Human civilisation and progress

Where is the Life we have lost in living? Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information? - T.S. Eliot, an essayist, publisher, playwright, literary and social critic, and "one of the twentieth century's major poets" in The Rock.

There are many humorous things in this world; and foremost among them was the white man's notion that, because of the colour of his skin he is less savage than, the other savages. That the colour of his skin is the result of a lack of melanin, the substance that determines the skin pigmentation, because of an inefficient production process in his body that controls its biochemical effects; and also owing to the fact he lives in areas of lesser ultraviolet radiation, is lost to his intelligence.

Hence, to this day, the notion has persisted unchanged. For them, civilisation is a limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessaries: they civilise what is pretty by putting up a city, where nothing that is pretty can grow. They civilise the left; they civilise the right:until nothing is left; and nothing is right.

Thus, human civilisation, in their perspective, becomes more and more a race between belief and doubt: their beliefs against other's doubts. Men become civilised, not in proportion to their willingness to believe, but in proportion to their readiness to doubt is another lesson that is lost to them. All civilisation in a sense exists only in the mind. It is perception, knowledge, and understanding that is, passed along; not buildings, textile arts, machinery, laws, telephones.

These are not, transmitted from man to man or from generation to generation, at least not permanently. Only socio-cultural traditions are thus transmitted; and therefore, everything social can have existence only through mentality. If the asphalt road and a thousand lost golf balls defines civilisation, such civilisation only creates a dying; builds nothing. In fact, every civilisation depends upon and is, determined by the quality of the individuals it produces.

Ambiguous

The first request of civilisation is that of justice. Where justice does not exist, civilisation is fragile and highly ambiguous. Most civilisation; is based on cowardice. It is so easy to civilise by teaching cowardice. Water down the standards, which would lead to bravery; restrain the will; regulate the appetites; and fence in the horizons. Make a law for every movement. Deny the existence of chaos. Teach even the children to breathe slowly.

In short, tame, tame, and tame. A broken, docile, and pacified civilisation begins to decline the moment a discipline through fear becomes its sole obsession.

If a system denies the existence of basic human rights, fear tends to be the order of the day. Fear of imprisonment, fear of torture, fear of death, fear of losing friends, family, property, means of livelihood; fear of poverty,fear of isolation, fear of failure.

Fear, however, is not the natural state of civilised man: it could be a touch of madness, but not fear.

The world's greatest minds that have contributed to the progress of human civilisation have all benefited from a touch of something, a little bit of madness that nullifies fear. Such personality traits have in fact, helped human civilisation evolve.

There is a large and growing body of research devoted to the link between successful, high-achieving personalities and some degree of mental illness. For instance, a few personality traits of psychopaths may actually be positive in some circumstances, according to researcher Scott Lilienfeld, a psychologist at Emory University in Atlanta. Lilienfeld found that a couple of psychopathic traits are ironically, linked to heroic behaviour. A psychopathic trait called fearless dominance - essentially boldness - was linked with, greater heroism and altruism toward strangers.

Channelled

Personality traits can be good or bad depending on the person and depending on the situation and also how they're channelled," said Lilienfeld.

The human species does not necessarily move in stages from progress to progress; history and civilisation do not advance in tandem.

From the stagnation of Medieval Europe to the decline and chaos in recent times on the mainland of Asia; and to the catastrophes of two world wars in the twentieth century; the methods of killing people became increasingly the hallmark of civilisation. Scientific and technological progress certainly does not imply that humankind as a result becomes more civilised.

Many clever Babylonians; many clever Egyptians; many clever men of the Roman; Greek, Sumerian, Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa Empires have all trusted to civilisation. Yet, they have all declined and vanished to become history.

Can you tell me, in a world that is flagrant with the failures of civilization, what there is particularly immortal about any civilisation? I believe that, at least in our part of the world, civilisation and progress only means the exchange of one nuisance for another nuisance.

In that respect, animals have an advantage over man: they never hear the clock strike, they die without any idea of death, they have no theologians to instruct them; their last moments are not, disturbed by unwelcome and unpleasant ceremonies, their funerals cost them nothing, and no one starts lawsuits over their wills.

Progress

In my opinion, a civilised people must, satisfy the following criteria if they are to progress: Respect human beings as individuals. Be always tolerant, gentle, courteous, and amenable. Do not create scenes over small matters; do not make you feel they are conferring a great benefit on you when they live with you.

Have compassion for other people besides beggars and cats. Their hearts suffers the pain of others. Respect other people's property, and pay their debts. They are not devious.

They do not tell lies even in the most trivial matters. To lie to someone is to insult them, and the liar is, diminished in the eyes of the person he lies to. Civilised people do not put on airs; they behave in the street as they would at home, they do not show off to impress others.

They will not run themselves down in order to provoke the sympathy of others. They are not vain. They do not swank about with their portfolios: true talent always sits in the shade, avoids limelight.

They will work at developing their aesthetic sensibility. If not, civilisation is only a cover, through which their savage nature can still burst, infernal as ever.

After all, man owes his existence to a six-inch layer of topsoil, and the fact that it rains - despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication, and his many accomplishments.

It is only when tillage began, other arts followed. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of human civilisation.

We are at the very beginning of time for the human race. Therefore, it is only reasonable that we grapple with problems. There are tens of thousands of years in the future. Our responsibility is to do: what we can; learn what we can; improve the solutions; and pass them on. That will be progress. Economic advance is not the same thing as human progress.Our preoccupation with technological progress has overshadowed our concern with human progress. The truth is, human progress has never been shaped by technology, commerce, or economics. The liberty of the individual is a necessary postulate of human progress. Yearning for the seemingly impossible is the path to human progress. Exploration of ideas beyond what we know is what leads to human progress. Sad though, the march of the human mind is slow.

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