Will "Old Mesopotamia" ever make it into the 21st century?

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   qwarkposted 13 years ago

   Several thousand yrs of history and it is still wallowing in primeval hate, fear, abject squalor and an abyss of religious bigotry.
   Will the "middle east" ever evolve into a society that can come together in concert for it's own survival and the good of all humanity???
   Or will it remain as it is and has been and become an even greater detriment to human progress?
   Qwark

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   qwarkposted 13 years ago

   I'll be darned!
   Not one reply.
   Why is that?
   I know there have to be those who know the history of "Old Mesopotamia."
   Or am I taking too much for granted?
   Qwark

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   klarawieckposted 13 years ago

   Oh Qwark! Here comes Klara to save the day once again! It won't stay the same forever. Nothing does. That's my response.

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      qwarkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      What'd'ya think Klara? Another couple thousand yrs?
      Or maybe just build a fence around them, arm them and stand back?
      Qwark

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         klarawieckposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Things are about to change... I mean... we've been waiting for more than 2000 years! How much longer could it take?!

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            qwarkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Hi Klara:
            
            What makes you think things are about to change?
            
            Do you see the "changes" you see coming as "good" ones?
            
            Changes that could be a step upward to becoming more civilized, less pugnacious and willing to accept those who believe differently than they, as brother human beings?
            
            Or are the changes you see, THEM, becoming more beligerant, suspicious and desirous of forcing all of humanity to live and think like they?
            
            Qwark   :

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               klarawieckposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               I foresee self-destruction. The way things are going they'll end up blowing themselves to pieces. It's all very sad, but that's the way I see it.

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                  qwarkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Like I said Klara, build a wall around 'em, supply 'em with weapons and let 'em take themselves out!
                  Qwark

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                     klarawieckposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     No need for wall. It's going to happen and it won't be pretty.

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   kirstenblogposted 13 years ago

   You know what might be nice? If the revolution that has just happened in Egypt starts a domino effect that has the ultimate outcome of bringing the middle east region into a modern region of political bi-partisonship instead of what they got now, dictatorships that do not allow un-licenced insanity to be spread, only the licensed brand of insanity.
   
   I think the real question is, will any of us finally get over the bi-partisan nature that seems so inherent and actually work together for humanity. I mean, really, even america seems more then happy to bicker about the issues then actually work on improving them. The biggest difference is that in the middle east opposing political parties would not both be spreading half truths and out right lies to confuse the people as only the party in power is allowed to influence the public and anyone going against them is likely to find themselves silenced. Here both parties are free to distort, invent and otherwise muddy the waters beyond belief, to the effect of ensuring that the other guys can't take any credit for anything good, cause nothing good is allowed to happen.

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      qwarkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Kirsten:
      What i see when I read your reply is that we are "nuts!"
      I agree with ya!
      Qwark

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         kirstenblogposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I definitely see us wearing a top hat, a monocle and using a cane while standing in a jaunty, fun pose. I don't know why

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            qwarkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I see all mankind as infants crowded in a play pen with lots of toys and much too infantile and ignorant to consider the concept of "share."
            Absolute chaos!
            Qwark

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               kirstenblogposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               You sure we aren't nuts?
               

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5. 60

   logic,commonsenseposted 13 years ago

   Incredibly, the techological tools, such as the Internet and Iphones  could make the biggest difference we have ever seen.  Depends on how ingrained the religious beliefs are in the young people and if their elders are able to sustain it.

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      qwarkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Logic:
      Those things certainly have the potential, BUT, Approx 95% of the earths population of humans live from hand to mouth!
      They are uneducated, primitive and very easily led by the few who control world economics i.e. the powerful, controlling corporations.
      Islam, the catholic church, judaism and the 50k+ protestant sects (cults) influence their kids from birth to thinking and acting as regressive primitives and they, constitute better than 50% of the human population of 6.7 billion people.
      Oil is the "POWER!"
      "IF" (and the possibility doesn't exist) the world could relieve itself of the "dominion" of "big oil," those nations existing in "Old Mesopotamia" would go bankrupt and would beg the "progressive" nations for help instead of conspiring to overrun them and installing their primitive,regressive religious beliefs.
      Human greed and quest for power and control is fed by man's "NEED" for a product which can be eliminated (OIL) and replaced with myriad other ways to produce energy.
      But, humanity is shackled and enslaved by the power of "OIL!"
      Qwark

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         logic,commonsenseposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Actually man is enslaved by his own desire for power.

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            qwarkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Logic:
            
            Of course that is true.
            
            Oil is "inorganic." "It," surely, can't seek power and control.
            
            I guess I presumed that ya'll would be able to read into my comment that "it" is the "choice" element of economic enslavement used by "power and control" seeking man.
            
            I kinda thought that was obvious
            
            Qwark

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               logic,commonsenseposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Quark,
               It was obvious, I just believe we should be able to control our own emotions and actions. That is the bottom line.  We cannot be enslaved by anything if we truly do not want to be.  True, we do let ourselves be placed in that position because we are too weak to stand up and make the sacrifice needed to get out from under the control of others.

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                  qwarkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Logic:
                  "It was obvious, I just believe we should be able to control our own emotions and actions."
                  I agree, but since our arrival as modern man, we have been  social creatures guided by the strongest.
                  You and I exist as the "weak." We, as a singular unit, have no power to control. We have no choice but to follow.
                  If we rise in numbers we become a "power" for change.
                  That happens rarely because the weak are needy and frightened.
                  It will only happen if the "people" organize and challenge the "control" with the power of numbers.
                  WE are seeing that in the middle east today.
                  Qwark

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                     logic,commonsenseposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     Ah, but we do have a choice, there may not be good choices, but we always have a choice.  We can only control what we do.  Just as those in the mideast have finally reached the same point Popeye reaches, when he says, "that's all I can stands and I can't stands no more!"  Then he reaches for his spinach.  In the mideast their spinach is their desire to overthrow the yoke of their oppressors.

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                        qwarkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                        Logic:
                        Lol...Popeye was my favorite.
                        Of course we have choices.
                        But why choose a choice that is impossible to realize?
                        Choices can only be realized, when it comes to gov'ts, that are challenged by a "MASS" of like thinkers.
                        They can only win if they have the power of a "can-of-spinach" to depend on.
                        Qwark

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                           logic,commonsenseposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                           Agreed!

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                              qwarkposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                              :
                              Qwark

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         xxtonybxxposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         The problem here dude is not that we need oil, but that we need it to maintain our current stranglehold on the world economy. Oil is traded in dollars, which means the american economy benefits constantly from oil trade, and by proxy, so does the british, then the western world in general. The British economy was saved by the discovery of north sea oil in the late 70's. Also your figures are slightly out. 95% of the world do not live hand to mouth, it's more like 75%, admittedly still a huge number. But the point is they do this exactly because we seek to maintain our current grip on the world economy, because we, and our governments, are afraid of what might happen if we didn't.

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   AnnCeeposted 13 years ago

   The youth in Egypt seem rather modern in their outlook.   Of course their idealism and tech gadgets will not win the day.  Muscle and money will win the day.
   
   One amazing example of the Muslim country coming from the past into the present was Turkey under Attaturk, Father of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal.
   
   He is fascinating to read about.  A handsome charismatic man who really did do the right thing for his people.  Turks are proud of him for many reasons, but the one that amused me was they are proud because he dated Zsa Zsa Gabor.
   
   This college site gives a nice quick introduction to Attaturk.
   
   http://socialscience.tjc.edu/mkho/fulbr … taturk.htm
   
   
   
   
   Would be nice if Egypt had an Attaturk.

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   TMMasonposted 13 years ago

   The Middle East is about to change alright. Iran will have nukes any time now and then change is enevitable.
   
   They could very easily become the worlds largest exporter of glass.

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      Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Or they could just end up being no longer in existence too.

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