CIVILIZED   SAVAGERY

            Mormons teach that there is a pre-existence where un-embodied spirits chose to follow one of two plans – Jesus’ plan or his brother, Satan’s plan.  Those of us who chose to follow the godly, free agency plan had the privilege of being born at key chronological, historically significant times and to superior parents. 

            Some spirits in the pre-existent, heaven-like place were more valiant then the common spirits, foreordained to do great things while on earth.  Examples of these noble souls are Joseph Smith and Brigham Young.

            A belief of this kind is called “predestination,” a belief that is shared by many non-Mormons, Calvinism for example.

            A positive image of predestination can levitate a true believer’s self esteem.  For example, a Mormon fundamentalist is assured a white skin and parents who are among the chosen. There are non Mormons who view men like Churchill, FDR, Abe Lincoln, Hitler, Stalin, and Obama as men who were born to do what they do – impact cultures that effect the rest of us. 

            Beliefs of this nature give rise to the concept of elitism and inferiority, the superior and the inferior.  These beliefs are so firmly planted in our genome that no amount of political correctness is apt to obliterate the illusion of superiority and inferiority. 

            Political correctness has succeeded in elevating the African American from inferior servant status to an athletic, entertainment, military and political par with his white counterpart.  As fair as that may seem it has only scrambled the notion of elitism.  If we interject the phenomenon of adoration or hero worship we see that elitism is still alive and well. 

            Is it possible to adequately describe the human ability to adore and worship?  Is glorifying another an emotional, irrational, silly experience that is a gross exaggeration where rational respect for one’s position or accomplishments should be sufficient? 

            It is an empirical fact that there is a preconditioned tendency to envy, love and adore the rich, powerful and famous. This apparent inherent tendency to grovel is notably exemplified by the vassal/feudal lord era of European history.  The culture defined one’s status and there was nothing you could do about it.  Although I believe the tendency to grovel has a genetic origin, just when, how and who to truckle I believe is learned.

            We see self-debasement all through the animal kingdom where dominance or might-makes-right, determines the right to breed.  The person who watches Nova or the History Channel on TV cannot escape this genetic phenomenon.  The classic example is the dominate wolf who governs the pack and the subordinate wolves roll over and expose their throat. 

            In the human ecology we call those subordinates who make a profession of submissiveness sycophants, toadies, remoras and kiss-asses. 

            I remember as an adolescent how the Bobby Sox generation fawned conspicuously over Frank Sinatra.  For some reason my hero-worshiping genes or memes didn’t kick-in because I viewed the behavior of those throngs of mesmerized, stage-door girls as irrational and demeaning. I watched the same illogical antics over a gyrating, mediocre singer named Elvis. 

            These fawning, groveling waggeries are usually asexual, colorblind, apolitical and non denominational. Fame, fortune and power are the knee-jerk driving forces. It was articulation and charisma rather than patriotic, executive experience that got an African American named Barak Obama from the streets of Chicago elected President of the United States.  With the job came an endless supply of sudden insight, wisdom and superior thinking about what was good for the people of the United States.

            I don’t believe in predestination.  Déjà vue is a trick of the mind.  Nor do I believe birth is an accident.  However, I do believe in chromosomes, genes, memes and evolution.  We didn’t choose our parents and nobody chose them for us.  The color of our skin, the shape of our eyes etc. is determined lottery fashion when our father’s sperm unites with our mother’s egg.  A new, unique DNA happens – us!

            We are, what we do with that our parents pass on to us, in the particular environment we find ourselves.  We are born with the potential for competition, aggression, creativity, compassion and spirituality.  We were not born with an inherent desire for equality and fairness.  Those are learned attributes.  The tendency to unite into herds, tribes, flocks and families probably has a genetic antecedent but even there, there is an unmistakable pecking order.

            We may be the most agreeable, easy going guys in town under ordinary circumstances but when it comes to power (status), sex and wealth rules are tossed out the window and we tend to revert to what I call “civilized savagery.”  When it comes to survival genes almost always trump memes. 

            So how do we equate spiritual deeds like “bleeding the beast,” “milking the gentiles,” “blood atonement,” and “ethnic cleansing,” and rulers like the “Philosopher Kings?”  Are they genetic or memetic?