Special Education topic -World Facts, Imperialism, Conflict, Psychological Abuse in Hitler’s life, and concerns to think about during a time of warfare, terrorism, in our society.

Marcus Tullius Cicero , a statesman, lawyer,  and philosopher Outlined the six mistakes of man Over two thousand years ago. He was alive during the conflicts that occurred during ancient Roman History. The mistakes are as follows:

1) The illusion that personal gain is made up of crushing others

2) The tendency to worry about things that cannot be changed orcorrected.

3) Insisting that a thing is impossible because we cannot accomplish it.

4) Refusing to set aside trivial preferences

5) Neglecting development and refinement of the mind, and not acquiring the habit of reading or study.

6) Attempting to compel others to believe and live as we do. (Imperialism-ethnocentrism in history) Source- Dr. Wayne Dyer-Wisdom of the Ages –great book about life, society, psychology, religion and sociology.

Social Personality Psychologists -determined that healthy personalities- have the ability to see and feel good anywhere. However, Leaders accept the world and life as it is, but they are aware of the problems that exist, as a result they do things to try and make the world a better place to live in for everyone.

Facts-I don’t wish to be pessimistic or negative –but facts lead me to the following conclusion

It seems that in our world inequality, anger, hatred, selfishness, cynicism, closed mindsets, conflicts, manipulations, domination, insecurity, power struggles, us vs. you thinking and egoism exist

Where does this negative conclusion come from – facts :

Various studies from 1997-2002 indicate that thousands of people up to (50,000) people die every day as a result of poor shelter, polluted water, and inadequate sanitation.

* Fifteen Children die ever thirty seconds –because they don’t have enough food, water, or the basic need for life.

*Over 100 million are homeless in the world

*1.3 billion people live in poverty

*Armed conflict in the past 100 years took over 100 million people’s lives

• Political violence was responsible for more than 170 million additional deaths
• Each year more than 300,000 deaths occur as a result of conflict situations with firearms

* In the past ten years two million children were killed as a result of conflict

* Twelve million left homeless as a result of conflict

* How many others died as a result of crime, depression, murder, religious conflicting beliefs, wars, slavery, racism, ect?

Lets look at some more interesting facts -

* Over a billion people live on less than a dollar a day

* 20 percent of the world population in developed nations consume over 80 percent of the world’s goods

* The Top three billion-airs have assets grater than the combined Gross National Product of all the least developed countries and their 600 million + people.

* About Three billion people live on less than two dollars a day

* 1.7 million children will die as a result of poverty levels

* 33.6 million people in America live in households that have kids that are suffering from hunger.

* Half of the world population never made a phone call

* These are just some startling facts – and I’m not a global studies expert-look into the statistics at Washington, D.C World Watch Institute, WHO-Health Report, United Nations Food and Agricultural Organizations, U.S Department Of Commerce and various reliable web-sites, college text books ect. (Note-some statistics may have changed-since original research was conducted based on sources dated from 1994-2002)

Based on the facts - Rich countries must not be selfish we owe everything to the developing world. We are citizens of one world -called humanity. Just imagine how these people feel? Is it right to allow living people in America and around the world to suffer and die; when the technology and money is available to help most if not all of these people from experiencing unnecessary suffering?

The U.S. government spent over 300 billion in military defense in 2002-03. If we need to spend that much money to protect ourselves it is obvious that we do not live in a safe world and humanity appears to be a divided race that is fighting against each other.

Humanity is unhealthy psychologically, and physiologically. Psychoneuroimmunology ,Immunology and Health Psychology studies have indicated that anger, hostility, cynicism, hatred, distress, rage, and negative thoughts towards self and others is damaging to our immune system and increases our chances of developing psycho-physiological pathologies. In addition, when the feeling-self body-feels injustice;It often fights back until mutual –understanding and justice is felt again.

Do winners exist in war, when numerous innocent people die? 

Many leaders, and colonizers in the past treated other people in negative ways that damaged their own immune system, and especially the immune system of those receiving the poor treatment. People, were not to respectful in my opinion, not to understanding, and as a result it was only obvious that thousands of wars have occurred in history.

When will humanity wake up –and start treating all people in biologically healthy ways that optimize psycho-biological health rather than inhibit it.

Perhaps the only cure is - mutual understanding, empathy, acceptance, forgiveness, altruism, selflessness, compassion and unlimited love towards everyone. If we were all this way our immune system would be stronger, people would be happier, and robust physiological and psychological health would occur. As we can see the leader in the past were acting in biologically damaging ways.

It’s only obvious that if we behave in biologically inhibiting ways-that society will be impacted in similar ways. The state of the world is a reflection of the unity mind of us all. (Center of preventative and behavior medicine at UMASS medical school – Dr. John Kabit Zinne, Herbert Benson M.D. Harvard –Mind Body Medical Institute, Institute For research on Unlimited Love and various other research centers, professors, and journal studies in health and psychology)

INTERESTING FACTS IN HISTORY -

Are we Americans hypocrites?

Thomas Pain wrote common sense – He asked the American people how at once could we fight against the king and profess loyalty to him? He desire America to be a race of a free men – independent of great Britain rule.

Americans did not like being ruled by others especially Britain – so why did we kill and abuse so many  Indians?

The American theory of government in the declaration of independence states that all men are created equal, and given the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The government protects these rights, if government tried to withhold these rights people were free to revolt and set up a new government.

Were women -treated equal, or Indians, or African Americans, or any other race-still to this day? The civil rights movements, and various programs have been implemented that contributed to amazing changes but is it enough????

In the following paragraph- a brief review of some Wars support the facts that many wars and conflict were about egoism, power, control, domination, competition and manipulation.

Here are some Historic War Examples -

Russian –Japanese War – A Rivalry existed between Russia and Japan for Dominance of Korea and Manchuria .

The Opium Wars – The British Took over China and controlled them, eventually China took over and controlled Tibet . Thousands died, millions were upset –HMM??

White man lied to the Indians, as a result that distressed them. Sure enough the Indians fought back and killed many Americans, however American colonizers killed the Indians off until we had complete control. (Imperialism)

Prior to the Arrival of the British each of Kenya’s Peoples had its own form of government, culture, and economy. The British imposed their own administration, and then through their economic, religious, and educational activities were better so they transformed the African way of Life. As a result 1952- War of Liberation for Kenya Began many died until 1963- when the Independence for Kenya was won.

A brief look at -Conflict-

Mystics and the great Psychologists Carl Jung – State that human tend to be motivated by deep feelings of insecurity.  In addition, we tend to compare ourselves with others, compete with others, and judge others –more so than appreciate each other it seems.

Healthy competition is great, however culture bound ness exists when we look down on people, rather then appreciation them. How often have you looked down on someone for some reason? How often have your reached out to help someone in need?  

It is common that  we debase people, and ignore peoples feelings all of the time, without any empathy. Why?

People often, feel alone and search for our security as a means of being accepted by others. To feel accepted people will do almost anything for this recognition, especially since it is so importantly stressed  in our economic capitalistic competitive market focused economy that we live in. 

Humans often want others to approve of and even defer to our knowledge and position. As a result, some of us try to subtly force our opinions on to others by trying to subtly control the thoughts and opinions of those around us. When we force someone else to defer/listen to us-no if and or butts, we actually suck energy from the energy field of the other person- in order to produce a boost in ourselves especially when someone listens to them. In summary, being an understanding person is one of the richest attributes that one can aspire to have, but more  often in life we try to control people, nations, and our children, and as great as it is to guide people, but to control them is not healthy and it breeds conflict especially when we don’t take the time to truly understand people.

(The body is made up of electrochemical impulses and cells, that’s why I refer to feelings as an energy field –it’s all interconnected) When we to often try to control and force people to do things or to be like me, or like my nations,  people sometimes become reactive -they feel weakened and tend to fight back to reestablish their own identity, stand, and feelings .

 This is familiar with what Cicero stated eons ago- Attempting to compel others to believe and live as we do. A major source of conflict.

Would conflict exist is we saw ourselves in everyone?  If we recognized the fact that only a few genes separate our identity –based on new evidence that predicts that genetics play a slightly larger role in our personality development that our experiences?

Perhaps one day –People will not all have separate subjective experiences, perhaps everyone through  understanding human attributes will become aware of everyone’s inter - subjective experience. When we all understand motives more so-than behavior-better actions and plans can exist to destroy negativity, terrorism, and conflict-the destructive forces in our society.

 Without educations and awareness-progress towards peace will be inhibited, thankfully education is gradually becoming more affordable in America, but what about in every nation? 

Now lets look at some - Example of Psychological Abuse in History:

Hitler was psychologically and physiologically abused by his father numerous times, and humiliated as a child and teenager often –I’m sure this had something to do with the fact that he was responsible for killing and abusing millions of innocent people. (Perhaps he displaced his repressed anger and rage out on others) –Journal Of Psychohistory –Alice Miller-Adolf Hitler’s Childhood From Hidden to Manifest Horror

Anyway throughout history people, child, and citizens were abused, rather than understood, treated unfairly rather than fairly, were declined rights because of gender, and race. It’s time for us to start paying more attention to how we treat, perceive, and talk to each other in my opinion or else-future dictators will be born, wars, bullying, crime, terrorism, and conflict will continue..

Millions die as a result of war, poverty, conflict, different opinions, judgments, and different beliefs. Do we still want this to occur?

To conclude we are in a partnership with all other human beings not a contest to be judged better than some or worse than others, everyone deserves our love and until we start thinking this way we will continue to have US vs. You thinking -which increases the feelings of separation, inequality and alienation in our society rather than oneness, peace, equality, respect, appreciation and justice for all

–Inspired by Dr. Wayne Dyer, Albert Einstein, Carl Rogers, Gandhi, Paramahansa Yogananda, Patanjali, St.Francis of Assisi, A.k.B. Pillai.

Copyrighted –Darrell Fertakos 2004