Post by MagnetMan on Apr 1, 2012 2:29:35 GMT -5
The question seems to remain open for sociologists
as to whether highly principled character development
is per-determined by ancestral genes
or are we born with a clean slate
does class count?
the altruistic side of my nature would like to believe
that any commoner born to a low class working family
can be cultivated to exhibit noble sentiments
reality says otherwise
any animal-breeder
will tell you right away that it is in the genes
that it takes generations to breed good pedigree
and so too is it with the human animal
this is not to say that an occasional peasant
will rise to the occasion and exhibit a noble spirit
but that is rare
the reason why the question remains open
is because it is not politically correct in a democratic society
where everybody is presumed to be born equal
to classify our social structures
the added specter of being accused of eugenics
does little to bring clarity
this evasion of calling a spade a spade
flies in the face of science itself
Darwin has proved that the development of the fittest
is accomplished via a gradual process of natural selection
and that the transformation from base stock
takes time and circumstance
India one of the the origins of civilized human development
constitutes that we are born to be who we are
more or less affirming that it is all in the genes
and defines its social structure into four distinct classes of graduated character refinement
the peasant caste
the merchant caste
the warrior or ruling caste
and the Brahman or priest caste
For me the question has always been
what then distinguishes each class from the next
I see the peasant as a fundamentally ethical human being
the result of 100,000 generations of human evolution
who's character is more or less governed by natural family values
who's survival is dependent on prevailing political ideologies
willing to work for anybody for a living
even migrate for that reason
with no particular set of higher principles or estate ambitions
to alter and refine basic behavior
I see the merchant middle class as ambitious individuals
self-determined to rise above basic family values
in order to improve their lot in life
with no higher principles than that of the private profit motive
and some degree of municipal well being that will keep their business profitable
I see the warrior or noble class
as those few who have risen above the merchant/consumer mentality
and are principally concerned with the larger ideological needs that promote local and national stability
all three of the above classes conform to the gradual process of natural selection
with birth more or less regulated by class marriage taboos
the fourth class
that of the shaman/priest/ healer/teacher/psychologist/philosopher
is not selected by Nature or by nurturing
I believe this caste is intuitively "called" to service
by Divine Design
and can be born into any of the other three classes
any other thoughts on this?