. I had read about the Mongols in a book on leadership and found their system of attack and conquer interesting. I did not know that they operated a lot like organized crime does today. Moving into an area, establishing dominance, taking what they wanted and then charging fees for protection is classic mafia business.  

Chapters 7,8 & 10

In this reading, we saw the progression of specialization. Earlier, we read about the specializations within a group. Now, the groups began specializing within a larger society. For instance, in earlier history, individuals would specialize in things like hunting, gathering, or tool making. Later, whole groups of people began specializing, becoming experts in one or two fields and then trading the items they could provide to obtain the things they were not specialist in. Overall, this provided all with benefit, however there were drawbacks. Strayer noted "...trade, the vehicle for the spread of religious ideas, technological innovations, disease bearing germs, and plants and animals to regions far from their places of origin." (P.317)

As indicated here, goods weren't the only things to go along with the caravans. Cultural systems and technologies took the ride too. Also, and to the detriment of the societies, illnesses made the journey also. These illnesses were introduced to peoples who had never had the opportunity or need to develop immunities to them and as such wreaked havoc on communities. Strayer, true to form, took this opportunity to also point out that the early trading systems were more balance than the western European controlled system to come later. Surely, there were no cheats, no liars, no group with the upper hand, and surely the groups or individuals with the upper had would not have taken advantage of their position in the earlier trading systems. No doubt, the earlier traders would certainly have sacrificed all advantages they may have had in order to make "fair" trades.

Strayer mentions a turn toward xenophobia and the upper classes wanting to return to a "purer" time before the insertion of foreign ideals, religions, and cultures. This is interesting point for Strayer to mention for it seems to be in stark contrast with what I gather Strayer's own views are. It seems that there is a contemporary American self hatred movement. The movement looks to return to a time before America was America and despises the principles that this nation was founded on. The movement centers around a hatred for limited governmental control, individual freedoms, and capitalism. Hopefully, the pendulum will swing the other way, taking steam from this movement, and slowing the spread of this internal negativity.   

Chapters 2-6

Again Strayer's point of view comes through in the reading. He wrote, "...the fall of the mighty seems somehow satisfying, perhaps even a delayed form of justice." (P.118) He wrote that after explaining that perhaps that satisfaction comes from the probability that the mighty societies were built on the backs and at the cost of many lives. Although I can understand that line of thinking, also can see that great benefit often comes because of mighty civilization. Major advancements in science, technology, medicine, and other quality of life improvements have resulted directly from the existence of civilizations. Strayer's politics were also revealed later in the reading, on pages 229-231 when he discussed slavery and its relationship to civilizations. He wrote about the forceful subjugation of populations and kidnapping as a method of obtaining slaves, but he neglected to mention the occasions where slaves were given as an item of trade.

Strayer wrote about a part of the ancient Greek code that really resonated with me was the equality of all citizens before the law. I believe this to be a critical aspect of a truly civilized group. There is no room for unequal treatment of individuals, by government, in a society. This is an area where there can be no room for exception. If even one group of people, or even one individual, can be targeted by the government, at a minimum, the seeds are sown for revolution. A greater danger is that any allowance for subjugation of an individual, by the government, is a slippery slope that inevitably leads to full oppression.

Another part of the reading that I found interesting was the principle of Dharma which calls for people to perform their duties without regard for themselves. That seems to be an good way to look at things. While I can't advocate for it wholly, at least as a highly considered virtue, it seems to be an effective way of going about ones work. Further, adherence to this motivation would likely remove the political aspect of work. Inner office politics are detrimental to the overall performance and create all sorts of problems. Working solely for the work and not for personal advancement or gain would drastically reduce these types of issues.

Something that has been a theme in the reading so far, and something that I am curious about, is why and how the different groups of people, some of whom had little to no contact with other groups, developed similar manners at similar times.

This is my first time using this medium. I hope all goes well...

As to my response to the reading...

I definitely enjoyed it. History is something I really like. Reading different viewpoints makes the information all the more enjoyable because it helps to broaden the perspective. When we examine one perspective, we must be aware that there is, at least, one other viewpoint to be considered. Most likely, there are several angles, some of which are reasonable and need attention and some of which are not, but still need attention. 

As for direct examples from the reading; I found the romanticizing of the Paleolithic Era entertaining. While, according to conjecture, there was this incredibly peaceful equality amongst all beasties in a clan, people who romanticize that era do so from their couch whilst sipping on wine after a nice meal. In reality, most of the folks who pine for the Paleo lifestyle would last all of about thirty seconds living it. Slaughtering wild animals for food, identifying and collecting wild edibles, bathing in creeks (if bathing at all) is a brutal, difficult, unforgiving way of life. I am exceedingly grateful that a minor mistake on my part in food acquisition, will not lead to the death of my children.

Additionally, I thought the reference to mankind learning to grovel being a result of civilization was interesting. Undoubtedly, in civilization, when people are assigned public positions of authority, we offer them respect and honor due their position. I find it hard to believe that there wasn't even a loose hierarchy in the Paleo era. Where there is hierarchy, there are folks lower on the pole trying to buddy up to folks higher. While I can’t cite a study proving my position, I just can’t fathom it wasn't happening.