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Introduction & Links to 10 false myths that shape your life
By Rey Barry
Wisdom begins with unlearning wrong things we were taught
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Every nation sees itself as superior to all other nations. Patriotism is universal. It is built partly on fact but mostly on myths created by its people and government. Americans believe we are superior to other nations and can tell you why. Britishers think they are superior and can tell you why. Germans are convinced they are and can, with apologies, tell you why. The French believe it more firmly than most, though they are unsure why. That doesn't stop France from requiring that every nation must print its passport in French. Kiss their arrogant ass or you can't enter their country, just like the US. The people of Libya, a country three times the size of France and a sponsor of what Americans call international terrorism, believe leader Mu'ammar al-Qadhafi is the greatest living person, and believe their nation is the world leader in moral values as a freedom fighter. They believe it so completely that people who study these things, like the CIA, rate Libyans the most patriotic people on earth. Everyone who believes in a god is convinced totally that he sides with them. On such mirage will muslims and U.S. Marines lay down their lives believing their cause just, and parents accept the sacrifice of their children. Patriotism is exaggerations pleasant to believe recorded onto human cassettes in our heads. "Be very, very careful what you put into that head, because you will never, ever get it out," warned Thomas Cardinal Wolsey in the 16th century. There is no memory gene. Every baby is born a clean slate. Patriotism must be drilled into young minds if children are to grow up willing to die for the homeland. (Calling it fatherland or motherland makes it easier to die for.) "We are the best" is echoed in education codes throughout the world requiring school books to promote one kind of government, one economic system, one superior nation. For the US it's the typical words in the Texas legal code: schools exist to indoctrinate "democracy, patriotism, and the free-enterprise system." Convincing people they are the greatest and the government is worth dying for is so easy that every government is successful. Children believe authority. First interpret history so you look good, then create myths of moral superiority. Your young are now willing to die for you unless someone drastically re-programs them. Which isn't easy. As Mark Twain observed, "You can't reason someone out of something they weren't reasoned into." Here are some American examples. Your school history book told you the British burned the US capital during the War of 1812. Poor, mistreated us. The book didn't tell you we burned Canada's capital the year before and the Brits were settling the score. That's why you just learned that. Our moral superiority to the British evaporates if history isn't doctored to make us look good. Everyone including us must alter the story a little. True history would show bad as well as good.
Consider Emma Lazarus's words on America's Statue of Liberty:
Emma well knew but didn't tell the rest of the story: "And I will build a nation on their toil at minimum wage, and exploit their vulnerabilities, and provide the strong the opportunity for wealth by doing this to the next group." No dream is free. It comes at the price of reality. For the most part those immigrants were people who left home because they had nothing. When you have nothing, you have nothing to lose. They came from the group that hadn't made it, or lost whatever they had and chose to start anew in a new land. In truth our forebears were largely Europe's losers and those Africans whose chiefs were willing to capture and sell them. We glamorize them because some deserve it. Those who were strong did not take losing lying down, for which they deserve respect. Does that explain why so many Americans find it easier to bond with incompetent and bumbling political candidates rather than able and accomplished ones? Democracy allows people to choose leaders they can relate to. The flaws of the elected mirror our own. We aren't taught that. Children believe all leaders are wise. Wisdom begins with unlearning the conventional. Another example. Historians writing textbooks love President Woodrow Wilson. They relate to him. He was a college professor and the President of Princeton before he entered politics. Unlike most politicians he came from the intellectual side of town. Historians praise his championing the League of Nations. He made a noble and costly fight for a good cause that appealed to historians, so their textbooks tell us about it. Their books usually fail to tell us that Wilson, a southerner raised during the racist jim crow era, revived rigid racism in government hiring and was one of the most racist presidents we've had. Some male historians who do mention it say his wife was to blame. It's not acceptable in the US for a philosopher-king to be racist. They couch in soft terms, if they even mention it, that Wilson sought campaign contributions and endorsements from the most despicable big money self-interests, and repaid them by sending US Marines to invade and corrupt more countries south of us than any President before or since. Woodrow Wilson was the father of banana republics, that league of cruel and corrupt nations south of us beholden to US business interests. His administration perfected the concept of colonialism-without-responsibility. His policies destroyed the chance for successful democracies by giving landowners everything, plus the firepower to keep it. That side of his presidency casts Wilson in a bad light. To stay in power, the philosopher-king knowingly allowed himself to be used by evil people for evil purposes. This conflicts with the values we extol. It conflicts with teaching the moral superiority of intellectuals. Would it damage Wilson's credibility as the champion of the League of Nations to teach a balanced view of him? Absolutely. It would raise issues about his motives. And it would put on the average plate an awareness of US moral values reserved to scholars, not future Marines. "But Sire ..." is not music to the king. "But Sir ..." is not music to the command. We were taught so many myths. We rely on our cliches as truth. "No two snow flakes are alike." Generations of teachers told kids that. In the 21st century at least one leading snow flake scholar is saying that, even though only a few thousand flakes have been catalogued out of the trillions that fall. Ok, pay attention new age flake scholars like Ken Libbrecht of Caltech. The number of snow flakes is limitless; the number of unique 6-pointed crystal designs is not. No two alike? HA! Given infinite time to create snow flakes, every snow flake design will be duplicated an infinite number of times. Here's another favorite. The rotation of the earth controls which way water swirls down the toilet, clockwise in the southern hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the northern. Your science teacher told you that, as do most science programs on TV. That's another myth we all believe. What's the truth? The rotation of the earth - the cariolis effect - is far too small to affect minor water drainage. North or South, it can go either way, left or right. Check it out with the Library of Congress and then test it yourself, as I did. Most Americans believe 13 is an unlucky number. Unlucky!!!?? Our country began with 13 original colonies and had 13 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 13 stripes on our flag, and 13 letters in "E Pluribus Unum." The most powerful nation on earth was built on the number 13. It was the 13th Amendment that abolished slavery. Were it not for superstition, Americans would associate 13 with patriotism and good luck. 13 letters in a name? Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears. The 13th element in the Periodic Table: Aluminum. The 13th US president: Millard Fillmore who died peacefully at 74 after founding the SPCA. Myths take many forms. Would Ralph Lauren have his name on our clothing if he hadn't changed it from Ralph Lipschitz? Could John Wayne have become heroic as Marion Morrison? Would Judy Garland have made hearts throb as Frances Gumm? Would Jon Stewart make it on Comedy Central if he had remained Jon Liebowitz? Here are ten false myths most Americans believe. Which do you feel is better, believing myths, or knowing the truth? Choose any and begin.
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