Civilization and Beyond: Learning from HistoryNearing, Scott
History
Civilization and Beyond: Learning from History
Nearing, Scott
Civilization -- History
A second collective goal has been propitiating and wooing the unseen
forces of the universe: holding their attention; keeping them on "our"
side; relying on their influence for defense against enemies, mortal and
immortal, and help in providing water in case of drought, fertility,
assistance in healing the sick, comfort for the dying, consolation for
the bereaved and success in business deals. These multiple aspects of
ideology are summed up under the term "religion".
Each civilization has had its religious ideas and ideals, its religious
practices and institutions. Many civilizations have divided their
attention between civil ideology and religious ideology. In some cases
religious ideology took precedence, resulting in a theocratic society
under the leadership of religious devotees. In other cases, notably
Roman civilization and western civilization, religious ideology was
subordinated to secular interests.
In the early stages of western civilization, religious ideology took
precedence over secular ideology. With the rise of the bourgeoisie,
secular ideology moved into the foreground, making loud religious
professions, but also making sure that business-for-profit had the last
word in the determination of public policy.
A third collective ideological goal of civilization has been aesthetic;
the yen for symmetry and balance; the love of beauty; the desire for
harmony; the quest for excellence; the lure of magnificence; the search
for truth. Out of these urges have arisen the pictorial and plastic
arts, architecture, music, the dance, science, and philosophy, providing
outlets, occupations and professions that have colored and shaped many
aspects of civilized living.
A fourth collective goal of civilization has been the establishment and
maintenance of social structure, including classes and/or caste lines
based partly upon tradition, partly on function and partly upon
proximity to the honey-pot, the wellspring of wealth, income, prestige
and power.
Since the principle of private property has been implicit in every known
civilization, the ownership of land, capital and consumer goods and
services has been a prerogative of the ruling oligarchies, shared by
them with their associates and dependents and used as their chief means
of establishing and maintaining the "you work, I eat" principal of
economic relationships.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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