American Myths - and their realities
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 with a god is convinced it sides with them. On that reliance will muslims and U.S. Marines each lay down their lives for a cause, and parents sacrifice their children. Patriotism is exaggerations pleasant to believe dunned into 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, a wise man we still quote today. There is no memory gene. Every baby is 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 in education codes throughout the world requiring school texts to promote one kind of government, one economic system, one superior nation. For the US it's the mantra in the Texas legal code: schools are to indoctrinate "democracy, patriotism, and the free-enterprise system." Convincing people they are the greatest and their government 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 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 examples of American history bunk you and I were fed. 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. Every nation must alter its history. True history would show bad as well as good, a no-no.
Consider Emma Lazarus's words on America's Statue of Liberty:
Emma well knew the rest of the story but didn't tell it: "And I will build a nation on their toil at minimum wage, and exploit their vulnerabilities, and provide the strong the opportunity for field promotion." No dream is free. To dream we must give up 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 what 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 captured and sold 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 politicians and oppose the best and brightest? Democracy allows people to choose leaders they can relate to. The flaws of who we elect mirror our flaws. We aren't taught that. Instead, children believe leaders are wise. Most of them go through life never reaching the first step to true knowledge - unlearning the conventional. How many of your own relatives unlearned 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, my side. They idolize him as America's philosopher-king, as indeed he was. Historians praise his championing the League of Nations. He undertook a noble and costly fight for a good cause that appealed to historians, so the school textbooks they write tell us about it terms aglow. But textbook writers fall short of telling us that Wilson, a southerner raised during the racist jim crow era, brought racism back into government hiring, and was one of the most racist presidents we've had. Some male historians who mention it say his wife was to blame. It's not acceptable for a philosopher-king to be racist, not acceptable to the right or the left. Textbook writers also do not tell us that outside Wilson's White House was a permanent circle of suffragists gathered around a fire making a spectacle for the press of burning Wilson's speeches. Why? Woodrow Wilson was the most powerful voice of his day arguing against giving women the vote. Historians couch in soft terms, if they even mention it, that Wilson sought campaign contributions and support from the most despicable big money self-interests in the nation, and repaid them by sending US Marines to invade and debase 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 United Fruit and other US business interests. The philosopher-king validated the concept of colonialism-without-responsibility. Wilson's policies destroyed the chance for successful democracies in South and Central America by giving big landowners everything, plus the firepower to keep it. That side of his presidency puts Wilson in a bad light. To stay in power, the philosopher-king knowingly allowed himself to be used by evil interests for evil purposes, and knew it. This conflicts with the values we extol, especially the belief intellectuals are morally superior, or at least moral. Most of the time they are, but not always. Would it damage Wilson's credibility as the philosopher-king and 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 let average people have a glimpse of US morality reserved to scholars, a morality Marines are expected to die for. "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, despite that only a few thousand flakes have been catalogued out of the yearly trillions that fall. Ok, pay attention new age flake scholars like Ken Libbrecht of Caltech, because your math got in the way of your common sense. The number of snow flakes is limitless; the number of unique 6-pointed crystal designs is not. No two alike? Given infinite time to create snow flakes, every snow flake design will be duplicated - not once or twice - but 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 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 misled adults crippling children with ignorant superstition, Americans would associate 13 with patriotism and good luck. It would be our national number right up there with the national bird. 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, perpetuating myths or telling the truth? You know where I stand. Choose any and begin.
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