culture is NOT "human nature"

I posted a "tweet" (I hate twitter-speak) a few minutes ago that read "I notice a lot in TV & movies that what they call "human nature" is simply European & Western CULTURE. Time to point it out more."

I don't believe in soundbytes, but that's all the attention span people seem to have nowadays for anything they can deem to be "worth their time," when time is all in our minds. But that's a completely different post.

I have thoughts that cross my mind that I always think about sharing with people but don't for whatever reason. This one shouldn't stay quiet.

My good friend and brother, Luis, pointed out something I have thought of before when watching The Matrix trilogy. There is a point in the movie where the main bad guy, Agent Smith, says to one of the main characters, Morpheus, that according to his observations and final conclusion, the human race is a virus. The human race is a virus upon the Earth and we will eventually kill it and ourselves in the process.

When I first saw this movie, and was still embedded and "submerged" in this Western and European culture that the U.S. pretty much IS, I agreed with it. As I watched the movies again over the years, while in the middle of doing my own thinking and reading on culture, I came to disagree with this statement. Why? Because it is possible to live in harmony with the Earth and maintain the balance that the Earth struggles to help maintain in its own way(s). Think of the ocean and wind currents that take heat and cold to the places they need to be. Without the constant movement of the heat and cold throughout the world, the Earth would be much different, and we might not even be a live.

If I need to elaborate more, let me know. But the point I am getting at is that Indigenous ways of life here did not harm the Earth, and people lived every day trying to maintain a balance with the Earth and all the other forms of life around us. We were no menace upon the Earth. Of course, this is no romanticizaton of Indigenous peoples (but still don't come talking to me about pre-existing empires, enslavement, "sacrifice", or any other European-fabricated myths and massive misunderstandings about our cultures). These ways of balance and harmony with the Earth existed around the world before the barbarians came and destroyed our worlds. Heck, even Europeans had what are now called "pagan" religions that emphasized harmony with the Earth that more or less (warning: generalization incoming) ended with the expansion of Christianity throughout Europe.

So what is the point of all this? The point is that the culture of domination that includes, but is not limited to, Christianity's expansion and colonization is apparently seems to be running and coursing throughout our lives and and very mindsets that we look at selfishness, greed, hate, callousness, deceit, lies, pollution, self-centeredness, etc as "human nature." It's not. It's culture. There were and are different ways of being that we cannot even think of or imagine because we grew up in a culture whose raw materials and ingredients are of the things I mentioned. And what's worse? Calling them "human nature" goes one step further than making it the norm, it makes us not just believe or assume, but take for a given without question (much like we take for granted the sky is there) that there is NO WAY OUT.

I say, take a look at the past, our many stories (I won't call it history) and go far enough back to see it wasn't always this way. And I know not everyone will agree with me on this but I have to say: If there's a way in, then there's a way out.

There's no need to think that a system in which 10% of the population owns 90% of the wealth is "natural" and that they deserve all the 'wealth" (really, is money ALL you need to be wealthy in this life?). The poor aren't poor because they deserve to be poor. I don't know about Europe, but when Europeans came here and set up a system in which they were on top and here to liberate/christianize/save us, yet put us in a continually subservient position, I see that the system was built that way and has never changed since then. There's no reason to see a system that forces men to be emotionally numb, dull, silent, retarded, and somehow above women as "natural."

Anyhow, I could go on, but I feel I have made my point. And to clarify this post a wittle bit... this is not a Christianity-bash or a White-bash. If you take it so personally, then you are not really hearing me. I mean what I say and say what I mean, and I did not say "I hate Europeans/Whites" or "I hate Christians." Why? Because I don't. This is just some observations and judgements humbly put forth from someone who has and is stepping outside the ways so many of us are taught to think in the best way he can. Yadada mean? I thought so!