Quote:
Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS
Disclaimers suck.  Bow out gracefully.
What you're saying is correct, in general, but again this is an issue of attention to details. Living peacefully side-by-side doesn't mean there weren't conflicts of any sort. It just means that conflicts did not turn into all-out wars until the people had some scarce resource to war over. Whenever that happened is up for debate (not in this thread, though) but it certainly increased once outsiders began colonizing.
I remember when I got fussed out by an Eritrean years ago for thinking she was Ethiopian. I mean, one country is smaller than the other but other than that...  I had no idea they were battling the way they are until a decade ago when I started hanging out with more Africans. |
Hey, I don't want to bow out :P It's a civil discussion about a topic I enjoy talking about and feel passionate over. Obviously my studying to this point has been limited so this is an opportunity to fill in the gaps so to speak. I'm pretty hard core about fair trade so I like to have as much background as possible.
For instance, did you know that even though conflict diamonds are basically not kosher anymore, the only way for diamond miners in Sierra Leone to make money is to sell their finds to a diamond smuggler. The Kimberly Process is ideal on paper but not so great in real life.
My professor was hardcore socialist. She said she remembers when Walter Rodney published his book and what a sensation it caused, to the point of it being banned in Jamaica where she came from. So alas my class was slightly politically biased. Amazing teacher though. I didn't get to finish that class (I even fought off anaphylaxis while typing my midterm at 2am. New drug, but I couldn't go to the ER because the paper was due by 2pm the next day. One of the most horrible nights of my life. I sucked on my albuterol inhaler for the next 24 hours.)
I'm not even sure that I'm exactly arguing with breathegelatin...we've just had different sources. I guess I'm not naive enough to think any civilization can ever be peaceful. I just wish I could believe humans are innately good...