Novice Intro Chapter - Tales

It was all at cause of a fatal introduction.

The mind perceives particular events in certain ways. Some events however, are always perceived the same. This happens regardless of condition, rather it is a form of some greater design. Perhaps this design is so grand, that only glimpses are we allowed studying. In pieces, these events mean nothing. Together however, these events paste into one big master puzzle that’s even more mutilated than one’s own perception of what really is. It’s the great scheme of things that’s incomplete, that’s why it’s open to interpretation. Nothing that has ever been done right is open to interpretation.

I remember a black Jaguar, a 1986 model to be precise. To further the description, I’ll add that it’s faded black, with a sun beaten leather interior. I’m sitting next to the Driver, and a friend in the back seat with nothing much to say. I believe that we’re in no condition to speak; nonetheless, we drive at sixty down a residential. Something has scared us bad. Either that, or the paranoia has settled in once again.

Before I got into the Jaguar, I was at this party. The party was at the Kernel’s house. It was a name that they called him from childhood. He’s one of those people, which could be confused for anyone. He is no one and everyone. He’s that guy that everyone knows. The guy that is always around at a distance. He lived in this apartment complex built for college kids. Ten years ago this would have been right for the Kernel. Right for that moment, but not for this one. He throws parties as if it were still 1992. Somehow, amongst all of the Kernel’s festivals, this one felt special. This one in particular felt like a mistake in timing. Something had happened, and I really couldn’t tell what it was. I’m sure I wasn’t supposed to know.

I arrived at the party in my white, 1985 Oldsmobile. It had tints to shield me from any unfriendliness. In darkness of the car, I sat as an observer. Watching those who walked in and out, very carefully. The strategy of arrival, determines the outcome of the evening. The radio was playing one of its generic numbers. Either way my interest was in the people outside. It was odd, the people entering or exiting were, in some way, familiar to me. Even though I didn’t know anyone at glance, they still gave me a feeling of comfort.

I stepped out of the car. Everything halted for a split second. It felt uncomfortable and uneasy for a solid minute. What I knew then, but can’t feel now, is that it was the wrong moment. I felt the pain of realization and the sting of a quiet lack of ignorance. Perhaps the gods would show me favor tonight and let me go. Let me go back into the car, with no one calling out my name in recognition.

“Hey you!”

I was spotted in a moment where choice had left. This moment I now call ‘Circumstance B.’ The glow of this moment in particular, is outlined in my mind. The people that were calling me were complete strangers. I smiled at these people and waved. Their inviting warmth left me with the lack of choice. If I had just sat in that car, I would have been beyond fine. Instead, I decided to go to the other side of the spectrum. 

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A Revisionist - History

Revising History

When Historians look back into the very books and stories that make up the construct of our society, they look back through their own life perspective. As we know, someone looking back at the events of 1968 for example from the year 1969 will have a different interpretation than that of a person looking back from the year 2008. Perspectives change through 'time' and so does the way we interpret them. It is inevitable to look back into history without having our own perspectives influence how we interpret the material.

Revisionism is the ability to change how we interpret history. Much like revisions of a book, this is the case. History is constantly changing. Funny to hear, but very true. For example, there is a book called "The Tragedy of American Diplomacy" by William Appleman Williams. This book is constantly revised along with the state of the nation. It is always being expanded and added to in order to reinforce the presented argument. The same way this is revised, is the same way Historians and Philosophers apply historical revisionism within the annals of History. 

As our minds and perspective change, so does the way we interpret old material.

Lets think about it momentarily, within the dynamics of the Civil Rights Movement of 1896-1954 that ultimately roots within the American Civil War of 1861-1865. Back then, in cases such as Brown v. the Board of Education that overturned segregation within Educational facilities, they seem fairly easy to figure out from the viewpoint of one standing in 2009.  Integration seems like a logical choice while segregation does not. Our views have expanded and the difference between right and wrong have completely been altered from past popular beliefs . 

Facts are facts. But the interpretation of those facts is bendable through perspective. It's important that this realization truly roots itself within Historical Scholars today. The structure that is presented to us is simply that... a presentation. It is flexible and can bend as it is viewed and studied.

We can look back to the Cold War from the viewpoint of our relative year, 2009. We can see an aspect such as the Space Race as positive. If the cold war would have continued, we would have perhaps made it to other unexplored planets. The tension created within that time frame was needed in order to expand the global perspective. Apollo 8 was the first spacecraft that reached the gravitational pull of the moon. First within its history to do this. The Cold War could be thanked for initiating this type of action. Advancement through global stress. If looked at during the year 1968, it was simply seen perhaps as the Americans beating the Russians. The viewpoint back then, simply for our example was seen as a simple competition between feuding countries for dominance. Now, we view it differently. 

Sitting in 2009, we might view that Pressure and Tension are ingredients that are necessary to accomplish particular goals.

Let it be noted that History is a living and breathing thing. It is organic and built upon Human interpretation and perspective, nothing and nothing less.

Perhaps History itself is always waiting for one to properly interpret it and will never rest until it is rightfully understood.

Cloning the Human Condition-Philosophy

The idea of cloning is at first perceived as Science Fiction. Science Fiction is a way of sometimes hiding deep seeded issues as fantasy. The very idea of cloning myself, excavates buried thoughts of life and death. Why would a clone be necessary if all life is interconnected energetically? Energy is everywhere and is interpreted through our own life filters and perceptions. Consequently, cloning human’s stems from a much deeper emotion hidden within the human condition.

The concept of death and its falsehood.

We have been programmed since birth to believe that death innately is unavoidable. When humans are born, they are given what is believed the only certainty in their lives, the guarantee of death. This idea is a very deathist mentality.

To clone or not to clone?

To live or not to live?

The fight for life is the human struggle and a programmed part of the human condition. Humans try to understand the body on a genetic level through the logical mind. Which results in some answers, but a thunderstorm of questions. Much like any exploration, once one is too deep into the cave, remembering what the surface looks like is relatively hard. It’s safe to say that it is easy to become lost within the very structure of the analysis being conducted. Another cause of this idea of cloning is the concept of the oppressed versus the oppressors, the masters versus the slaves. Unconsciously this thematic is very present within our society today and stems back to the very cradle of civilization.

If we create something, are we the masters of these things?

The answer to this is found within oneself, the individual. It differs from person to person simply because reality differs from person to person. In scripture and loose notes, the living God has taught us that humans were created in fact in his/her own image. As God is creator and humans are created in his/her image, by taking the angle of logical breakdown, humans are creators as well. We can feel and see that God holds no interest in controlling the actions of humans or any other life on earth. He/She simply allows the creations to live off the land and essentially live a free life. In this relationship there is neither master nor slave. There is simply life and the pleasures of existence so to speak. 

Life is life.

Whether life takes the form of a human, a dog, a lamp, the chair you sit in or whether it’s the computer you work with. Life is formless, it is only the human mind that perceives life in definitions due to the constant need to understand our surroundings with the logical mind. Existence exists and everything is alive. Life is felt rather than seen or heard. Conclusively, the logical mind truly plays a small part in understanding the very essence and structure of life. Life is felt through emotion, not analyzed through logical and conformist thoughts.

Clones are people.

Simply because we have the means of recreating life, does not mean we hold dominion over such things. A creator is by default an artist. An artist respects his/her work. The same goes for the creations we make as scientists, doctors and painters… they must be respected much like God respects his/her creations.

Chinese Communism - History

In 1950, Mao Zedong’s communist forces defeated the ruling Nationalist party. The communist philosophy was introduced into the Chinese government much like oil to water, hesitant, but they'll hang out if need be. At the time, it was perceived that the Communist party was working in the best interest of the people, which for the most part they were. The communist philosophy was taken and interpreted by individuals that perhaps missed certain points of the overall design. Marxism was intended to be an open ended philosophical system based on the advancement of the working people. To say that communism changed China is perhaps not adequate. To say that China changed communism in order to properly adapt its philosophical structure to it's own needs, is much more accurate.

China’s political structure before communism was introduced was at best chaotic. The dynasties that ruled over China in the past were made up of individuals that presented themselves as servants to the emperor while their true intentions were that of personal gain. Through this exercise of gaining personal goals, the country had a self-applied strangle hold on its own throat. Suffocated by years of customs, bogged down by out dated traditions, China’s culture was for the most part suffering greatly. Its weakness came from the inexperienced leading powers who ran the country. Right before Chinese Nationalism came into play, the Manchu Dynasty occupied China’s leadership. The Manchu dynasty, better known as the Qing dynasty was a period when China was controlled by foreigners. 1

Manchuria is an area found in northeast Asia, falling right in between Russia and China. The people of Manchuria are called Manchurians and for the most part are not considered of Chinese descent. So when the Manchu came into power over the Chinese, it was considered, though not fully expressed, that barbarians were in control of China. The rule of the Qing dynasty stood from the beginning of the 17^th century up until 1911. One can't help but to ponder what could the Manchu leaders know about a country that they cannot call home? To the Manchu’s credit, they assimilated many Chinese traditions in order to fit in the skin better. However, they did not grow up among the Chinese, so their understanding would have been limited automatically.

By the time Nationalism rolled in, China had seen their last great empire crumble before their very eyes. A deranged dead empress immediately followed by a pre-mature child emperor that obviously lacked the leadership skills necessary to steer the country out of impeding doom.

The Nationalist movement is a structure with a heavy emphasis on cultural and political theories unifying China. The ideological basis of Nationalism draw on Marxist, Western and Russian intellectual thought as its contrasting base. This was intended as a way to reform the political structure of China. It based its primary focus on unity. Considering that the Manchurians drove China directly into the ground, any change was welcomed. China, now being directed by Chinese people as opposed to foreign rule, faced an unfamiliar new beginning. However, this beginning did not come without its bumps in the road.

In 1927, the Chinese Civil War between the Chinese Nationalists and the Communist Party of China erupted. 2 The war continued up until the Japanese invaded. The communist party gained it true strength and momentum during this time. While the Japanese marched forward into China, the controlling Nationalist government proceeded to battle the communists believing them to be the true threat. Members of the communist party spent their days getting to know the peasantry. The peasantry viewed this choice by the Nationalist as wrong and perhaps not acting in their best interests. If the Nationalists are trying to kill the Chinese communists, while the invading Japanese forces are allowed to walk through China killing its people and doing as they please, something is terribly wrong. Perhaps the echoes of the previous Qing dynasty reminded them what foreign rule was like. And like clock work, the communist party gained strength among the people.

Some time later, Japan was defeated in 1945, thus defining the end of World War II. The Chinese Civil war continued once again until 1950 when the Communist party finally took control. 3

Now, communism in theory cannot work in under developed nations. It took Europe to naturally evolve industrially throughout a period of over one-hundred-fifty-years. Though Europe was never communist, it was still fertile ground in which to apply Marxist theory of communism. China, was not very industrialized by the time the Communist party took control of the country. This on its own served is a major problem for the Chinese who are trying to apply these theories into practice. For the most part the ideology of communism is somewhat present in its application into Chinese society. Now whether all of its parts made it through to the whole is debatable. Communism suited the needs of the Chinese at that particular point of time. Coming from a series of bad experiences in leadership, the communist party was welcomed as the carriers of the Mandate of Heaven. It was logical for the Chinese revolutionaries to turn towards communism as an ideology considering that the Russian communists saved their country back from a similar circumstance. 4 Call it much needed inspiration. These men looked outwards in order to help the internal situation of their country. Interesting enough, this is very representative of the situation. There is a reoccurring thematic within ancient Chinese philosophy, which convey the principles of the external reflections of internal problems. The Chinese revolutionaries looking at the Russian revolution as inspiration to cure their own ailments illustrates this very well. 5

Much like the barbarians that ruled China throughout the Qing Dynasty, the foreign concepts of communism did not come without its own puzzles. It is exactly the same problem that the Chinese faced before, only this time the problem took a different form. It didn't come in the form of a conquering army thirsty for the blood of the Chinese, it came in the form of a foreign ideology that is believed to carry the answers to their problems. Perhaps if we closed our eyes, and looked at this from a different angle, we could see that maybe the ideas cultivated by Carl Marx had their own Mandate of Heaven? Regardless, communism was interpreted and adapted to the best of their abilities. But once again, as we previously glossed over one of the main pre-requisites of communism is that the country must be industrialized and that the working class must out number all others. So once again, the concept of communism is transformed, punched, mutilated and injected into yet another version of its former self. Though many still refer to China as a communist state, it truly is not. It is simply an interpretation of the ideology and nothing more. What is practiced in China today is a type of hybrid capitalism that mixes concepts as it pleases. But it is important to see that the change to communism was one made out of need and not of choice. Even though choice is apparent, Chinese history dictates that the Mandate of Heaven chooses its carriers at random.

Circles of Creation - History

History is viewed through many angles and has various interpretations. However, the fact remains that while history is in fact an interpretation in itself, this interpretation comes from the perspective of a human. Simply put, the world as we know it has been determined, created and accounted for by its human inhabitants. With that being said, the creation myths that define our reality, the very beginnings of our civilizations are merely interpretations of events that occurred a millennia ago. Everything has a beginning, and when that beginning happens there are no witnesses, simply because things are still in the process of being created, nothing really exists other than creation itself. After the fact, the recently created civilizations interpret their surroundings, and much like ancient detectives, begin to gather clues and facts about how they came into being. Imagine it in the same respect as a form of mass memory loss. There are those who don’t know how they got here and don’t care. However, there were obviously those who questioned the method of their existence and arrival. Those very curious individuals are the ones that are responsible for giving us a window into how things in that particular culture and time period came into being. All around the world as civilizations sprang into existence, so did the creation myths that bound them. These men can easily be referred to as ancient historians of sorts, the original writers of time. They interpreted and recorded their findings and from there, their stories defined culture, religion, social standards and like-minded civilians that for the most part followed the stories as law. It is by far no coincidence that the different creation myths have very similar themes and elements. Perhaps humans share an invisible consciousness in which certain ideas, information and beliefs are stored. Though countries and lifetimes apart, the creation myths of Sumer, Greece, and even the Hebrews through their book of Genesis share thematics that are if not exact, are very close to one another. These shared thematics and elements imply a sense of circular understanding that help define the world we live in today. How is it possible for these men/women, to interpret similar beginnings without being in communication with one another? The world is dipped in mystery and wonder. Regardless, the creation myths of Sumer, Greece, and Genesis have similar events and themes, proving that there are elements within those myths that through constant reinterpretation of the same circular existence we participate in can be accounted for as truth.

The Sumerian creation myth is one of the earliest accounts of one of our main themes, the flood thematic. The story of Sumer’s creations is found on a single rock tablet, damaged and becoming more intriguing over time. However, the complete creation myth is not available as the tablet is broken and arrogantly begins when the gods create the Sumerian people and the animals of Sumer. 1 The actual text does not describe how the actual universe, or how our earth was created through the perspective of the Sumerians. However, the Sumerians made it a point to introduce their gods cosmologically, giving curious readers an idea of how events took place and unfolded. Everything started in the sea, which they referred to as Nammu, a god. From that point, the sea gave birth to the unified mountain of earth’s land mass. On that mountain existed the god An, which was heaven and the goddess Ki, which was earth. 1 This union, which was brought forth through the connection of the natural environment gave birth to Enlil, which was the god of air. This air god, separated heaven from earth lending itself to another concurring thematic which illustrates how humans separate themselves from the very chance of attaining the divinity of a god. 1 The gods, later decided to clean humanity in the form of a great flood. The god of the water instructs an Akkadian man by the name of Atra-hasis, to build an ark in order to save the pure. 1 While this bit of information is missing from the actual tablet, it is detailed through Babylonian mythology. The storm lasts for a period of seven days and seven nights. 1 The flood takes place because the people of Sumer angered the gods either through a form of betrayal or disrespect. The flood is initiated to cleanse the civilization until it once again becomes pure. In a sense, the flood thematic lends itself to the idea of rebirth and second chances. Though the people needed to be cleansed, this destruction was not without it’s gleaming sense of hope at the end of the tunnel so to speak.

In the beginning of the creation of Greek reality, there was a void of darkness. In this void existed Nyx, a black bird. The bird laid a golden egg and sat upon it until Eros, the god of love came into being. 2 The shells of the egg separated and created the sky named Uranus, and the earth named Gaia, both gods in their own respect. The god of love made the two fall in love and from that union sprang forth Cronos and his sister Rhea among many other siblings. 2 Much like the myths of Sumer, gods created gods through a union of the natural environment. Heaven, in this case identified as the sky unified with earth and formed a brethren of other gods. These gods, created other gods up until Zeus, who following in the steps of his own father Cronos, killed him and claimed his throne. Some time after Zeus’s rise to power, high on top of mount Olympus, he decided to severely punish humanity in the form of a great flood. Once again we arrive at the recurring dynamic of the ever-cleansing water in the form of another great flood. However, as Poseiden’s wrath was unleashed upon man, Zeus had mercy and called the seas to grown calm. This flood was foretold by the oracle of Delphi, which resided in the mountain of Delphi, which was called the navel of earth. 2 This navel of earth is similar to the Fertile Crescent, as described by Sumerian mythology in which it draws a comparison upon the physical beginning of life. Amongst the destruction of the flood, the gods had pity among men and the merciful Zeus stops the flood. The same can be seen within the structure of the cleansing of Sumer. The main difference between these two identical themes is that the gods of Sumer were much more lenient than Zeus was with respect to having pity towards humans. The Sumerian gods instructed Atra-hasis to create an ark in order to save a selected few. Zeus, was ready to destroy humanity as a whole with the promise of a better more obedient race. However, Zeus exercises mercy and saves the humans from a seemingly unavoidable death. Creation came into being by similar means through the connection of natural elements within the myths of both Greece and Sumer.

The Hebrews account their creation myth depicts god has having created the heavens and earth, much like the connection of heaven and earth in Sumer and Greek myths. However, god’s coming into existence is unaccounted for. The very beginning is simply a concept that is accepted, much like the incomplete tablet that accounts for Sumeria’s creation, and the given that the void and Nyx existed irrefutably within the Greek creation myth. Drawing contrasts between the three myths, one can see that the very beginning of any creation tale, starts with an unmovable element that serves as an ever-existing circumstance. In regards to genesis, this unmovable element is god. God is there at the beginning already creating, and ever so vigilant working hard. The idea that comes to mind is that god created humans in his likeness, a concept shared with Greek mythology that depicts Zeus and the rest of the pantheon in human form. Sumerian mythology does not lend itself towards this idea as their gods did not adopt the appearance of humans, for the exception of Marduk, which was the son of god and was better known within Babylonian mythology. 3 Another thematic apparent within Genesis is the exclusion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden after eating the forbidden fruit. This illustrates the separation of divinity between humans and gods. Almost as if it were an innate disposition for humans to divide themselves from their godly creators, even though they were formed in their image. This theme surfaces in Sumerian mythology by the birth of Enlil, which was responsible for separating earth from heaven. The Greeks place their gods on top of mount Olympus, a place where no humans are allowed to wander. Perhaps this separation is natural and can be viewed as the beginning of human struggle. Another binding element between these civilizations is the great flood, in which god, in order to clean the earth of its impurities, instructs Noah to build an ark in order to save those who are deemed worthy. This is shown in Sumerian mythology through the actions of Atra-hasis who also built an ark to save the pure. The Garden of Eden also represents a physical beginning to existence. The same can be found in Sumer’s Fertile Crescent, and in the Greek’s navel of earth where knowledge seems to spring eternal through the oracle’s unique insight.

How were we really created? Is the world simply a paradox of different realities and stories layered on top of each other in hopes of finding some negligent truth? We have drawn conclusions among three creation myths, Sumer, Greece and Genesis that show the same elements and themes. Though these reoccurring events are disguised to appear different, they are in fact the same. All three creation myths have a flood that cleanses the earth, the natural connection (heaven and earth) of the elements that in turn form life, the separation of man’s divinity from god, a physical beginning for existence (Fertile Crescent, navel of earth, Garden of Eden) and the overall fact that all these accounts originate from the perspective of a human being. One thing is beyond the shadow of doubt, these reoccurring elements can and can be held as truth in some fashion or another. Gods exist, they want to be acknowledged and respected. In a sense, the authors of these varied creation myths can be seen as creators as well. Without their interpretation of how things came into existence, we would not know, or perhaps someone else would simply step in and create another set of creation myths much like Charles Darwin did in the nineteenth century. History travels in a circular straight line. By this, we can see that while history and events unfold in a perpetual forward motion, we are simply traveling within cycles that we have yet to acknowledge, sharing similar events and constantly revisiting the same themes. The creation myths are no exception to the recycling process of history. Everything has a beginning, and the beginning is created by man.