Things We Are Capable Of

Time: Midnight.
Place: My warm apartment.
Setting: I'm eating a pint of Haagen-Dazs cookie dough ice cream; having recently arrived home from the new downtown Edwards theater where I took in the new Harry Potter movie, Goblets of Fire.

Sometimes I marvel over a thought. The sentiment that most often gets my mind running is "wow". I marvel over ideas that really stand out as extraordinary, unusual, nonsensical, or insanely profound. Of course, the subjects might not do the same for others. Sometimes I find it curious that the elementary facts seem to me to be, collectively, some sort of important realization. For example:

There was a time when world leaders swore to never use warfare as a means of solving disputes. There was a time when those world leaders formed great alliances to promote peace, justice, and human rights. A certain universal morality as well as a committment to human progress seemed stronger than ever before. The League of Nations was formed; and later, the United Nations. Yet, not more than a decade or two passed and Fascism became the rule in Germany. Widespread antisematism resulted in the slaughter of millions of Jews. A war of global proportions began. Entire cities were bombed and burned with no regard for innocent life.

Also this example:
With significant increases in literacy and printed material in the "civilized world" throughout the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries; came, finally, real freedom. Enough objective facts and ideas flooded into the homes of ordinary people that lessons of history and grander perspectives concerning our place in society, government, and the universe enabled people to formulate thoughts and opinions more genuinely their own. The greatest freedom ever gained is the gift of scientific and historical facts in the hands of common man. Thanks to science and history, lies propogated by those who wished to gain power over others were scrutinized and exposed for what they were: superstition or unfounded religious dogma.

During the mid to late 1700s, respect for scholarship in all forms seemed to reach a new level. The body of objective material which directly informed individuals' decision making was finally something truly significant. Careful consideration and critical analysis characterized the period, and served this nation well in its founding.

Despite the clear headedness of the enlightenment, a religious revival followed close behind. People gladly cast all care and consideration aside to offer up their hearts and minds on the religious alter. Men of god gifted in speech whipped crowds into orgy like frenzies. People screamed out from the pain of their sins, threw themselves to the ground, spoke in tongues, danced and flailed around--all in response to the fire and brimstone speeches of yesterday's rock stars--Christian preachers. Thousands were converted in single nights. In this way, Americans threw away the gift of free thought for the quick emotional fix that is religious rapture. Preachers owned their minds by capturing their hearts. Also in this way, Americans of the 19th century chose to ignore history's lessons concerning the danger of religious authoritarianism....

Other things people are capable of doing....
1) Committing mass suicide by drinking poisoned coolade after some space ship didn't come to take them away, like their leader promised.
2) Marrying a man who already has 4 wives because god said it was ok.
3) Believing the president when he says that in order to keep this country safe from terrorists, we need to invade another country.
4) Locking people up indefinately without a trial.
5) Killing others in a foreign land in order to preserve our freedom at home...

Anyway, wow. I can think of one reason to believe that these sorts of things will become less frequent. Perhaps the sciences of psychology and sociology will eventually open eyes...to understand why people believe and do what they do...to understand others...and, thus, see others as themselves, and deal with dissagreement between nations in a wholly different, unAmerican, manner. Or not...