In the ever-so-elegant words of Mark Twain:
What is a civilization, rightly considered? Morally, it is the evil passions repressed, the level of conduct raised; spiritually, idols cast down, God enthroned; materially, bread and fair treatment for the greatest number. That is the common formula, the common definition; everybody accepts it and is satisfied with it.
Our civilization is wonderful, in certain spectacular and meretricious ways; wonderful in scientific marvels and inventive miracles; wonderful in material inflation, which it calls advancement, progress, and other pet names; wonderful in its spying-out of the deep secrets of Nature and its vanquishment of her stubborn laws; wonderful in its extraordinary financial and commercial achievements; wonderful in its hunger for money, and in its indifference as to how it is acquired; wonderful in the hitherto undreamed-of magnitude of its private fortunes and the prodigal fashion in which they are given away to institutions devoted to the public culture; wonderful in its exhibitions of poverty; wonderful in the surprises which it gets out of that great new birth, Organization, the latest and most potent creation and miracle-worker of the commercialized intellect, as applied in transportation systems, in manufactures, in systems of communication, in news-gathering, book-publishing, journalism; in protecting labor; in oppressing labor; in herding the national parties and keeping the sheep docile and usable; in closing the public service against brains and character; in electing purchasable legislatures, blatherskite Congresses, and city governments which rob the town and sell municipal protection to gamblers, thieves, prostitutes, and professional seducers for cash. It is a civilization which has destroyed the simplicity and repose of life; replaced its contentment, its poetry, its soft romance-dreams and visions with the money-fever, sordid ideals, vulgar ambitions, and the sleep which does not refresh; it has invented a thousand useless luxuries, and turned them into necessities; it has created a thousand vicious appetites and satisfies none of them; it has dethroned God and set up a shekel in His place.
First of all, let me apologize for making you read all that and scroll all the way down here. Second of all, forget apologizing because MARK TWAIN IS FREAKING AWESOME OKAY SO YOU'RE WELCOME. *glares*
Seriously though, I think that Twain brings up a very interesting point in this passage. Sure, "society" and "civilization" has made amazing advancements and has had lots of incredible achievements, but it also has some not-so-great features as well. There are just as many power-hungry and greedy people out there as there are altruistic ones.
This can especially be seen in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In contrast the rose-colored glasses that we often look at today, Twain gives a realistic look at some of the worst parts of that time period, including slavery, racism, feuds, and so much more. He shows how a lot of the "achievements" of society actually had bad motives behind them. For example, the institution of slavery was often seen as paternalistic, like the slave owners were somehow helping their slaves by exposing them to "civilization" and religion and white people. But as much as they might argue it, everyone knew that slavery was based in the never ending search for more money. The more slaves you had, the more crops you could harvest, the more money you could make. Simple as that. I do believe that Twain was a bit of a pessimist because he obviously had the view that society could be just as messed up as it was wonderful.
And not much has changed either. In today's world, we see corrupt politicians murdering people protesting against their policies, racist policemen killing blacks and getting away scot-free (*gives pointed stare at Eric Garner incident and Ferguson* *sighs* *sighs again*), and just the general disgustingness of human beings. (I know that's not a word, but hey, I have the SAT tomorrow, okay?) But part of me doesn't really think that's necessarily society's fault. I mean, even if we all lived like cavemen, there would still be the good guys and the bad guys, those looking out for others and those only looking out for themselves. No matter what, there's always going to be selfish and greedy people and moral and upright people. "Civilization" just gives us an excuse to act that way and label it as "capitalism" or "democracy." Twain's statement is still true today, but I don't think there will ever be a time when it won't apply. No matter what advancements we make, no matter what achievements we have, there will always be those people in our society whose selfishness and iniquity will show through.
Seriously though, I think that Twain brings up a very interesting point in this passage. Sure, "society" and "civilization" has made amazing advancements and has had lots of incredible achievements, but it also has some not-so-great features as well. There are just as many power-hungry and greedy people out there as there are altruistic ones.
This can especially be seen in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In contrast the rose-colored glasses that we often look at today, Twain gives a realistic look at some of the worst parts of that time period, including slavery, racism, feuds, and so much more. He shows how a lot of the "achievements" of society actually had bad motives behind them. For example, the institution of slavery was often seen as paternalistic, like the slave owners were somehow helping their slaves by exposing them to "civilization" and religion and white people. But as much as they might argue it, everyone knew that slavery was based in the never ending search for more money. The more slaves you had, the more crops you could harvest, the more money you could make. Simple as that. I do believe that Twain was a bit of a pessimist because he obviously had the view that society could be just as messed up as it was wonderful.
And not much has changed either. In today's world, we see corrupt politicians murdering people protesting against their policies, racist policemen killing blacks and getting away scot-free (*gives pointed stare at Eric Garner incident and Ferguson* *sighs* *sighs again*), and just the general disgustingness of human beings. (I know that's not a word, but hey, I have the SAT tomorrow, okay?) But part of me doesn't really think that's necessarily society's fault. I mean, even if we all lived like cavemen, there would still be the good guys and the bad guys, those looking out for others and those only looking out for themselves. No matter what, there's always going to be selfish and greedy people and moral and upright people. "Civilization" just gives us an excuse to act that way and label it as "capitalism" or "democracy." Twain's statement is still true today, but I don't think there will ever be a time when it won't apply. No matter what advancements we make, no matter what achievements we have, there will always be those people in our society whose selfishness and iniquity will show through.