James Michener's novel Caribbean, the movie” How the West was Won “ and recent murders, triggers this response. This disquisition briefly presents America’s history of man's collective unconscious and his quest for power, prestige and possessions which are compensations for helplessness, humiliation and destitution in which hostilities are expressed in the tendencies form to dominate, to humiliate and to deprive. These tendencies are repetitions of the mores of culture regardless of the consequence for these actions.The movie “There Will Be Blood” provides an example of these mores in the late 1890s-1900s in California. Historically, our customs, norms and behavior or mores that seem acceptable in our society of certain social groups are presented.
In the Caribbean in the 1300s, Michener presented a group that he described "the heritage of the Caribs was brutality, warfare and little else. “ This group in South America reached an inhabited island. Karuku, the leader of this tribe's mission was to find human prey, conquer it and steal a wife from the Tiwanee tribe.The formidable leader of this tribe was Bakamu.He was strong, no pushover with weapons of his own. Did Bakamu's strength and weaponry protect him and make him safe against Karuku and his warriors? In other words, there was a quest for possession of land and slaves; employing the power of force, killing, stealing, the possession and prestige of the leader of the Caribs.
Moving to 1619, we find a group of English robbers from ship White Lion stealing slaves from Spanish robbers. These Spanish exploiters stole black skinned people from Africa who had weapons of their own. The Blacks were attacked even though they had weapons; the Spanish were attacked even though they had weapons. Having a weapon or weapons did not provide safety or security for these groups.By 1776, beginning with land grants from the English king, there were numerous instances of displacing Indians, fighting with French and the Spanish for territory. All these groups had weapons yet there were attacks and killings. During the American Revolutionary war, major battles included Monmouth, Fort Ticonderoga, Fort Washington ,Saratoga and Yorktown. Even though Gen. George Washington lost more battles and he won, his victories at Trenton and Yorktown were second to none. Don't forget the shots fired at Lexington and Concord: "Were heard around the world." Further, George Washington was our hero ,was our first president and the father of our country. The Revolutionary war has been glorified-Pledge of Allegiance; bombs bursting in air; Betsy Ross ,Paul Revere etc. Hollywood has provided us with Drums Along the Mohawk; The Scarlet Coat ,Devil's Disciple; 1776 and Last of the Mohicans. Do not forget Yankee Doodle and the Star-Spangled Banner. Novels have included 1776; The British are Coming; Because of America No One Goes Alone; Fall of the Giants. Today, we have Hamilton on Broadway. The importance of our flag, territory and country is depicted in our customs, holidays, slogans, and especially the misuse of our Constitution. We have sensationalized and glorified the Revolution and the killing as the British lost their power, possession and prestige in which we gained.
.In essence the Wasps brought their collective unconscious history based upon power, possession , and prestige regardless of consequences with exploration which means taking over a foreign territory that becomes a colony with complete domination. The propaganda was that we were bringing a civilized stage of social and cultural development to this new land. We were fighting ignorance with primitive beliefs with our advanced and sensible laws and customs. We were going to convert their subjects into believing that our God was the only true God; a king was more desirable than a chieftain; it's okay that the primitives were now infected with our sexually transmitted diseases; it's permissible for primitives to become slaves for labor; and it's quite all right that primitives lose possession of their lands. "Civilizing" means being taken over by power, possession, prestige, regardless so that we remain the "masters' ' In control. We are doing it for your own good, because we know what’s good for you.
Don't forget our Civil War and its major battles of Gettysburg, Bull Run, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Fredrickson, Sumter, Appomattox Courthouse and the classic movie Gone with the Wind and novels like Cold Mountain, The Red Badge of Courage. The Civil War generals George B. McClellan, Ulysses S Grant, Robert E Lee and Stonewall Jackson. The North won and the South lost. Yet today we find all kinds of statues, flags and memorabilia signifying the humiliation of defeat? These white Southerners love that Confederate flag and all their slave heritage. They lost the war. I can't remember seeing a statue of Ulysses S Grant or William T. Sherman? We can safely say that the customs and traditions of the South go back to the Civil War and its glory? Oh, they had slaves as property. That's their custom and was their convention and norm. By the way, The.Battle Hymn of the Republic was considered the North’s most popular song and Battle Cry of Freedom was a rallying cry for the North.
The assassination of Lincoln has not healed the narcissistic injury and the loss of power, possession and prestige suffered by the defeat from the government. It's been written that an historian at Converse University in South Carolina that the Confederate dead raised the question whether or not public funds should've been spent on erecting memorials or instead rededicated to supporting the impoverished widows and children of the dead? In fact, Robert E. Lee's death in 1870 raised the controversy about whether the flag of the United States should be lowered to honor the man who had waged war against the nation. A newspaper article in a West Virginia newspaper hailed Lee as "The Greatest American." Further, a monument was erected in Durham in the 1920s to commemorate the eventual Confederate surrender in North Carolina on April 26, 1865. However, it was widely opposed by people who objected to remembering the South's surrender. The motive for revenge lives on then and now -Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination.
Do not forget that we idolize Indian killers, generals and presidents. Andrew Jackson the seventh president of the United States led US forces against Native Americans; and against the British crushing defeat at the Battle of New Orleans. Jackson was the name of my junior high school. Mad Anthony Wayne was a Brig. Gen. in the American Revolutionary war and killed many Indians in the Northwest Indian war and the Battle of Fallen Timbers. I attended Wayne elementary school, Wayne State University and lived in Wayne County, Michigan. I also attended Edwin Denby high school. Edwin Denby served in the Navy and became the Secretary of the Navy. Our football rivalI was Pershing - Gen John Pershing. Incidentally, the main weapons manufacturer “ The arsenal of Democracy” was in Detroit during World War II and surrounding areas.
Teddy Roosevelt was a famous president with his appointment as assistant Secretary of the Navy . He organized the first volunteer cavalry known as the Rough Riders that was sent to fight in Cuba .He led the charge of the Roughriders on foot up Capitol Hill. The battle of Santiago made him the biggest natural hero to come out of the Spanish-American war. His fifth cousin was Franklin D and FDR’s wife Elenor was Theodore's niece. FDR was in charge of creating the biggest, most devastating weapon in the history of mankind. We went to war against Japan for revenge and went to war with Hitler after he declared war on us. Charles E. Wilson Secretary of Defense and President of General Motors stated what was good for General Motors was good for the country. Thus our power, possession and prestige was well-established
We have had countless movies pertaining to World War II, such as From Here to Eternity, Battle Cry,The Longest Day, Saving Pvt. Ryan, Patton ,Pearl Harbor and so forth. Generals MacArthur, Patton, Bradley and MacArthur are portrayed as heroes second to none. Novels include Catch-22, Schindler's List, The Whispers of War, Slaughterhouse Five, Churchill- Walking with Destiny, etc. Think of the movie stars like John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Spencer Tracy, George C Scott and their portrayals of our heroes. Incidentally,that movie about how the West was Won exemplified the aims of killing, rivalry, robbery and economic exploitation. So what if the railroad men lied to the Indians about the laying of tracks. There was plenty of excitement around gold and of course then the stealing of gold. Thank goodness the bad guys, like Billy the Kid Younger Brothers, had to deal with the likes of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. The Gunfighters at OK Corral was classic as was the final scene of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid. These idols were likable and died gloriously of suicide.Over There was a song from World War I, God Bless America., Over There and Pick Up Your Troubles. For World War II , Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, I'll Be SeeingYou and I'll Be Home for Christmas were popular . On the other hand, songs from the Vietnam War included War , Get Together. The End and protest songs included : Gimme Shelter, Eve of Destruction, Fortunate Son ,and Blowin' In the Wind.
Other illustrations of power, possession, prestige, regardless of consequences are based on the five famous titans of industry: John D. Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford and J.P. Morgan. A Titan of Industry means these people are very important(prestige) and powerful (power and possession). The movie. There Will Be Blood depicts a hard-working and controlling driven wasp that despite obstacles and hardships fortified his pursuit of finding oil. He then proceeds to cleverly manipulate and seductively buy and lease land while taking financial advantage of those poor farmers in California .In the process, he humiliates ,is vindictive, deprives,seeks revenge and murders during his” success.” He becomes wealthy monetarily and impoverished emotionally left with only his butler. The American success story from rags to riches should be reframed as the neurotic quest for power- excessive wealth: possession-land,and natural resources; prestige, being number one and having influence with political, economic,and legal advantages. Greed is good economically but can leave an individual decrepit and alone emotionally.
Based on this brief overview, the mores of power, possession, and prestige in this country are covered with blood as is the history of Homo sapiens. We have been a violent country from the start. We have been winners in major confrontations with the exception of Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan. We have glorified weapons and even made a movie about Winchester rifles. Our worship of guns, weapons and killing are far-reaching and a major component in our country's fabric. In fact , a Marine wrote an article titled "America's Ongoing Secret Wars" in the May 29, 2022 edition of the New York Times and claimed that the United States continues to kill "adversaries" and fails to report them to the public. He stated there was an increase from 6 special operations in 2004 to about 300 two years later. He also raised the question about the US's military intelligence operations in the killing of all those Russian generals in Ukraine? Weapons, guns, and killing cannot be separated. Our economic system, Politics and religious idiosyncrasies reinforce and manipulate man's insecurity. Having a weapon does not protect one from being harmed or from being attacked. On a personal note, my friend and teammate Ed Budde, a mountain of a man, played professional football for the Kansas City Chiefs. Did his strength and imposing physical stature protect him from being brutally attacked with a crowbar ? Have all the guns you want, it's no guarantee for safety. Ukraine had the protection and support of NATO and the United States along with a military of its own. What did Russia do? The discussion regarding gun regulation is a joke and an illusion. So you can't buy an AR 15 until you're 21? Any kid living at home, bringing to his house an AR 15 and military gear should be evaluated as well as his parents. We have too many weapons and too many weapons in the hands of sick people. Change the mores of the country in order to address all the killing.
In summary, in addition to our collective unconscious history are mores for power, possession and prestige include the following facts : 1. The 1994 federal assault weapons ban expired on September 13, 2004. 2. In the last 20 years there's been a tremendous rate increase of purchasing assault weapons and ammunition. 3. In the last 20 years there's been a horrific amount of citizen deaths as a result of assault weapons. 4. Homeland Security was established in 2002 as a protection against foreign terrorism-based on fear 5. Former Pres.was instrumental in a coup attempt to remain in power as president 6. We have a cycle of civilian murder; social media hysteria propaganda around the government taking away guns and futile attempts at legislation; resulting in more gun purchase. The equation is: murder plus fear equals more gun purchase 7. Guns contributes to both fear and murder. 8. Our homeland has not been invaded since 1812. Yet, we are bullies and have accumulated the largest buildup of weapons on the planet-insecurity;and we have the best trained killers in the art of warfare- power and possession 9. The experiment regarding our Republic is threatened from within. Homeland security should focus on homeland terrorism. 10. The South with its governors ,congressmen, senators and citizens continue their opposition against the Blue Democratic presidents and their parties policies. They continue with states rights lies and freedom mythology. This minority is like a two-year-old that uses "no" in a temper tantrum with his parents 11. Continue the mores in this country because the wasps know what's best and can civilize the infidels. There is one true "race", with one true God, with one true economic system. Therefore the continuation of power, possession and prestige.
Reference
Horney,Karen. The Neurotic Personality of Our Time.
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