(language and communication is always problematical. Can only use the language English, and that badly. Am sure that there are many other combinations of words and images to more adequately describe my thoughts, but these will have to do.)
The question, methinks, has been around since Australopithecu-whatsis first began to have the leisure to stop worrying about how to stuff their bellies, and WONDER about that bloody great big hot fiery thingo above their heads that came and went on a regular basis.
It is too easy for us now, with the KNOWLEDGE of thousands of years of recorded history, and easy access to information - to forget what it must have been like back then. Groups of separated tribes with limited inter-tribal communication, and probably no extra-tribal communication at all – except for grunts and gestures of aggression..defending territory.
What was it? Where did it come from? Where did it go? What relationship did it have to the silvery thingo (also above their heads) that came in the darkness, surrounded by speckles of light but, unlike the fiery orb, changed its shape – and, sometimes, could also be seen at the same time, and in the same space - as the fiery one.
The fiery one was a constant. The silvery one changeable. It must have been mysterious and magical. And so, the guesses, the development of imagination, the stories. They knew that the fiery one controlled the physical world that they lived in, and relied on for food, shelter – their very existence.
Since they knew that they had only limited control over their wider environment, there MUST be “some other” controlling force outside and apart from their experience, knowledge and control. With limited knowledge of how, outside and beyond their own valley - the physical world worked, they could only “personify” this mysterious force.
And so, the “gods” were born. Instinctively intelligent “medicine men/women/magi” versus the “brute strength” of the alpha male. Each tribe around the globe with its own version.
As the tribes became more “civilised”, changed from hunter-gatherer nomads to settlement and agriculture, “social structures” - headman, supporters, workers – developed.
Very little has changed since
(to be continued..)
5 comments:
Five posts in one day?! Bravo, you're being very productive!
This comment is kind of beside the point as far as your post's concerned (sorry) - just an observation and I'll go away :) If you didn't know the explanation for a seed's germination, and if you didn't have the same concept of cause and effect as modern people do, the emergence of seedlings from out of the ground must seem really miraculous. If I was an ancient person, I reckon I'd find this more incredible than anything appearing in the sky.
Happy new year to you, Davo, by the way. I hope 2007 will be good to you.
Deidre .. go away, you have just pre-empted next post re seedlings ..god post (2) gahh! oh well, glad y noticed. Cheers, D
What are you saying - I'm psychic?? Oh my god...
;)
You're really back with bells on, writing all these posts. Did Santa give you brain food for Christmas? I'm having trouble thinking of anything more complicated than lunch.
Yep - we got the same stage 3 instruction from our local privatised water non-supplier.
I can do eight loads of washing legally and legally have 4 showers a day though.
getting every drop of it onto the garden is the tricky bit.
Deirdre's excellent observation notwithstanding, I think the ancient Egyptians had it right when they worshipped the Sun God RA.
yesterday I saw online news of some huge Arctic thing that has melted or moved for the first time ever and the people who are expert in that sort of thing are very alarmed.
The price we will pay for all the wretched excesses of consumerism is no Earth.
The "Gaia" principal will never be defeated by the human virus.
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