Humane Civilization - Title Page/Preface

Humane Civilization -- A Draft Manuscript
humane Zivilsation / civilización humana / civilisation humaine

Title Page / Preface

Possible Working Titles:

Ethical Economic, Legal, Political and Social Institutions: Models for Change: An Outline for reforming the obsolete tenets of modern civilizations
OR
Meeting Human Needs: Ethically Reforming our Economy and Government
OR
Beyond Liberal and Conservative - Vision of a Peaceful Revolution

A DRAFT MANUSCRIPT by Heinz Aeschbach, MD, Austin, Texas, first published 2008, and other articles [more to be added].

Our goal is an organization that promotes broad progressive ideas that may lead to the reformation of institutions
worldwide and to more humane conditions for all.

Founding organization members:
Heinz Aeschbach, M.D., Austin, Texas, USA
Crispa J. Aeschbach Jachmann, Vienna, Austria
Walter Aeschbach, M.D., El Paso, Texas, USA
Margaret A. P. Aeschbach, Austin, Texas, USA

Copyright Heinz Aeschbach, MD, 2008/'09/'10/'11/'12 - H.Aeschbach@gmail.com

Basic web design and photos by Linda Nowotny (no credit taken for previous versions of this website or revisions made after Jan/Feb 2011).

Preface         last revised/edited 2/2012

1.
   Collapse by J. Diamond¹ and The Meaning of the 21st Century by J. Martin² describe how civilizations ignore their destructiveness, how people just watch the last trees being cut down, their lands becoming deserts, or fish no longer replenishing. Societies and governments generally do not correct their mistakes. Many civilizations disappeared for reasons that should have been obvious and predictable long before their collapse. However, in the 21st century, we no longer deal with local collapses, such as the poisoning of the whole Black Sea³ or overpopulation with food shortages in Rwanda leading to a savage genocide⁴. Large scale catastrophic conditions that affect the whole world are likely to develop before 2050.

   Economic issues and ethics are most relevant. Economic institutions and economically powerful corporations dominate the world while ethics is inadequately studied and taught. Ethical considerations are broadly ignored, if they oppose economic interests. Modern economic institutions are flawed and poorly understood; they work inconsistently; they are intrinsically unstable. Economists from many schools reached valuable insights, but governments failed to work with them on establishing economic institutions and systems of taxation that encourage rational and meaningful developments.

   Economic institutions and economic policies disregard goals of individuals and societies; they cause worldwide dire social and political problems, including wars. While overall wealth grows rapidly in much of the world, corresponding improvements in quality of life are often lacking, and the income gap between rich and poor is growing. Over a billion people still live in miserable conditions with no possiblity to escape extreme poverty. Population growth outstrips increase in food productiont⁵ and ecosystems are destroyed. Disintegration of families and of cultures are worsening. Women, underpaid and working in wretched conditions, contributed greatly to the rapid development of industrializing economies; but it remains a low priority to stop continued discrimination against girls and women, their humiliations, abuses, exploitation and enslavement⁶.

   Vicious cycles emerge in the interactions between economic and political forces. These are almost impossible to halt⁷. Yet, leaders of our powerful institutions and the majority of the population do not recognize the ethical imperative to seek fundamental changes.

2.
Avoiding collapse, addressing the survival of humanity and of ecosystems, must not be the only focus. Throughout history, civilizations that we admire for their great achievements practiced unimaginable cruelties. Religions in all parts of the world have failed to prevent extreme cruelties, instead, religions have often justified and even prescribed them. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is not followed in any country⁸. Violence and genocidal actions against minorities continue as part of "normal" political pursuits⁹. Revolutions, struggles for democratic governance and great scientific and technological progress advanced the lives of many, but billions of poor people are continuously exposed to violence and cruelties, some living in traditional societies, others in slum cities and in failing states.

   Developments in modern societies fail in many ways. A rapidly growing middle class of poor countries follows a Western model that is not tenable in a densely populated world. Competing free enterprises are creative and there is much material growth, but they do not focus on what is most needed and ignore the unemployed. When productivity increases, people are enticed to seek luxury and perfection, and they work rather more. Consumerism corrupts ethical thinking and often becomes an addiction. Advertisements purposely create desires, make people feel inadequate and insecure and then exploit these anxieties. Spending excessively on entertainment and luxuries may be the result and/or cause of a lack of meaning in life. Legally protected as "free speech," commercial media portray violence, cruelties, unethical sex, and other abusive behaviors as entertainment, thus inadvertently or callously reinforcing grossly unethical behaviors. While media brazenly offend cultural values, religious groups and politicians of all parts of the world have been ignoring the issue or responded with fundamentalism and extremism, rather than focusing on ethical principles¹⁰. Both, libertarian laissez-faire and science-denying religiosity are dangerous and destructive.

   There are conflicts in all human relationships, humans have a propensity to aggression, and humans are fascinated by cruelties. Our instincts have neither developed to serve our interests as individuals nor as a species¹¹. Aggression is a tool instinct, which mainly served to acquire and/or defend status or rank and territory; in modern civilizations, it is almost always detrimental, but people often enjoy participating in or watching aggressive displays. As early cultures became complex and anonymous, they developed large-scale warfare, cruel ways of subjugating powerless groups, particularly slaves and women, torture in law enforcement endeavors, and mutilating practices with symbolic meanings, to impair girls' sexual feelings or mobility, etc. Cruelties continue in much of the world, committed within families, often as part of tradition and culture, and between groups. People are fascinated by others' suffering, and if a culture or subculture demands cruelty, people tend to go along without hate but also without compassion or remorse. Even if growing up loving animals, people may become butchers as others become soldiers or executioners¹².

3.
   Economics and ethics are pivotal in virtually all decision making, decisions of individuals, groups, enterprises and politicians. People's understanding of ethics determines how they believe they should think and act, but economic incentives greatly influence and far too often corrupt ethical intents. Ethics and economics are still poorly understood.

Human decision making processes are very complex. Sometimes people feel like they are freely choosing, at other times they perceive themselves as rational, 'calculating what is objectively best'. However, decision making always relies on emotional valuations. What feels good and right is, biologically, determined by instincts responding to environmental stimuli, including stimuli that are associated with instincts; the expression of instincts is modified by culture and personal experiences and may be sublimated with art. Ethics should be the most important aspect of culture. Abusable drugs imitate the good feelings of instincts. Abuse and addiction patterns include the habitual, inappropriate pursuits of alcohol and other drugs, and of culturally modified instincts ('junk food' binges, inappropriate and abusive sex, power, money and material goods.

   Economics can hardly be considered a science: economics, as taught in schools and as used in political decision making, consists of multiple theories with limited validity. Different schools of economics do not even agree on basic principles; indeed economists of similar persuasion keep giving contradictory advice, and no school of economics appears able to predict economic developments¹³. Economic and related political discussions appear stuck within narrow models; particularly conservative politicians and economists keep recommending approaches that lead to much suffering and very gradual recoveries. Alternative approaches are needed, reexamination of governmental and private financial institutions, possibly introducing local currencies (or barter coupons) in areas with depressed economies.

   Ethics, as a science, must be further developed. Ethics must be based on empiricism, the understanding of human nature, not on transcendental philosophy or religion¹⁴. Ethics must be pragmatic, observing human instincts and intrinsic goals of all people. Many instincts foster ethical behavior, particularly social instincts, sense of reciprocity, sympathy and the ability to be empathetic even towards stranges and animals. People also must work to avoid expressing aggression, vindictiveness and particularly us-versus-them thinking. Ethics must be emphasized in formal and informal education for all ages, and institutions may need ethical consultations and oversight. Many institutions adhere recalcitrantly to dysfunctional traditions; professional and institutional ethics rules often miss the major problems; and dishonest, shortsighted, narrow-minded, corrupt and greed-driven behaviors are major obstacles to progress. Legal systems need to be redesigned according to principles of ethics.

   The USA's legal system, which is supposed to enforce ethical behavior, is essentially a relic of pre-Christian religiosity. As in antiquity, its primary goal is vindication; it uses quasi-religious rituals, it follows its own, strange logic and complies with obsolete believes regarding human nature, particularly concerning normal volitions, reasoning and behaviors, and regarding mental disorders. It hardly fulfills its goals of preventing crimes. It broadly supported by the country's conservative-religious groups and the wealthy.

The USA, as a civilization, has chosen to ignore signs of disturbed developments in children and adolescents until the legal system can deal with foreseeable perpetrations. However, the USA's legal thinking is entrenched, it is a matter of cultural pride; people do not want to hear that it is wrong in principle and bad in execution. Most lawyers are essentially incapable of recognizing the counterfactual nature of legal doctrines.

4.
The essays of this manuscript describe my/our interpretation of studies concerning economics, ethics, social and political problems, and human nature, followed by conclusions and fairly detailed proposals for principal changes. (Many issues were discussed with friends and relatives; most important were the thoughts of my identical twin brother WAe.)

   Humans apparently tend to be egoistic, greedy, power-hungry, shortsighted, and cruel; and some authors point to individual responsibility¹⁵. However, children learn from the people around them, their culture, folklore and games, their teachers, the media, etc. Their language influences their thinking to some degree. Income distribution, work places and the physical and social environments influence them. Obviously, we cannot rely on people suddenly 'choosing' to be responsible. Peaceful civilizations are possible. Ethics, including compassion towards people perceived as "others", can be taught. People can be taught to redirect propensities towards unethical expressions of instincts and addictions. Institutions that decidedly address the world's foremost problems are possible. Good institutions bring the best out of people.

Many organizations and individuals work to alleviate widespread suffering and to improve today's civilizations. However, each represents but a small minority and is largely ignored by people in power. To change the political, economic, legal, and religious institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), charitable-educational organizations, and green and other progressive parties of the world must work together towards a common goal, a vision of effective institutions that are based on ethics and an understanding of human nature. We urgently need models of better institutions. Humane-civilization.org attempts to move this process forward.

   The following essays about economic and social order go beyond ideologies of left and right. People want to conserve or save much that is universally recognized as valuable: timeless wisdoms and ethical principles, natural and on instincts based social patterns, the heritage and artifacts of cultures, animal and plant species, and other natural resources of the world. People also must become liberal in the sense of progressive, generous, tolerant, and broad-minded. The world cannot stand still, and we need to free ourselves, as quickly as possible, from obsolete notions.

5.
Most relevant parts of this manuscript are:

description of a radical departure from conventional economic views (part 1)
a detailed description of natural ethics (3.4), and
a framework of proposed institutions for an ecologically sound, humane civilization (part 4).

The goal of the central chapter is to show how institutions can be established that improve societies by taking human nature fully into consideration. These societal institutions do not rely on extraordinary, altruistic people, or charismatic leaders.

The premises of the following framework model are:

Ours is not "the best" or "the least bad" system; better institutions are possible and desperately need.
People's characteristics, e.g. their egoism or greed, do not shape their institutions; a civilization's institutions and culture strongly influence and shape the people. Rather than depending on the good character of people, the model institutions are to bring the best out of ordinary people.
Helping the most suffering and correcting the worst injustices rarely leads to lasting change; we need a model or vision of better, humane institutions that guide us in our educational, political and charitable work.
Economic, political and legal thinking have to consider ethics, psychology and ethology, i.e. human rights, human needs, and human nature.

The objectives of the manuscript are to:

Shortly analyze problems in today's societies, a review of basic data on human nature, and a definition and descriptions of natural or global ethics.
Describe a model framework of institutions with the goal to greatly reduce unnecessary suffering, improve people's ability to develop their natural, positive potentials, and strengthen healthy families and social connectedness for all people. The model institutions must consider human nature, people's strengths and weaknesses, i.e. they must not depend on extraordinarily ethical persons, or on religion or on charismatic and highly responsible leaders; and the model must encourage further development, it must not be fixed and dogmatically adhered to.
Show ways of moving towards and realizing such institutions.

   The document is incomplete and continuously edited and expanded. Each part and chapter are written so that they can be read and understood by themselves. Concepts of one chapter may be summarized in others.

   The website also contains, following the appendices, articles and letters that are not part of the model. They are related to specific political issues, psychiatry, substance abuse, and policies concerning substance abuse.

   There is no claim that any of the described thoughts and ideas have not been described by other authors.
_______
1 Collapse, Jared Diamond, 2005 (author of Guns, Germs and Steel, and of The Third Chimpanzee)
2 The Meaning of the 21st Century , A vital blueprint for ensuring our future, James Martin, 2006 (author of The Wired Society, and founder of the James Martin 21st Century School at Oxford University, U. K.)
3 Ibid. p. 31ff: In the later 1980's, fish rotted, leaving the huge sea stinking and economically worthless; an invasive jelly fish species (Mnemiopsis leidyi) fed on microorganisms and immature fish, shrimp, crabs and mollusks until there were an estimated one billion tons of them (this is more than the annual catch of all fishing in the world).
4 Collapse by J. Diamond, p. 311-328: Rwanda's overpopulation and poor farming methods lead to significant erosion and drop in the land's fertility; in spite of all land being agriculturally used, food production per capita kept falling prior to the collapse of their society.
5 Significant food shortages are predicted. Actually, there still is sizable excess food production, but much nutritious food is used for wasteful meat production, for pet food or processed into fuel for cars. Particularly beef production is extremely inefficient regarding land and water use; rain forests are cut down to produce beef; additionally cows produce much greenhouse gases.
6 compare: Half the Sky , Turning Oppression into opportunities for Women Worldwide, by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sherryl WuDunn, 2009
7 A typical example are the, in the USA started and then internationally followed policies on drugs. An economic-political decision was made to tax alcohol and tobacco while establishing a by the medical establishment controlled drug distribution and an illegal, hugely profitable drug economy, which supports millions of households. Costs and illegality created incentives and disincentives to use: everything expensive and forbidden is assumed to be in some ways good, but for many, drugs were too expensive and illegal involvement can cost participant dearly. It has been evident for decades that the "war on drug" was ill-conceived and failed, but it is still taboo to propose fundamental change, even though examples of different approaches were successful, in the Netherlands, in Switzerland, and, in a more radical way, in Portugal (compare The New Yorker, 10/17/2011 "Getting a Fix," Portugal decriminalized drugs a decade ago. What have we learned? by Michael Specter.
8 In most countries there are at best feeble attempts to stop human rights violations and many governments are perpetrators. Human Rights regarding freedom of movement and asylum (article 13 and 14) cannot be realized one country at a time; international agreements are needed. Far too many people, particularly women, fulfill criteria for seeking asylum when living in countries where their basic rights are continuously threatened and violated. A few wealthy states, such as the Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands, cannot absorb millions of abused and/or malnourished people who wish to move. Additionally, progressive countries have difficulties preventing the continuation of the abuses of girls and women within the immigrant communities.
9 Worse than War, Genocide, eliminationism, and the ongoing assault on humanity, by Daniel Jonah Goldhagen, 2009 (author of Hitler's Willing Executioners)
10 Particularly religious people may study: Our Endangered Values, by Jimmy Carter, 2005.
11 Biological development fosters the propagation of one's genes and its copies in relatives, compare: The Selfish Gene, Richard Dawkins, 1976.
12 Goldhagen offers complex explanations for common people's participation in genocides. The three main reasons are 1. humans' (primates') ready ability to think of groups as "them" or "others", i.e. not or no longer deserving consideration, 2. a lack of effective ethics education, and 3. humans' natural fascination with suffering and cruelties: people want to see accidents and crimes and readily participate in sadistic transgressions. Even Chimpanzees, and certainly early humans sometimes killed others with apparent excitement and seemingly lacking any empathy or compassion. Compare Through a Window, by Jane Goodall, 1990, p. 106: After a chimpanzee group split into two, there were systematic attacks against all adults of the smaller group, including former friends, old, weak and female individuals. As in human inter-group violence, there was frenzied excitement followed by a seemingly triumphant mood. People often celebrate murderous and genocidal actions. Truman was reportedly jubilant after the bombing of Hiroshima (Worse than War, ibid. p. 187 and 3.)
13 Compare: The New York Times, 3/25/2010, Opinion article "The Return of History", by David Brooks (conservative commentator)
14 Consilience, The Unity of Knowledge, Edward O. Wilson, 1998: chapter 11, Ethics and Religion, p. 238ff.
15 The great differences between cultures are not related to people choosing to be cruel or diligent/moral out of free will. Goldhagen believes that not seeing people as free agents dehumanizes them, turning them into automatons (ibid. p. 11). However, it is not free will that distinguishes us from robots (we do not even know whether we have free will), being sentient distinguishes us from automatons.

Previous Page Top of Page Next Page