Why do they hate us?
by The Global Observer
I have read a number of articles since 9/11 centered around the question “Why do these terrorists hate us?” Now in light of the Paris bombings this week, it once again elicits the question.
Instead of quoting many good articles I have read on this, I summarize with my own reactive thoughts.
My first observation is that humanity still consists of core animalistic principles of running in packs and living in groups or communities. Most of these groupings are based on core survival instincts where we have learned to not only live for self, but live to protect our families, friends and communities from those dangerous “others.” Since prehistoric ages, when one group has insufficient “anything,” they start looking to attack or join other groups to sustain life. These are core drives in our existence — “survival of the fittest” if you will.
Second, we are brought up by our families and communities to conform our individualities to the norms of our group and our identities as humans become totally absorbed into “what’s best for the majority.” Of course, the “majority” are usually driven by “leaders” since humans taught to conform all their lives will rarely have an original thought or action of their own.
Thirdly, when a “leader” is challenged to explain that which is unexplainable — which is a lot of things in our universe — he or she is expected to have an answer better than “I don’t know.” So, religions and sciences are devised by these leaders to help center the masses around “reasonable” explanations which are often great fantasies of the leaders minds to give the people the answer they want and erase their natural fears of the enemy or nature’s unknowns.
Finally, it should be noted that the human ego needs a lot of stroking and attention. We need something to believe in, and we have to FEEL that what we believe in is THE right thing. We grow up learning to categorize people by race, creed or economic levels. In most cases, those different from us are perceived as threats, not “someones” to be embraced or included. We learn to hate and despise those who threaten us and our egos. Even in melting pots like America, society quickly starts labeling others as dagos, wops, nazis, japs, honkys, niggers, etc etc. These names are not usually meant to be endearing.
After a few millennia of this in societies around the globe, is it really any wonder that we have extreme differences and conflicts, even in the light of education and science? The sad reality is that a great majority of humans on this planet are NOT educated — at least at any secular meaning of the word. A large majority of people are still learning “in the street,” within their family or religious circles, or via whispered rumors and texting false information world wide. People don’t read books anymore. They prefer to read snippets of information sent to them by huge media conglomerates who profit by manipulating human mentality into buying their sponsors products or accepting the common perceptions that governments or global corporations want the masses to believe or think.
As bad as global “terrorism” has become, I feel like I have a pretty good idea why these people “hate us.” It really should come as no surprise when the majority who are poor and uneducated are manipulated and fed by fundamental religionists whose specialty is to divide and conquer all of humanity. The “sheeple” really have no choice. They will die alone if they do not follow. So at least now they will die WITH thousands of their co-conspirators, while serving the ego needs of their supposed or tyrant leaders as well as their own mini-egos.
When so many of these hordes, like millions of American Christians I think I know pretty well, believe in a “holy book” more than a “scientific book” or national constitution there becomes very little difference between “jihadists” of the Muslim persuasion and the Zionist or fundamentalist Christian varieties on a global basis. All are trying to overcome the other, even within the borders of the most successful experiment in democracy. The only unity you have in America is within the poor majority or the super-rich minority. Nothing in between.
So, unfortunately, until we all come to grips with our own hypocritical worldviews everyone can expect to be hated by someone else nearby. Believers despise the un-believers. Intellectuals despise the ignorant. Radicals despise the vapid. Basically, we have lost all trust in the humanity of others. While actions and examples of charity, kindness and giving still exist, these human traits are now in the minority and in continued decline. Most religions or governments do not practice them without subservience to their cause.
I really don’t believe radicals hate Americans or Westerners because of our “freedoms,” as some of our past leaders have tried to convince us. They are simply tired of us usurping what is theirs, asserting our “freedoms” over THEIR lands, religions and cultures. The pressure for “them” to conform to our norms of dress, arts and cinema — and consumerism most of all — is extreme. If the “West” had simply stayed more pure to its ideals of democracy, free enterprise and caring for its own at home instead of 100 years of military and cultural invasions, we would have seen a more natural adoption of our way of life versus today’s terroristic rejection of our meddling. If we had a stronger military defense — versus all the offensive power brokering and history of military and economic support for tyrannical governments — “they” might not hate us quite so much.
We westerners have followed our governments and corporate elites into attempts to dominate all other cultures. Most of us didn’t mean anything by it, but we are now living with the results of our blind following of power-hungry, ego-driven elitist politicos. These leaders send men and women into battles that they are not ready to win, for causes that are questionable. We have voted these same type of people into office for centuries now. How is it that we are surprised that terrorists hate them when many of us are starting to hate them as well? These are what the world sees as “Americans,” and I have spent over 16 years living outside of my country apologizing for my government’s actions and attitudes. NOT a pleasant experience.
I am not being “un-American” to place some blame where it belongs. I am saying that we need to change our role in these global divisions. We can’t change THEM, we can only change or control ourselves. Lead by examples of fair trade and less corruption. Lead with humanitarian aid not extended at the point of huge guns. Quit being the biggest supplier of armaments — which so often end up pointed back at us — worldwide. Let’s quit fighting everyone else’s battles and win the fights we have within our own borders. Let’s truly become that “beacon on a hill” of life, liberty and economic success that Reagan and other previous leaders have presented as the goal yet never really acted on.
We might be able to bomb those who hate us into submission for a while, but we still have to win the war at home, against religious and class warfare that leads to hate and mistrust among ourselves. Only then will those on the outside learn not to hate us so much. You don’t have to be religious to believe in these principles of peace and prosperity. In fact, it is easier to do so being a humanitarian.
~ ~ ~
The announcements below are interactive. Click on them for more information
