The West and the Rest

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Khodadad Rezakhani
by Khodadad Rezakhani
23-Nov-2007
 

This is how the whole of history is often presented, both in Europe and its cultural extensions and in those figuring outside the abstract realm of "the West". The whole history is a purposeful linear progression towards the elevation of the West to its rightful place, the prominence. It is a picture largely formed since the Enlightenment, or actually since the Industrial Revolution and the Age of Colonialism. It is thus a direct result of the European (economic) success, the great success which justified and continues to justify everything. In this way, history is narrated in a way very close to the "History of Salvation".

The History of Salvation is the supposed historical narrative of the Old Testament and its post facto continuation in the New Testament. That is the narrative which starts history from the creation of Adam and the Original Sin and the exile of Adam and Eve from Eden. The rest of human history is a slow progression towards salvation and finding penance for the Original Sin. This is presented as the coming of Jesus who sacrificed himself for humanity and freed it from the bounds of sinfulness. This is essentially a story of success: human beings sinned, they struggled through it, and they came out clean and sinless. It is also the story of a mission: since the Original Sin was forgiven, it is the duty of every righteous Christian to bring the Good News to the rest of the humanity who do not know about it (or most likely, don't accept it).

The same story of success is then applied to the course of "real" history. Human history starts from the "Classical" civilisations of Greece and Rome (those are the only ones that matter to the European history, and Europeans created "history" as a subject anyway). The "Fall of the Roman Empire" at the hands of the Barbarian Hordes (Germans) constitutes the sin, continued through the conquest of the rest of the Roman territories (Terra Sacra of the physical world) by the Muslims and the other saracens and barbarians. The Renaissance, the Englishtenment, and the Intellectual Revolution are vehicles through which the values of the "Classical Cultures" are restored and through which the sin (of the loss of the supposed Roman prominence) has been repented successfully!

It is easy, following this narrative, to justify colonialism, imperialism, the New World Order, and the Message of Democracy as the missions of the righteous to bring the "Good News" to the people who have not heard it or don't know about it. So, why are we worried?

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REPLY : IDEOLOGIC::::::::::& THE REST HAS FAILED?

by Faribors Maleknasri M.D. (not verified) on

I think not all the rest has failed. a very tiny rest has succeded even gloriously. I mean this nuc-thing. Please acknowledge the following:
Iran's FM spokesman speaks to reporters, Nov. 25.
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini has told reporters that the case of the P1 and P2 centrifuges has been closed.

"The Secretariat of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has presented two official letters to Iran's mission at the agency, announcing closure of the cases of centrifuges and uranium metal," Hosseini told reports Sunday.

He added that the cases of plutonium and the contamination in Karaj are also closed within the framework of the Modality Plan on cooperation between Iran and the IAEA.

Referring to the source of contamination, plutonium 210 and Gachin mine as the outstanding issues that still need to be clarified, Hosseini said that they would be on the agenda of talks scheduled for December 11.

Asked about Iran's response to an idea raised by the EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana on enrichment at joint international sites, Hosseini said that ideas and proposals should not go beyond the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and relevant international regulations, and violate Iran's rights.

Hosseini said the EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana supports the Modality Plan.

"Solana was one of the prime proponents of the initiative which led to cooperation between Iran and the IAEA. He is unlikely to allow certain countries to damage the constructive trend of cooperation between the two sides," Hosseini observed.

He added that Iran will implement the Additional Protocol to the Non-Proliferation Treaty upon its ratification by the Majlis and urged the IAEA not to make demands beyond the NPT.

"Iran is committed to its duties within the NPT framework and insists on its rights based on the treaty," he said.

Hosseini stated that Iran is not the only country with unannounced nuclear activities, adding, "At least 45 countries including European states are in the same situation. The IAEA authorities are well aware that probing into such cases takes time."
Just imagin since yesterday are those 70 Million " fanatic MUllahs" living in IRI are producing high active Uranium and furtheron ENERGY. Not only for themselves. But also for thier Nieghbours. And soon will also sudan recieve the nuc-knowledge from them.I just find it amazing.and I am very very happy to see that a little little tiny tiny rest has not failed. and it means that not all the rest is failed.
I think it is better for me to come to an end now. because in "IRANIAN" is nothing sacred but there are things which are even less sacred and are not supposed to be mentioned. And some sensible user take sometimes things personaly not having logical arguments against what they read. I just send a Message: YOU 70 MILL HEROICAL FANATIC MULLAHS LIVING IN IRI CHEER UP! YOU ARE THE CHAMPIONS YOU ARE THE WINNER YOU TAKE NOW ADVANTAGE FROM THE BLESSINGS OF YOUR REVOLUTION 1978/79. Greeting.


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Visiting without strings attached

by Fred (not verified) on

Thank you for the book recommendation, again your assumption , namely that I have not read these two and many others of the same genre, are as hurriedly formed as the dismissal of the academia not being necessarily a humanistic and refining experience. I am sad to report to you that I visit the country twice a year and each time spent the time touring the country. The reason I stay anonymous is to have the luxury of going there without having to polish Islamist Republic’s permanently tarnished image by justifying some of its core corrupted ideology.


Khodadad Rezakhani

Visiting

by Khodadad Rezakhani on

Visiting another country can barely indoctrinate one. Maybe not visiting and just making assumptions from thousands of miles away is less useful. Anyway, this supposed IRI bias is your take, I would again advice reading the books. They were published here. and your suggestion about academia is a common, and currently sexy and fashionable, way to dismiss the ideas that are inconvenient, much like the whole Liberal Media deal.


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Early morning fibbing?

by Fred (not verified) on

Your assumption about academia forcing one to take intellectually cleansing shower is quite easy to debunk, just check out the CV of some of the more notorious historical figures. And that not having just come from the Islamist Republic must be a fib or you have a double that just did, he has posted pictures of his visit on the net.


Khodadad Rezakhani

Wrong...

by Khodadad Rezakhani on

Nope, I have not just come from there, I have actually lived outside Iran most of my life. I also would dare to claim that I have taken some "intellectually cleansing" showers, academia kinda forces you to do so, and unlike some who wait until they come out of Iran before they crack open their first Fannon or Derida, I did it back there and have tried to keep up. So, please find another way to explain my idealogically charged perspective, and again, please read the books I recommended. Neither author was Iranian and they did not live in the IRI.


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Ideologically driven perspective

by Fred (not verified) on

Since your argument has a strong whiff of Islamist Republic’s rather pedestrian historical perspective, one could only assume that you must just came from there and still have not taken an intellectually cleansing shower. This argument of yours was pushed, unsuccessfully, by the “reformist” wing of the Islamist Republic in order to prepare the ground for their concocted Islamic Democracy. That failed just like their Islamic banking and the rest have failed so miserably.


Khodadad Rezakhani

Hmmm

by Khodadad Rezakhani on

Well, I did not say that demokratia (the rule of the people) is a "Christian" creation, nor did I suggest that what now seems to be the most outwards expressions of democracy (voting and the rest) are Christian. What I am saying is that the context in which the Europeans have defined these achievements is borrowed from the Christian Salvation History. This does not make the concepts themselves "Christian", it just frames them in that way so they can be rationalised by the Western mind as an expression and proof of the European Exceptionalism.

On Mr./Mrs. Iota. I do not deny my ignorance, but I do disagree with your characterisation of the issue. Part of my point was that the standard narrative of "History" has ignored other, non-European civilisations such as the Chinese and Indian ones that you pointed out. Also, thanks for the book recommendations. I have read those, and I suggest you read Eric Wolf's "Europe and the People Without History" and James Blaut's "The Colonizers' Model of the World".


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Oversimplistic

by iota (not verified) on

You make a series of grossly ignorant and
oversimplistic statements about the some 6000 years
of recorded human history. On these false
premises you draw even more oversimplistic and
invalid conclusions.

You conveniently ignore Chinese and Japanese
civilizations and their evolutions. You disregard
the horrific record of European and American civil
wars (the last one ended in 1945) so critically
important to Western civilization's growth and
progress, and for which Westerners paid an enormous
price in "Blood, sweat, toil and tears" and material
sacrifices, to finally achieve their present status
as liberal, progressive democracies.

If some other parts of the world reject this model,
then so be it. It is most assuredly their loss,
and sooner or later they will have to pay a very
steep price for their abysmal backwardness and
socioeconomic inferiority.

To start with, read Oswald Spengler's "The Decline
of the West", and Joseph Boronowski's "The Ascent of
Man". Then rethink your opinions.


Jahanshah Javid

Ok but...

by Jahanshah Javid on

What is the alternative? If democracy is a Christian conspiracy to impose Jesus on the rest of the world, what are we to do? Should we not have a parliament because it's ultimately a "Christian" concept? Should we not have one-person one-vote? Should we question the integrity and agenda of those who demand freedom of speech and religion? Should we not ask for equal rights for men and women? To me democracy and freedom are the necessary tools for personal growth and therefore a healthy, tolerant society. That's Christian? Imperialist? Give me a "non-Christian" alternative baby...