Proverbs From The Motherland by MixMasterE

The languages of Africa are rich in proverbs. Despite the colossal ignorance (especially in the West) of Africa and Africans, the peoples of Africa continue to carry on their rich legacy of unsurpassed wit and wisdom which more than proves that African cultures, in their many articulations, have throughout history been dynamic, malleable, plastic. ( In fact, before there was even a Europe to speak of, African civilizations were thriving and quite old. See
http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/hum211/timelines/htimeline2.htm
for a very good time-line on this topic). The fact that so much has been stolen from Africa and her children and claimed by others as theirs to begin with is perhaps one of the saddest tragedies in the annals of human societies. Still, the light of truth and wisdom remains in the heart and soul of Africa's children, and in that light, I present some wise sayings of Earth's first humans:


Talking doesn't fill the basket in the farm (Success requires planning and hard work.)
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Don't insult the crocodile until you cross the water. (Be careful about criticizing others.)
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Only a knife knows what the inside of a coco-yam looks like. (Those who investigate and research something understand the subject.)
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A big blanket encourages sleeping in the morning. (Luxury encourages Idleness. If you have worked hard and made wise choices, you will find contentment.)
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A bird that is eating guinea-corn keeps quiet. (Someone going about his regular business will not create a disturbance. Dedicate yourself to a task.)
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Rats don't dance in the cat's doorway. (Don't invite trouble.)
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A hippopotamus can be made invisible in dark water. (Ignorance can lead to potential danger. It is important to be informed and alert.)
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If your house is burning, there is not time to go hunting. (Priorities are important in planning activities.)...
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For more, click here.
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Peace
 

Evolving Brains

(BBC News reported the following which I found quite interesting)


'Proof' Our Brains Are Evolving


The changes presumably confer a survival benefit,University scientists say they have found strong proof that the human brain is still evolving.


By comparing modern man with our ancestors of 37,000 years ago, the Chicago team discovered big changes in two genes linked to brain size. One of the new variants emerged only 5,800 years ago yet is present in 30% of today's humans, they believe.
This is very short in evolutionary terms, suggesting intense selection pressures, they told Science (http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/309/5741/1662)


Survival Benefit


Each gene variant emerged around the same time as the advent of so called "cultural" behaviours. The microcephalin variant appeared along with the emergence of traits such as art and music, religious practices and sophisticated tool-making techniques, which date back to about 50,000 years ago.


It is now present in about 70% of humans alive today.


The other, called the ASPM variant, originated at a time that coincides with the spread of agriculture, settled cities and the first record of written language. It gives us a clue to perhaps follow up on and try and understand why they emerged Cognitive neurologists
said the big question was whether the genetic evolution seen had actually caused the cultural evolution of humans or was merely chance. Their hunch is that it might have something to do with the important role that these genes play in brain size, but stressed that did not necessarily mean better intelligence.
"Just because these genes are still evolving doesn't necessarily mean they make you any smarter," said Dr Lahn.


Ongoing Changes


But he added: "Our studies indicate that the trend that is the defining characteristic of human evolution - the growth of brain size and complexity - is likely still ongoing.
"If our species survives for another million years or so, I would imagine that the brain by then would show significant structural differences from the human brain of today."
The researchers said the next step was to examine whether biological differences imparted by the genetic differences caused natural selection to favour that variation over others.
They must have conferred some evolutionary advantage, such as a desired change in cognition, personality, motor control or resilience to neurological or psychiatric diseases, they said.
Dr Geraint Rees, a cognitive neurologist at University College London and Wellcome Trust senior research fellow, said: "It's very interesting.
"I do find it surprising that they can pinpoint these changes to a point relatively recently in evolutionary history.
"It gives us a clue to perhaps follow up on and try and understand why they emerged at that time and what the consequences were."
He said it would be too big a leap now to conclude that the genetic changes were responsible for some of the cultural changes we have seen, such as the emergence of agriculture. "But that's a tantalising prospect," he said.

On Ambition

It never fails to amaze me the depths some people will go to rise to the top. What particularly gets under my skin are the characters who seem to be getting along with their colleagues then behind their backs cut them down in the most vicious way. It is these types of characters who invariably get promoted and are sometimes held in high esteem especially by their superiors. Still, I listen to their diatribe against person X and oftentimes find myself defending that person in a way that doesn't seem like I am taking sides. What experience has taught me is that the folks who tend to gossip the most about other people end up gossiping about you to other people as well. Also, the ones who do most of the work in any particular organization oftentimes are not the ones promoted--instead the gossipers, the ones rubbing elbows with their superiors and falsely taking credit for other people's work are catapulted to the top. Meritocracy is a sham, for the most part ( see http://www.ncsociology.org/sociationtoday/v21/merit.htm and http://www.economist.com/world/na/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3518560)


Why is this?


I think that naked ambition has always been around, especially in times of uncertainty. This moral corruption is understandable if detestable. It becomes more pronounced in times of high uncertainty and fear of job loss. We are living in such times when corporations can move anywhere in the world and set up shop in some low-wage country to boost their profits, discard workers' rights, lessen their tax liabilities and scrap environmental concerns. In addition, importing workers from underdeveloped countries and paying them much less than what US workers are used to is also quite common.If you add the inherent systemic factors such as racial, gender and age discrimination, then what you have is a potent elixir guaranteed to attack the ethical and moral fiber of many US workers who deeply fear the loss of a means of survival and an accustomed way of life. For many people, this drive for success (ambition) goes into overdrive under these circumstances, devil take the hindmost.


It is my contention that ambition, as a culturally-shaped value which gives meaning to our lives ( be it striving for money, love , honor, fame, etc) has warped into something quite ugly and inhumane in our present day globalized landscape. Absent from this natural inclination to achieve some modicum of success and material security is an ethic of compassion and respect for the dignity of our brothers and sisters. I say this not from a religious point of view but from years of observing human behaviour and reflecting deeply on it. I am reminded again and again of Shakespeare's character Macbeth who first started out as a noble individual but his long time ambition to be King corrupted his character making him succumb to greed, violence and power hunger which eventually led to his downfall (and death). Reading about the downfall of the CEOS from Tyco, Arthur Andersen and Enron (amongst others) shows striking parallels to Shakespeare's timeless observation.


So am I saying that ambition is a social evil? Somewhat. The following quote sums up my feeling on this:


"A noble man compares and estimates himself by an idea which is higher than himself; and a mean man, by one lower than himself. The one produces aspiration; the other ambition, which is the way in which a vulgar man aspires."--Henry Ward Beecher
Aspire to be whatever your heart so desires, but restrain the run-away power of ambition
and replace it with self-denial:
"Good breeding is the result of good sense, some good nature, and a little self-denial for the sake of others."-- Lord Chesterfield
Absent of strong labor unions, we are really at the mercy of our employers. Most states in the US have at-will employment contracts which ,eans that employers may legally fire you for just about any reason, no reason or even an unfair reason. That's partially because there are relatively few labor laws that protect workers from wrongful termination and none that generally protect from workplace "unfairness" per se. As a consequence, one should expect to see more and more depraved and nakedly ambitious souls cling on to their turf and step on anyone in their path.


My only advice is to stay humble and level-headed and keep learning/working hard. You may be passed over for a promotion and have to take a back-seat to a narcissistic loud-mouth who knows less than you, but in the end you will achieve a much more fufilling prize: Grace.


:::MME:::

Musings

Then a woman said, 'Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow.'
And he answered: Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears. And how else can it be? The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven? And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives? When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy. When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. Some of you say, 'Joy is greater than sorrow,' and others say, 'Nay, sorrow is the greater.' But I say unto you, they are inseparable. Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed. Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy. Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced. When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.~~ Kahlil Gibran

The All-Too American Tragedy of New Orleans: Empire, Inequality, Race and Oil (Paul Street)

This is not the America that I grew up in.This is not the America I know and love.I can't believe this is happening in America; it seems more like something from the Third World, like Baghdad or Bangladesh. Such is the incredulous commentary of three corporate media talking heads I've heard reflecting on the terrible events occurring in New Orleans in the tragic wake of tropical storm Katrina. The talking heads are off base. The historic events unfolding in New Orleans are very much about what the (to be a little more specific) United States of America has become. They are the predictable outcome of steep societal disparities and related perverse political and policy priorities that reflect the interrelated and petroleum-soaked imperatives of American Empire and Inequality....(full article)