American civilization has made undeniable contributions to the entire world but it is not a unique civilization. Instead, it is a product of the strong winds of change that led to the realization of great geographical discoveries. The riches of the new continents were immense and were waiting to be utilized by an advanced society. It was Europeans who capitalized on this new opportunity to form wealthier lives.

A few posts ago I refered to dialectical materialism which presents an explanation to how and why society develops in a perpetual chain of transitions from one state to another. Accordingly, there are theses and antitheses.

One understands wealth in one way and the other in another. Happiness, joy, pride, advancements etc are all such concepts.

and those concepts are vulnerable to manipulation....

History keeps an account of the various consequences of this fight between theses and antitheses.

And is it not said history is written, and rewritten,  by the victor....?

Just remember the clash between the defenders of AC and DC, steam engine and combustion chamber engine, Ghandhi and Britain. In each one of these cases there was a thesis and an antithesis. The world would evolve in exactly the opposite direction had anyone of the dropped alternatives were chosen. This applies to ideas, opinions,  philosophies and economic models too. In other words, the winner determines the outcome.

To some extent, but the other side exerts a great deal of influence.  How much of US culture comes from Africa? African culture has become so entwined in all aspects of American culture it is impossible to remove it.  There was no sushi available in restraunts in the USA until after WWII. Now it´s all over the place.  Many became involved with Zen........and of course....Japanese martial arts became the rage.......

It is not enough to have a more benign point of view. One needs to find a way to enforce it. There is no way to affect any changes in the world unless you have coercion and there seems to be no way to get it when all your intentions are humane and benign.

I would disagree with you on this point......however it is unfortunate that´s the popular opinion.  The reality is altruism is still greatly admired.  If things were truly as you present, we would be a savage barbaric bunch of beasts for whom strength and power were the only things that mattered......the strongest males would drag females they desired off at will, disposing of those unwanted in any manner they wish.  I must admit, there are still some who operate in such a manner, but not that many, and they don´t have a great deal of success.

We need to make peace with the fact that in order for our physical existance to continue, other things have to die. How that comes about is the issue. Is that which sustains us harvested in the most humane and ethical manner possible?  Greed and gluttony are not efficient methods.....the current swine flu is an example.  Had those poor animals not been treated in such a barbaric and inhumane manner, it probably would not have come about.

Exceptions of course do not count.

I´m curious why you say exceptions don´t count?

This is why the good is always at the mercy of the bad.

I do not agree with that opinion.........MLK did prevail....Ghandi did prevail.....greed and brutality are not acceptable...

Merhaba,

i want to know about the old turkish history becouse i like the history in genral.

so if any one know an site in history please reply to me

thanks

Rather than quoting your text I will try to list my opinions as concisely as possible:

* If an opinion has a popular appeal, it is a strong opinion and it has coercion.

* I am not defending the correctness of any decision taken in the way explained in my text.

* Ghandhi was surely an exception.

* I also believe African American have made a profound impact on the American civilization.

Two of my favourite musicians (Monk and Miles Davis) are Afro-American. American athletism scene is dominated by African Americans and finally your president is an African American. African American people have very good cultural assets but to my knowledge they are not  offered equal economic opportunities. An Afro American icon Louis Armstron would probably die in misery did he not have that stunning skill as a musician. How many great musicians does the Afro-American community have? How many of them will end up as Mohammad Ali or Michael Jordan. In this competition, you need coercion, like that offered by Obama who made it possible for a Black person to head NASA.

 Give up Vineyards - you are the balanced one sitting beside two extremes (AlphaF with his overt nationalism and Alameda with her dislike of all things modern)

This world is composed of ...... Aenigmas

Merhaba,

i want to know about the old turkish history becouse i like the history in genral.

so if any one know an site in history please reply to me

thanks

 Give up Vineyards - you are the balanced one sitting beside two extremes (AlphaF with his overt nationalism and Alameda with her dislike of all things modern)

* If an opinion has a popular appeal, it is a strong opinion and it has coercion.

The popuarity of an opinion is very often determined by the presentation...put a diamond on a piece of paper bag ........or put it in a velvet lined box....and see which one gets a better reception.  How things are preceied and the reception they get is too often manipulated aka think propaganda....also known as "public relations"

* Ghandhi was surely an exception.

History has many exceptions....your Yunus Emre is another one

* I also believe African American have made a profound impact on the American civilization.

Yes they did, and they still are..........

Two of my favourite musicians (Monk and Miles Davis) are Afro-American. American athletism scene is dominated by African Americans and finally your president is an African American. African American people have very good cultural assets but to my knowledge they are not  offered equal economic opportunities. An Afro American icon Louis Armstrong would probably die in misery did he not have that stunning skill as a musician.

It was not only his skill as a musician, it was being in the right place at the right time and making the right connections.......I´m more curious how many other artists are/were never known.  Skill and talent are small parts of the equation.

 How many great musicians does the Afro-American community have? How many of them will end up as Mohammad Ali or Michael Jordan.

In this competition, you need coercion, like that offered by Obama who made it possible for a Black person to head NASA.

If by coercion you mean the presentation of a better idea, a more humane idea, not more bute force.....I agree........I think we need some sort of international movement to stop the insanity of destruction and devastation "advanced" civilization is visiting on the World......Universe...as we are now expanding and distributing our trash and  "harvesting" resources in throughout the Galaxy......