The overwhelming majority of the history textbooks “treated the introduction of African Americans in American society as a ‘problem,'” Yacovone was quoted by the magazine as saying.
“The further you go into the 20th century, this almost Evangelical theme of ‘the problem of a Negro’ and how much he needed to be controlled because he was so inept and ignorant became the guiding theme of American history textbooks,” Yacovone added.
Seldom does the West Treat non-Westerners with respect. Since 1945 and the rise of US dominance, this anti-intellectual approach has become far more prevalent, powerful and normalised! Racism is an ever threatening ogre lurking in the darkness – but in this short extract (in 1971) – Clae Williams ‘revitalises’ the ground breaking translation work of James Legge, who began the translation of the Chinese ‘Five Classic’ texts in the mid to late 1800s! Although both cultures (the West and East) are still learning about one another, Legge was able to ‘see beyond’ his own socio-economic and cultural conditioning, and ‘see into’ or profoundly ‘glimpse’ how the ancient Chinese people developed a distinct cultural view of the world! The following extract is an ‘Introduction’ written by the American ‘Clae Williams’ in 1969, his modernisation of the work of James Legge, with much of its content deriving from the ample notes left behind in the James Legge Library. The ‘Shujing’ (書經) or ‘Document Classic’ is often referred to in China as the ‘Book of History’ as the ‘Documents’ concerned are ‘Historical’ in nature recording Chinese history from around 2205 – 771 BCE. It is an interesting attempt by non-Chinese people to contextualise the Chinese cultural perception of the world!
The Christians then further added to this confusion (entirely of their own making) by superimposing the Germanic term ‘Soul’ over their misinterpretation of the Greek philosophical term ‘Psyche’! Plotinus (and most genuine Greek philosophers) never used or even knew of the Christian conflation of ‘Psyche-Soul’. Certainly, Plotinus NEVER used the Christian term ‘Soul’, but he did continuously use the Greek philosophical term ‘Psyche’, which refers to the ‘breath of life’, ‘the animating principle of existence’ – or that ‘spark’ which sets in motion all the conditions that grant psychological (thought) and physical (existence)! Plato’s 4th Century BCE text entitled ‘Definitions’ a manual of philosophical terms (translated by DS Hutchinson, 1996) used within his ‘Academy’ School of Philosophical Study – defines the Greek term ‘Psyche’ to mean the following:
a) That which moves itself.
b) The cause of vital processes in living creatures.
I would argue that the Greek term ‘Psyche’ implies so much more than the narrow Christian term ‘Soul’, and even if there are elements of the Greek ‘Psyche’ which overlap with the Christian ‘Soul’ – this in no way validates (or accepts) the Christian doctrine of being true anymore than it invalidates the Greek philosophical message!
Although Buddhist philosophy must be distinguished from the religious urges which have often surrounded ‘Buddhism’ (Marx, Engels and Mao possessed a healthy respect for Early Buddhist dialectics), within ancient China and elsewhere, thousands upon thousands of individuals have been motivated to stop seeking-out their daily living, the sustenance of others and/or the means to change and transform human society for the betterment of all! Instead, what a modern humanity is left with today is the often impressive and awe-inspiring physical structures of the human populations of the past, which instead of communicating with a ‘hidden realm’ (as intended) are actually communicating with exactly the same humanity, simply a humanity occupying a different space and time from them!
The price Japan has paid for its defeat in 1945 is that it has become an impotent mouthpiece for the forces of US Neo-Imperialism and aggression in the region! This may be further clarified as being one of the main long-term effects of two Atomic Bombs dropped by the US on two defenceless Japanese cities during 1945! Yes – the America which is aggressively agitating in the Asia-Pacific region (and continuously accusing other nations of warmongering) – is the only country on earth to have used the Atomic Weapons!
Once the ‘Darling of the West’ – Aung San Suu Kyi has proven to be something of a disappointment! She received every accolade, reward and
THE SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 