People Do What They Do...
Because they want what they want. As simple as that seems, it's enormously complex.
It's hard for Americans to comprehend that there are people who believe that a representative republic is an abomination before God. But the actual things that people want are shaped by environment and culture to a huge degree. Parents define value for the following generation. Islam teaches that there is no law except that given by Allah. This directly contravenes to the concept of a representative government.
Turkey, benefiting from an infusion of Western Culture that was absorbed by the Ottoman Empire, was the first Islamic country with a representative government. It has been difficult and at times precarious. Kemal Ataturk is revered within Turkey as the father of their country. He fused western values with Islamic traditions in a viable manner.
As a rule, most value systems are not very portable. Value systems define cultures and are the root of inter-cultural conflict. Colonial powers viewed indigenous peoples as inferior savages based on incompatible values. The spread of Christianity and Western Culture was not vicious, it was thought to be an elevation of a backward people.
Another example of a culture clash was when American GIs had to deal with the code of honor (Bushido) of the Japanese Soldier that demanded death rather than surrender. So foreign a concept. Battlefield chivalry went out the window. Bloody hell was the result.
If you want to change what people do, you have to change what they want. We did it to the Warsaw Pact with western goods; Sony Walkmans and Levi's 501s.
There will be no peace in Israel, until the Arabs use maps that show the State of Israel. As long as they want Israel to "Not Exist", there will be no peace.
There will be no peace in Iraq until those who want to restore a Ba'athist government are wiped out or driven to cower in fear.
When you see conflict, look for the objectives and trace those back to values. That's where it all starts.
I've tackled it in much greater length (11 pages) here.
It's hard for Americans to comprehend that there are people who believe that a representative republic is an abomination before God. But the actual things that people want are shaped by environment and culture to a huge degree. Parents define value for the following generation. Islam teaches that there is no law except that given by Allah. This directly contravenes to the concept of a representative government.
Turkey, benefiting from an infusion of Western Culture that was absorbed by the Ottoman Empire, was the first Islamic country with a representative government. It has been difficult and at times precarious. Kemal Ataturk is revered within Turkey as the father of their country. He fused western values with Islamic traditions in a viable manner.
As a rule, most value systems are not very portable. Value systems define cultures and are the root of inter-cultural conflict. Colonial powers viewed indigenous peoples as inferior savages based on incompatible values. The spread of Christianity and Western Culture was not vicious, it was thought to be an elevation of a backward people.
Another example of a culture clash was when American GIs had to deal with the code of honor (Bushido) of the Japanese Soldier that demanded death rather than surrender. So foreign a concept. Battlefield chivalry went out the window. Bloody hell was the result.
If you want to change what people do, you have to change what they want. We did it to the Warsaw Pact with western goods; Sony Walkmans and Levi's 501s.
There will be no peace in Israel, until the Arabs use maps that show the State of Israel. As long as they want Israel to "Not Exist", there will be no peace.
There will be no peace in Iraq until those who want to restore a Ba'athist government are wiped out or driven to cower in fear.
When you see conflict, look for the objectives and trace those back to values. That's where it all starts.
I've tackled it in much greater length (11 pages) here.
posted by ironcross11 | 9:11 AM
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