Well, they certainly did not promise liberty, etc. or the "American Dream". Think of how many centuries relied on slave labor to build those glorious temples, etc. and the best way to acquire slaves was through war and conquest. And modern wars shifted to raw materials and trade routes while the industrial-chemical-technological revolution ushered in a new type of slave- paycheck or no. And though there were women of privilege such as the chief wife or the mother of a ruler, women as a rule were treated poorly plus were vulnerable physically in childbirth and body strength. Some of our current social problems might be traced to militant feminism and the shifting roles of men and women in our society and, of course, once women can determine how to control pregnancies, it's a brand new ballgame.To answer your question, generally past civilizations depended on birthline, rank and class to design their social privileges and duties although merit sometimes played a part of an individual's/group's ability to rise.
On Apr 20, 10:44 pm, ornamentalmind <[email protected]> wrote: > “Ancient civilizations did not promise individual rights and > freedoms…” – rigsey > > Are you saying that this is true for *all* civilizations? > > On Apr 20, 6:31 am, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > Ancient civilizations did not promise individual rights and freedoms > > but their power/control presented a certitude and order which could be > > do-able and pleasant depending on class and caste. The castoffs are > > still miserable in modern society- democracy or not. It is unrealistic > > expectations that is the hard pill to swallow in our time or as > > someone commented in a review of Evelyn Waugh- it is "pointless to > > expect justice on earth, the ultimate moral reckoning comes only after > > death" by Slobone- this notion attached to Catholicism, by the way. > > > On Apr 5, 8:29 pm, ornamentalmind <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > “…which makes us enemies of each other The state is now bigger than us > > > mortal beings…” – PSK > > > > Yet again, I just don’t see it. How is ‘the state’ bigger today than > > > in, say, the days of Rome?...of ancient Egypt? And, I’m not so sure it > > > has to do with size either. I’m guessing the issue is perceived > > > power. . . which, again, I just don’t see as being any more or less > > > than has been reported in the past > > > > On Apr 5, 6:56 am, "pol.science kid" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > In the last post an evolved Mind was being discussed…here’s what I > > > > think…(it lacks structure...and very naive but please be > > > > patient ...) > > > > The Mind continues to evolve….It is a manifestation of the much larger > > > > Process...The process from which we source the creation of intelligent > > > > life. When one sees oneself in isolation from the Process arise the > > > > existential tendencies... An evolved mind I suppose is one with the > > > > open eye...the Minds eye... (One of the reasons I love this group is > > > > the great name)…to put it simply there is the higher self and the > > > > lower self inside everyone...we are constantly pulled down by our > > > > visceral and basic tendencies (lower self)...and not everyone cares to > > > > realize their higher self..I guess that’s why great thinkers of the > > > > past incorporated their ideas into simple doctrines to follow because > > > > they certainly had an idea of an evolved and enlightened society but > > > > also knew that not every person is a philosopher so it was propagated > > > > as religion a lifestyle which would earn you great spiritual dividends… > > > > of course over time it got corrupted as a means of monopolizing power > > > > over society by a learned few..That is one of the main problems of our > > > > society today…we tend to forget the basic idea behind everything…and > > > > let institutions get bigger than us…what began as an explanation for > > > > unexplained phenomena (science being not so developed then) and an > > > > attempt to enforce some moral code, has become bigger than us…rides > > > > over us and is the plague of our times…a extra and outdated baggage > > > > from the past…it has outgrown its relevance today…similarly the STATE… > > > > which began as an attempt to organize social and political life…from > > > > chiefdoms to countries it has transformed…and with it has grown the > > > > evil of patriotism(not to mention the violence to determine what is > > > > the best way to organize political life)…which makes us enemies of > > > > each other The state is now bigger than us mortal beings…Identities… > > > > ethnicity…language…caste etc… we seem to need them to validate our > > > > existence…the burning question of Who am I…I think I went a little off > > > > the mark… what I want to say is that…The Mind ..Born out of flux > > > > desperately seeks to find permanence(so its attachment to symbols)…as > > > > the mind is the smaller functioning unit of the bigger Whole…it also > > > > tries to establish itself while contributing to the ‘process’…thus > > > > emerges our ego and sense of ‘self’…the Society is a collective body > > > > of the individual units…also seeks the same permanence…and so it > > > > creates institutions and preserves them…Change always comes In some > > > > kind of revolution(similarly In an enlightened individual…he forms his > > > > own individual ideas against what he has been brought up believing )…a > > > > mutilation from the past…but occur it must…because permanency is not > > > > the natural state of things… > > > > There are I think certain universal truths which must be and are > > > > arrived at…these are the key points of our evolution…they are arrived > > > > at through the smaller individual units…taking the form of Einstein or > > > > whatever;-)…like Molly mentioned communication is a very imp. Factor > > > > for growth…the Mind does not grow in isolation…the society is really a > > > > two way street I think…while the individual unit grows and evolves in > > > > relation to it…it also acts as an oppressor of the individual… Don’t > > > > worry Ash I think the symbols will evolve on their own…. > > > > What say my fellows?- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text - > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > ""Minds Eye"" group. > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > [email protected]. > > For more options, visit this group > > athttp://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en.-Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text - > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > ""Minds Eye"" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group > athttp://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en.- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. 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