Friday, September 4, 2009

CIVILIZED PEOPLES

We have seen that our ordinary language sometimes might make us misunderstand a wider idea of civilization, by requiring that ancient peoples show certain criteria, such as having a written language or living in cities (see previous posts).


To follow the former of these criteria, a noble people such as the ancient Incas would be considered as a savage one; to follow the latter, the wandering Hebrews, the givers of a religion originating those religions embraced by half of mankind, could not be considered as a civilized people.


What should be, then this wider concept of civilized man, taking him apart from mere migratory mammals?


Any ancient tradition seems to recognize that man is not one, but a multiplicity of thoughts, feelings and sensations. The multiplicity of man, as opposed to the unity of God creating him, seems to be present among peoples much older than our so called “historical times.”


Then, perhaps it will be a good start to consider that a civilized man is the one who tries to look at his own condition, and recognizes that he is far from being perfect. This very idea forces him to accept the necessary existence of higher levels. And this is as old as mankind.




All ancient peoples show they have a religion, where a single God, or his aspects are represented by a pantheon of gods and goddesses, such as this image of Inanna (above), the Sumerian goddess of love, fertility and warfare, far fore-mother of the Greek Aphrodite and closely related to the Egyptian Isis or the Babylonian Ishtar.


Of course, the recognition of Divine beings comes hand in hand with considering man as a beast that has to be tamed, which is also shown by the same goddess controlling a lion under her foot.


The ancient I Ching, as old as 1000 BC, also recognizes the same idea when it says, “Only when a man is completely free from his animal self and intent upon what is right and essential, does he acquire the clarity that enables him to see through people.”


So, this would be a start for a further research.


© 2009 Hugo Ferraguti