The Myth of the "Clash of Civilizations". Edward Said

In 1993 Harvard Professor Samuel P. Huntington wrote an essay titled "The Clash of Civilizations?" and later he expanded into a book with the same title, but without the question mark. Edward Said, late Columbia professor rips Huntington's thesis to shreds.

[@JERY3333]

Dr Said pretty much explained everything that is happening with Palestinian as of now, with extraordinary accuracy. This was in the 90s and we are in 2023, WOW.

[@jcr4runner]

How so? I'd argue the opposite. I'd argue that the Gaza-Israeli War is an example of a war in a "cleft nation" -- a nation torn between two civilizations -- Israel representing the liberal secular west and with religious Zionists and the Palestinians representing traditional Islam --- just as Huntington describes.

[@abumiz]

@@jcr4runner Even the Zionists were honest about their crimes and racism more than you. The Russian Zionist Ze'ev Jabotinsky explained very well the Zionist aims in Palestine in his article "The Iron Wall, We and the Arabs 1923" he wrote: "Zionist colonization, even the most restricted, must either be terminated or carried out in defiance of the will of the native population. This colonization can, therefore, continue and develop only under the protection of a force independent of the local population -- an iron wall which the native population cannot break through. This is, in total, our policy towards the Arabs. To formulate it any other way would only be hypocrisy. Not only must this be so, it is so whether we admit it or not. What does the Balfour Declaration and the Mandate mean for us? It is the fact that a disinterested power committed itself to create such security conditions that the local population would be deterred from interfering with our efforts. ... My readers have a general idea of the history of colonisation in other countries. I suggest that they consider all the precedents with which they are acquainted, and see whether there is one solitary instance of any colonisation being carried on with the consent of the native population. There is no such precedent. ... EVERY indigenous people will resist alien settlers as long as they see any hope of ridding themselves of the danger of foreign settlement. That is what the Arabs in Palestine are doing, and what they will persist in doing as long as there remains a solitary spark of hope that they will be able to prevent the transformation of "Palestine" into the "Land of Israel". ... If you wish to colonize a land in which people are already living, you must provide a garrison for the land, or find a benefactor who will maintain the garrison on your behalf. Zionism is a colonizing adventure and, therefore, it stands or falls on the question of armed forces." And Moshe Dayan, stated in 1956, just 8 years after Al Nakba, and before the secular PLO or Hamas even existed: "Let us not today fling accusation at the murderers. What cause have we to complain about their fierce hatred to us? For eight years now, they sit in their refugee camps in Gaza, and before [the Palestinians'] very eyes we are possessing the land and villages where they, and their ancestors, have lived ... We are the generation of colonizers, and without the gun barrel we cannot plant a tree and build a home. " Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi, Original Sins: Reflections on the History of Zionism and Israel, and Avi Shlaim Iron Wall, p. 101. - David Ben Gurion said: "Why should the Arabs make peace? If I was an Arab leader I would never make terms with Israel. That is NATURAL: we have taken their country. Sure, God promised it to us, but what does that matter to them? Our God is not theirs. We come from Israel, it's true, but two thousand years ago, and what is that to them? There has been anti-Semitism the Nazis, Hitler, Auschwitz, but was that their fault? They only see one thing: we have come here and stolen their country. Why should they accept that? They may perhaps forget in one or two generations' time, but for the moment there is no chance. So it's simple: we have to stay strong and maintain a powerful army. Our whole policy is there. Otherwise the Arabs will wipes us out". -The Jewish Paradox by Nahum Goldman, p. 99. By the way, Gurion was a secular, but he accepted god "promised land"!! And based on a book he published in 1918 in New York, he believed that the Arab natives of Palestine were the "flesh and the blood of old Judeans", but later when the same Arab natives rejected his "Jewish state" in their land, he didn't mind to expel them and steal their land. On the other hand, prominent humanists like Einstein and Gandhi talked about the criminality of the Zionists' project to establish a "Jewish state" in Palestine. In a letter to a Zionist called Shepard Rifkin, Einstein wrote: "Dear Sir: When a real and final catastrophe should befall us in Palestine the first responsible for it would be the British and the second responsible for it the Terrorist organizations build up from our own ranks. I am not willing to see anybody associated with those misled and criminal people." Save your BS about "liberal secular west" or shove it somewhere else. It is the occupation, stupid Yank.

[@khadija2739]

@@abumizty for ur comment🙏🙏

[@Cellem17]

We are still talking about collective punishment after all these years Mr Said.

[@Mindfultranslations]

i feel so sad and regret having lived 60 yrs ... and only recently become aware of a man named edward said , taught , wrote , lectured , in America... were it not for the internet i woudve never heard of ... rip Dr Said .

[@jandeenphoto]

This is the quality of education we could receive if government cared about the quality of information and language being taught at our schools and institutes of higher education.. Television could broadcast lectures and documentaries on this level if the master plan was not to keep the masses stupid and living in fear in the name of financial manipulation by the few.

[@OzgulEzgin]

I am currently reading the book and I am so glad that I got a chance to listen Edward Said's remarks about it.. Now I will continue reading with an open mind :) Thank you Said..

[@cita9165]

Rip Dr. Said. Your wisdom still shines.

[@fabiengerard8142]

🙏🏻♥️🙏🏽♥️🙏

[@InsideJoke1995]

Such incredible eloquence and compassion. Magnificent speech. The world needs more people like Edward Said.

[@okaytoletgo]

Thank you producers. Beautifully edited and paced.

[@eymeeraosaka2954]

Kudos to Prof Said for being the DEFENDER of truth. Great talk. Thank you for dismantling the "Clash of Civilisation" for what it is.

[@TheUnnamedAssailant]

The entirety of the War of Terror can be boiled down to an understanding by listening to this lecture. Clear and concise information

[@himoki1000]

Watching this is inspiring.. may his soul rest in peace 💚💚

[@VintageSurgeonsGeneral]

Unparalleled! Missing him

[@KL1212-ck9ky]

Edward Said Thank you! If you had lived today, it would have been a little easier for us.😞

[@honesty_provides_tranquility]

A lone voice of reason in a sea of western exceptionalism

[@thomaslolll2]

Rip Edward, your work has inspired so many. Love

[@barryhillman3644]

One of the greatest minds there ever existed on the side of justice. There was a time when President Obama or the then Senator Obama used to feel Professor Said made a lot of sense.Yeah, but then at the time the president himself was for the most part on the side of justice and not the drone-hugging leader of the "free world". Besides when did zionism & justice go together? The world could be blessed with one & only one Edward Said but it sure could do with a million more. Thanks for the vid!

[@muhammadroohallah6091]

barry hillman Obama the President was just like the previous presidents He bombed countries way more and used drone strikes to kill innocents daily

[@dabbledtv5955]

I'm not Chinese or Japanese at all but I clearly remember my first interactions with these cultures in-person and through media when I was a child and felt nothing but compassion, interest, and allure to their societies. Of course then, once you get to know another's culture, it sometimes feels incredibly disappointing to have discovered we are all pretty much the same, and there is no place that is truly wonderful to be in here on Earth because humans everywhere have a lot to learn about goodness.

[@danlandmark6970]

I read Saids works all my life and used them as a basis for my own thesis on Swedish orientalism. Now i cannot but wonder what he would say about the present world disaster

[@samibabar]

I really miss the intellectuals of the East, especially Edward Said and Eqbal Ahmad, what gems we have lost in the spectrum of time.

[@cncgeek]

A great analysis by a remarkable intellectual, may he rest in peace

[@AxmedBahjad]

"The real question is whether in the end we want to work for civilizations that are separate, or whether we should be taking the more integrative, but perhaps more difficult path, which is to see them as making one vast whole, whose exact contours are impossible for any person to grasp, but whose certain existence we can intuit and feel and study." - Edward Said

[@post-industrialpeasant3190]

The Italian political theorist Gaetano Mosca noted in 'The Ruling Class'(1939) that universal peace is something to be feared, because it could come about "only if all the civilized world were to belong to a single social type, to a single religion, and if there were to be an end to disagreements as to which social betterment can be attained.... Even granting that such a world could be realized it does not seem to us a desirable sort of world." Of course, there is often nothing worse than war or violent death. But a truism that bears repeating is that peace, as a primary goal, is dangerous because it implies that you will sacrifice any principle for the sake of it. A long period of peace in an advanced technological society like ours could lead to great evils, and the ideal of a world permanently at peace and governed benignly by a global organization is not an optimistic view of the future but a dark one. -Robert Kaplan-

[@Bell_plejdo568p]

@@post-industrialpeasant3190that’s not true tho war happens because of the elites

[@asheneckyajen]

thank God he gave us this man, but if only hed given us more

[@ExJewAntiKhazarWesternAsian]

He's a genius and brave who opened a gate to non-european scholars and a way of thinking independent from Western-eurocentric intellectualism.

[@zarakostova5557]

Magnificent lecture! Brilliant analysis and extremely correct! Congratulations to late Professor Said who revealed the purpose of this "prophetic" work so well. What year were we supposed to hear his speech? It is pitty that we have lost so early a person with such morals and honest mind. We badly need people like Edward Said now!

[@ktm4042]

Brilliant. Simply brilliant.

[@tetsaiga376]

Beautiful closing statement Mr.Edward!

[@aniksamiurrahman6365]

Extraordinary!

[@solslattery8957]

this bloke is such a legend

[@kausamsalam8543]

“Huntington’s authorities are not the cultures themselves...but secondary and tertiary sources.” So true -Huntington is to civilization: as Tom Buchanan is to family man-both insulting to the growth of the human race-“Coexistence” while “respecting differences,” (rather than) extermination. His speech often reminds me of that line in Revelation of Continuity, Quran -(Of the Christians, there are those who are a people of deep learning and love)....(Said: “You cannot continue to victimize others just because you were a victim once” -only one Edward Said who’d dare say this out loud)-May God grant him and his families Eternal Heavens for Justice with Love-Ameen

[@Red-nt3ut]

I see how Huntington's thesis is broadly correct. How civilizations with shared cultures are likely to and have worked together, despite their differences, to combat a greater threat. However, Said's criticism towards Huntington's resolution to the thesis is very valuable: That generalizations towards foreign policy on these foreign identities can disrupt peace or provoke further hostility. Said's criticism in this sense is brilliant, which adds nuance to Huntington's thesis, and can provide a complete world view. With Said's background in mind, it's understandable how his conclusions are proven with experience. How such generalizations in policy have ruined the lives of thousands and incited war. His works on Zionist policy best demonstrate how such misunderstandings can disrupt peace, promote conquest, displace people, and cause many deaths.

[@cliffgaither]

Red ~~ "Zionist policy best demonstrate how such _misunderstandings_ disrupt peace, promote conquest, displace people, and cause many deaths". There are no _misunderstandings !_ Zionist / Israeli policy is strait-up _Colonialism._ The only _misunderstandings_ comes from the Natives who believe the Strangers / Conquerors when they say :: "We come in Peace".

[@gardikagigih5704]

thank you maestro,

[@sayitwithrach2748]

If I want to cite parts of this in a formal academic essay how would I format it/is it advisable to do so? thanks

[@mostrolopo]

Brilliant. Thank you youtube.

[@PlusDeltaM]

I think it's actually 'Starless' from the album Red. Both amazing albums though! This song in particular is an absolute masterpiece!

[@itisjustmeagain]

Hearing Starless at the beginning was nice.

[@roberf9600]

Would anyone happen to know the name of the song at the beginning?

[@LuvlyFlight]

and to think that 'the clash of civilisations' was required reading in political science classes at McGill in Montreal...

[@mirazzzzz]

You cannot continue to victimise somebody else just because you yourself were a victim once. There has to be a limit.

[@n3rdy11]

Said is mistaken when he thinks Huntington and Lewis are trying to understand the world with their "Clash of Civilizations". It's not a theory that seeks to understand, it's a justification rationale and battleplan how to divide and conquer, that's the context in which it's being seen and applied. And sadly it's been incredibly succesful, to such a degree that I have very little hope left for most people in the West.

[@abumiz]

Very well said.

[@shouter1979]

A great man

[@Nephi895]

King Crimson in the intro?

[@fshahrour]

yes

[@psylocybintakeo]

yeeees. always happy to hear them

[@snavenai]

Beautiful

[@williamstone8330]

Damn… what a musical opener….

[@zahirarahman8104]

This has to be circulated all over.

[@premodernprejudices3027]

I partly agree with Said, although I also essentially agree with the general thesis of Huntington, that civilizational clashes - if not always manifested in armed conflicts - is inevitable. It is his prescription with which I find myself moving away from him, where he believes the West's only response to this clash would be to further indulge more intervention abroad, etc. This is where Said's critique of Huntington carries the most weight, I think.

[@johnstewart7025]

When someone hands you something that is supposed to be a magic wand, it is tempting to buy one. This may be what Huntington's book is like. I found an old Chomsky comment where he rejected the theory.

[@christopherdennis4280]

Awesome.

[@aWorkInProgress11]

Intro song is Starless by King Crimson off the Red album.

[@smshahriar997]

great talks indeed。

[@georgezani6205]

In 50 minutes Edward Said decimated Sam Huntington's crazy thesis, and exposed the senility of Bernard Lewis as a discredited pretentious scholar. Said is greatly missed and his wisdom is badly needed in this crazy world ...

[@bakaluffy4604]

.

[@mujeebnizamani131]

He is my moral compass

[@TheEleatic]

His humanism and liberalism was admirable. However, I don’t share his optimism. Human beings are acquisitive and myopic. I think the totalization of your world view follows naturally from your belief in it. However, universal truths cannot be imposed on others through violence. The need must arise from a progressive realization of internal disequilibrium and injustice-Hegel.

[@Xoco1618phi]

It's called "Starless and Bible Black" from the album of the same name by King Crimson. It's a great album by the way. Regards.

[@cash3052011]

What is the date of this talk?

[@nimbydimby]

Don't know the exact date, but he metions that Huntington's book was published last year, so that places the talk in 1997.

[@averyfollett4005]

1998

[@yehmen29]

This is illuminating. I own a copy of a huge hard bound book on Islam, by Bernard Lewis. I came across it in the bookshop at the Institut du Monde Arabe, a couple of years ago. It's got beautiful pictures and I've been using it as an idiot's guide to Islam now and then. And now Edward Said deconstructs it... I am definitely going to look up his works.

[@BTinHD]

This is music to my ears!

[@simranjeetsingh380]

gr8 sir

[@naayou99]

33:34 "the more insisted we are on the separation of cultures, the more inaccurate we are about ourselves and others"--Ed. Said. RIP

[@LAHall-dw7ut]

I just had to read it at The University of Vermont.

[@dollparts7506]

Having to watch this at Florida Atlantic University now ☺️

[@warhol20000]

Denationalization of education: where do we start?

[@francefradet2116]

I feel so sorry for Edward Said. Having to leave his beautiful home in Palestine and grow up as an exile surrounded by WASP oafs.

[@djsebleb]

The more people adhere and believe in the 'Clash of Civilisations' the more likely such a clash will come about.

[@pbghosh5305]

Horatio Hornblower QUITE AGREE ...

[@devingauthier2933]

Nice use of Starless

[@nailachou1174]

Please explain why my comments related to this issue keeps getting deleted. I have posted several times. After being visible momentarily it disappears.

[@abumiz]

My apologies, I had to keep comments on hold until they are approved due to all sort of racist comments I received when I started, and lately I am not that active here. But I didn't delete any of your comments.

[@scaredyfish]

The book came out in 1993 - do we know when this lecture was filmed?

[@abumiz]

1998 is the lecture copyright date.

[@fariedbadjeber-ds6zv]

💚💚

[@thecatratdogshow]

Does anyone know when and where this talk was given?

[@MissMokate]

if I heard correctly, he says at the beginning 'the book was published last year' which places this speech somewhere in 1997

[@huahuacha]

Cet homme était un des espoirs du monde, par sa réflexion profonde et son travail incessant contre les forces "obscures" qui pensent pouvoir diviser le monde en deux face : les bons et les méchants. Des hommes de ce talent ne devraient pas mourir si tôt. Mais son oeuvre (livres, essais, article mais aussi l'orchestre fondé avec D. Barenboïm. Hommage!!!

[@nazrule153]

Clash of Civilisation is a dangerous view from a disturbed and misinformed mind. And thus working to eradicate this insanity of "them vs us" will certainly usher new endeavour towards coming to terms with the terrors of injustices that has displaced harmony. As peace surpasses this evil of those who persist to Warmonger conspicuously like Samual P Huntington. Thank you. God bless All.

[@zachstroud2522]

Curious to see his thoughts on the topic today. Clash of Civilizations pointed out things that came to fruition.

[@AzeemaFaizunnisa]

We can only wish...

[@agubata1]

This is a complete misapprehension of his sophisticated thesis.

[@1287n]

the music at the beginning sounded like pink floyd

[@ItzamnaCuicatl]

Nazeef Mollah its starless from king crimson.

[@aWorkInProgress11]

It's King Crimson's Starless

[@qualifying2359]

king crimson intro???! LIKE

[@JUGAopet1]

1997

[@drjethrowski1225]

It seems Huntington's hypothesis was a self-fulfilling cover/justification for imperialistic ambitions and extraction of resource wealth; i.e., he was right about the outcome because his philosophy was a road map for domination and exploitation, the exploitation eliciting the reaction. Had we had a non-criminal federal "government," one that wasn't owned by the Wall Street mafia, Huntington's predictions would never have come about.

[@Windband1]

Totally spot on.

[@noco7243]

That's retarded. He wouldn't benefit from "Imperialist ambitions." He isn't in the government, he's a professor. You mentioned Wall Street as if it's some sort of monolith when in reality, there are different people who do different things there and have different ideas, many of which were contradictory to Bush.

[@sultanskinny]

1:32 "My premise is that the essay is better than the book. I mean it got worse the more he added to it." I love it when academics diss each other.

[@jasonivancontreras9340]

Europe is too diverse to just categorize into one civilization, man these Anglo-Saxons(not all) tend to have a very superficial view of the world.

[@elidrissii]

Yes, yes, yes. The Anglo-Saxons and their kin are the best at that game. They do the same with Eastern Europe (which starts at Poland for them) to a lesser degree, and Southern Europe at an an even lesser degree.

[@jasonivancontreras9340]

***** I don't necessarily agree with you but my views are a lot different then the one I expressed here.

[@StephenSeabird]

There's no such thing as 'an Anglo-Saxon' in the C21st, anymore there's such a thing as an 'Aryan'. These are peoples long since watered down by contact with other peoples.

[@shohrehhejazi8308]

It seems he is speaking about todays Palestine situation . How Sad 😢 12 years ago

[@darlingtonejezie3280]

How do I get the transcript of this lecture?

[@johnstewart7025]

The speech was probably collected in a book somewhere.

[@muneer75]

There is not a precise transcript of this lecture. But he has written a counter column titled " Clash of ignorance" in the foreign affairs. You can have it there.

[@motow3031]

I read Fujiyama brilliant. End of history not so much

[@pkwyman]

As much as I like Said, the moment he said in the beginning that "no one talks about" Fukuyama's "End of [History]" he proved himself theoretically wrong. It did become a much talked about book, and was not the "End of Fukuyama."

[@DylanMcGonigle]

12:22

[@AhmedTheGass]

37:36

[@LCInfantry]

If Africa had more cells phones and computers ppl might actually care

[@elvansavkli3806]

end of fukuyama , really hahahah.

[@geniusofmozart]

It requires very little thought or mental firepower to advance the intellectually lazy claims of people like Huntington and Bernard Lewis. Which is, unfortunately, why this notion, the clash of civilizations, has become so prevalent.

[@prettypurple7175]

39:20

[@BiancaTallarico]

Feel like this book as influenced the rise of fascism, theories by Sam Harris, and Jordan Petterson. The book is a basis of racism and islamaphobia.

[@realMoMoPuFF]

What is wrong with Jordan Peterson? Have you read his books? Have you read the Quran? Do you know the history of Islam? Do you know what is happening in Europe nowadays? At the borders of Serbia and Hungary/Poland and Belorus? Have you ever heard about globalism and their plans, the Georgia Guidestones, the World Economic Forum and the "You will own nothing, and you will be happy." plan for us? I could go on. You sound like the MSM in America, using the same words/arguments without real knowledge behind them.

[@abumiz]

@realMoMoPuff Here is a short history lesson about something called Colonialism for pathetic ignorant westerns, like yourself, who whitewash Europe's dirty colonial history and spreads lies about the oppressed peoples by your European colonialists and thieves, as if you learn nothing from your racist history and you could not evolve. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3TZaIqPidB8o68 BTW, can you answer to some of your stupid questions? Like, have you read the Quran? Or do you know the history of Islam? Have you tried to compare Quran to other religious books? Or you are only an Islamophobic hypocrite? Try to look beyond your nose, smarty.

[@user-btmbangalore]

There is only one civilization, it is the benign and capable human civilization. Any world leader, at one point in time, White at present time, owing to science and series of ethical reformations, will become much noticed by the others. India and to some extent China, had influnce too, a different time in a different world. When this big leader falters, they are attacked by opportunists from within and without. India could not find an unity at the right time, it became a diluted culture over the centuries. China though less vulnerable has been mistrusted than trusted by partners and neighbours. Will white world or civilization become less relevant? it could. It will require a world relevance, not the race saviour agenda as prime focus. It has right to fail too, it need not be burdened if it feels too challenged. A different people may fulfill the call, global world is inevitable, we will falter, yet the future has been foreconcluded at the very beginning.

[@JohnCahillChapel]

I take the position that there is a clash of civilisations, but that it is encouraged, engineered by powers and by the ambition to global power by god knows who. St Paul, Eph.6:2 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. I take this to be serious intervention and worthy of note for anyone who has faith. I am not so skeptical about the people's i.e., the members of civilisation, mainly the leaders... any power, any authority. Osho said (I paraphrase from memory) If the world could be rid of governments, we would stand a better chance of peace and compassionate co-existence. We can still resist the stereotypes and collectivist energies at the person to person level and to that extent at least not play into the hands of power. It would be helpful if we could see God's compassion for all people... A lot of power based dogma would have to be over come. I was encouraged by the Sikh man in NZ who recently unwound his turban to assist a boy who had been knocked down by a car and was bleeding from the head. God would be pleased. I should say that I have not yet been able to listen to this lecture... inconvenient right now.

[@Wisdomabovegold]

+John Cahill Please take the time to read Psalm 82:1-3 & then Psalm 83. What you will learn is that the Oprah/Islam/Papacy mantra that says there is 'only ONE god & many routes (faiths) by which to access him' is a non-biblical LIE. Psalm 82 clearly states that YHWH is one voice pleading for humanity among OTHER gods that are not only MIGHTY, but are clearly the enemies of humankind. Christianity is monotheistic only insofar as it requires a commitment to YHWH alone. WHY? THINK! IF CHRIST IS THE SON OF YHWH, THEN HE CAME TO THIS EARTH ON A SUICIDE MISSION TO HELP HUMANITY! ALLAH IS NOT YHWH. ALLAH IS THE ENEMY OF YHWH & THEREFORE HUMANITY! SCENARIO: YOU'RE CONFINED IN A ROOM WITH VARIOUS GODS, EACH CLAIMING TO BE YOUR CREATOR & OFFERING TO UNLOCK THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE. EACH PROMISES THE PATH OF GOOD FORTUNE, HEALTH, DOCTRINE OF CONSCIENCE, MISSION & PURPOSE. UNTIL YOU CAN DISCERN WHO IS SPEAKING THE TRUTH I IMPLORE YOU TO KEEP ONE THING IN MIND AT ALL TIMESS--THAT IT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE YOU MAKE NO MISTAKE. WHY? THERE IS ONLY ONE CREATOR KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR & HE'S THE ONLY ONE YOU CAN COUNT ON TO ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO HIS CREATION. THIS IS NO TIME TO BE WHIMSICAL & BROAD-MINDED. YOU HAVE REAL & PRESENT ENEMIES. REMEMBER, THE LIE IS ALWAYS PURPOSEFUL. REMEMBER ALSO THAT YOUR INCREDULITY WILL NOT PROTECT YOU.

[@JohnCahillChapel]

Credulity is an insult to that which we are to trust in, [who] is beyond all conceptual adequacy. Unknowing is just how it is. I am content with that. By the way, I do not think Christ is the son of Yahweh.

[@safaawesam2248]

It's a bog loss 💔💔

[@richardquayson9158]

Who determines which part of the body is most important or who determines the fate of the world? The "Us and Them" should give way to "Oneness" that would harness our strength together for Peaceful Co-existence as a result of tolerating Divergent Cultures or Views instead of Imposition and Consensus Building instead of Division-ism. Modernization and Globalization eventually would bring people together as one people from the same source irrespective of creation or evolution.The Global Village would be of Global Representation where National Interest would give way to Global Interest and Citizens would be proud to be of the Village and not as citizens of their Home Countries.Right of the people should be felt at the World Body where World affairs would not be manipulated by few.

[@nathaneccleston97]

Richard Quayson The cultural logic of globalization is one based upon consumption, not creation, individualism not communitarianism. It brings with it a sort of 'soft nihilism' (Strauss)that destroys meaningful connection found in the value consensus of ones local/national community and instead makes even your closest neighbors, strangers, far from bringing people together, it tears them apart. The idea of a 'global culture' is really one of no culture, just pure individualism where everyone is the same, everything is boring. The ones who typically espouse the notion of a 'global community/village' tend to be from the west themselves where consumerist globalization already reigns supreme. And thus already hold the liberal values that underpin the logic of globalization. This is seen most clearly in the justifications for globalization, ie: 'it will end war, it will end poverty, it will end suffering'. Aswell as being blatantly wrong, as the quest for globalization actually will spread more conflict, its also based on a utilitarian thought process whereby suffering is bad and pleasure good. It ignores as Nietzsche noted, how culture can create meaning from suffering and how suffering in itself can be embraced and indeed has been in many instances (the suffering of Christ on the cross was given significant meaning throughout Christendom). The utilitarian logic of globalization is ushering in the age of the Nietzsche's 'last man' creating lives of comfort and mediocrity, where the only goal and meaning life has is to consume and be 'happy'...

[@hanniballecter7259]

Recent events proved that Huntingdon was largely right. The US's pursuing of the universalism in the Middle East brought islamic world into chaos and had born the IS. The US's pursuing of the democracy in Ukraine sparked the clash between West and Russia (orthodox). Maybe a harmonic development of all cultures is the desirable development, but real world is more harsh.

[@abumiz]

Hannibal Lecter Where did you get the illusion that the criminal USA would ever pursue "universalism and democracy" anywhere? These false promises prove nothing, and they are part of the stupid propaganda we hear from the American corporate media. A People's History of American Empire: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6PRZJ98ar2Gi8k

[@hanniballecter7259]

Palestine Diary I don't deem that the USA pursue only a self-interest. Yes, the primary incentive in American politics is profit, but as Huntington pointed out the main problem that they think that US are doing right. The US are intruding in any other country domestic politics because they suppose that the US have the best political system ever and trying "to teach" foreigners their values. This is known as "American exceptionalism

[@Oners82]

+Hannibal Lecter Unfortunately that is completely delusional, ever since WW2 the US has consistently pursued a foreign policy of opposing foreign democracies in favour of supporting authoritarian regimes that they can control and exploit. This is trivially easy to prove with countless examples ranging from the US's involvement in the Cold War proxy wars of Latin America to the attacks on South Vietnam and support of Indonesia against East Timor.

[@hanniballecter7259]

Oners82 As I said US is losing their comparative power. Yes, US is still the most powerful country in the world but in 1945 their share in the economy and military power of the planet was much bigger than now. It's funny, but the bipolar world had helped the US to maintain the influence and since the collapse of the USSR the multipolar world have started to form. Soon the US will face with rivalry not only from Russia and China but from Asia, Latin America and Europe.

[@Oners82]

Hannibal Lecter None of that relates to the fact that your assertion that the US pursues a foreign policy of spreading democracy is 100% categorically wrong. And it is so wrong as to appear delusional. The truth is that the US supports any regime that aids US interests, and opposes any that does not. In most cases the regimes that are concordant with US interests are brutal dictatorships and authoritarian/theocratic regimes, and the US has no interest in reforming them to democracies. This is why there is a very strong correlation between US support of a regime and the regime practicing torture. There are however exceptions to this, Israel being an obvious example (although still a brutal regime even if a democracy), but this is because the voting population are receptive to US interests and hence vote in governments that support the US business and ruling classes. But to confuse this rare coincidence with a policy of support for democracy is ludicrous.

[@sleepinthemorningcalm]

Sam Harris could benefit from listening to this

[@abumiz]

I don't think so, his brain is allergic to common sense that doesn't fit with his Zionist/Yank agenda. The people who could most benefit from listening to this are the decent common people, so they won't be fooled by stupid propagandists like Sam Harris.

[@eudimion]

Stockholm syndrome afected victim

[@Andrew-gn9qp]

Conservatism is rooted in civilizational distinctions, for Edward Said to discredit this fundamental political idea is tantamount to rejecting conservatism, which will only result in political polarisation. As people like Edward Said continue to peddle the idea that civilizational distinctions are somehow irrelevant, liberals and conservatives become more polarised, rather than seeking an equilibrium between conservation of civilizational distinctions, and liberty, and security.

[@michelasdisappointmentanda2304]

This aged so badly

[@GreenwayOo]

From the "theorician" who said that israel and palestine should both have the right to live at the same place. How deep is that? If he was still alive, he would see that most of his convictions were a mistake.

[@olisamaduegbuna698]

How is that a mistake? That is the ideal situation where you have a heterogeneous state in which both nations live in harmony. That is the only solution to end the conflict.

[@GreenwayOo]

Olisa Maduegbuna you must be blind to believe that. The only solution is to get rid of either one or the other, and isreal is doing a good job exterminating the people from palestine

[@olisamaduegbuna698]

***** When the fascists on both sides are marginalised, peace and harmony can reign. Look at post-Apartheid South Africa. Everyone said it was impossible that the Afrikaaners would have a joint state with equal rights for both white and blacks but eventually it happened. Afrikaaner minority rule lasted far longer than the Israeli occupation of Palestine yet eventually peace and harmony reigned. I have faith in the next generation, my generation to make things right. The old pessimistic thinking you are expressing will end eventually as the old generation of leaders die off. Today's Palestinian and Israeli youth share relatively no hate towards one another compared to that between today's leaders.

[@GreenwayOo]

you obviously don'tknow anything about south africa

[@olisamaduegbuna698]

***** You just make vague statements without substantiating them. You have no evidence to back up your claims, you just make silly observations and try and justify them based on your pretentious claim that your arguments are 'obviously' true which they are not.