I’m in the process of reading a forthcoming translation of an ancient Chinese legend. I’m not editing it, simply making a few minor suggestions as to fundamental differences of a cultural nature that might confuse western readers. During an apologetic, explanatory email to the author / translator I made an observation that startled me, before granting me an insight.
I said “We’re all people, and often make the mistake of thinking that as such we’re the same – we are not. The thinking process of our parents and peers definitely modifies the way we look at things.”
True to form, as is so often the case with these types of things, a few hours later I found myself listening to an audio book titled “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand. Within it, she raised the national indoctrination of the people of Japan prior to the Second World War. The militaristic government set out to pervert an ancient, rich and wonderful culture – essentially twisting their own history to convince the Japanese people that brutality, bloodshed and cruelty were acceptable forms of behavior when used against the inferior nations. The war crimes perpetrated as a result of this indoctrination must reign right up there with those perpetrated by Nazi Germany. And guess what? Hitler did precisely the same thing to the Germans – dehumanizing the Jews and rendering any behavior toward them “acceptable”.
What have we learnt from history? Sadly what history all too often teaches us – that we don’t learn from history. Genocide is occurring in multiple regions of the world today. In most of those cases the “enemy” is dehumanized, while the cruelty of the oppressors is lauded. Look at the horrific behavior of multiple Islamic factions who delight in brutal beheadings. And now, before you nod your head in outraged agreement, look in the mirror and ask yourself how you feel about Muslims…
How do you feel about people whose skin is a little duskier than our own, whose hair is darker, whose noses are larger, whose facial hair is thicker, who dare to worship a different deity? Do those differences render them somehow less human?
A little shame faced? Discard the rhetoric we have shoved down our throats on a daily basis, then ask the question again – but this time emphasize how you, personally, feel.
Is the answer the same as it was moments ago? I truly hope not.
Now, I leave you with a final thought. Eugenics is alive, strong, morally reprehensible, and utterly impartial.
