It is March 23, 1775. In the state Virginia, the lawyer Patrick Henry gives an ardent speech and spoke the legendary words: "Give me liberty or give me death!"
America was fighting for its independence and Virginia joined the others. This was one of the many revolutions that took place in that era.
And here I have a double feeling. On the one hand, I hear the criticism, that the white people on this earth adopt the attitude of being better than the others and arrogance.
I agree, that this has been and still is the case in certain contexts, but in the context of history, the unique yet happened in Europe and among its emigrants.
You can't deny that the rebellion against slavery and the demand that a people should rule itself instead of being a slave of some tyrant or exploiting elite emerged some 400 BC in the Greek city-states.
This was unique on planet earth and again what happened in the period 1750 to 1800 was equally unique and done by the white people of this planet.
In fact, then it wasn't something new, but just a reinstatement of what the ancient Greeks already had concluded about how to create a just society.
The patriots were citizens of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands who wanted to stimulate democratization at the end of the 18th century
and to put a stop to the absolutism, as they saw it, of a failing stadtholder William V, Prince of Orange-Nassau.
In 1786 and 1787 the conflict between the patriots and orangists (supporters of the stadtholder-prince of Orange) escalated to such an extent that fighting broke out and a short civil war raged.
In France, a financial crisis in 1789 led to an uprising against the regime of Louis XVI.
From France, revolutionary fervor spread to Warsaw, where in 1794 an uprising broke out against the Russians, who had occupied large parts of Poland the previous year.
The revolution also expanded westward, again across the Atlantic, where in 1791 the largest slave revolt in history broke out in the French colony of Saint-Domingue.
After French armies overthrew Spain's King Ferdinand VII in 1808, the revolution also spread to Latin America, where settlers used the power vacuum in Spain to declare independence.
While fiscal policies, famines, crop failures, and demographic pressures were major direct causes of the uprisings,
it is important to note that revolutionaries themselves did not feel that they were simply fighting for lower taxes or for bread and other foodstuffs.
They made it clear again and again that they were fighting for a more abstract and lofty goal: FREEDOM.
The combative words with which Patrick Henry ended his speech in 1775, liberty or death, were soon adopted by the American revolutionaries as their semi-official slogan.
These and similar slogans were soon followed throughout the Atlantean world. In France, the revolutionaries repeatedly proclaimed that they were willing to die for freedom.
Members of the National Guard, a militia created in July 1789 to defend the achievements of the revolution, took an oath that they would die if necessary to defend freedom.
In the Netherlands, too, patriotic civilian militias marched under banners bearing a personified Freedom, usually depicted as a young woman with a freedom staff and a freedom hat.
Look at the painting behind me. Jean-Baptiste Regnault 1795: La Liberté ou la Mort (Freedom or Death).
That was what at the roots of it inspired all these revolts of the people in Europe and America: the old Greek conviction that a people should be governed by the people so that everyone could be free.
And this pursuit of individual freedom, of space to develop yourself and to follow your own path was unique in the world.
Don't ask me why it arose precisely among the white inhabitants of this planet, but it is just happened to be so
Other cultures are not really served by this Western individualism and ideal of freedom, but are you talking about their rulers or their individual citizens?
Thank you for your attention again....
MacMillan The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2nd edition
TABLE OF CONTENT -----------------------------------------------------------------
1 - 100 Philosophers 9 May 2009 Start of
2 - 25+ Women Philosophers 10 May 2009 this blog
3 - 25 Adventures in Thinking 10 May 2009
4 - Modern Theories of Ethics 29 Oct 2009
5 - The Ideal State 24 Febr 2010 / 234
6 - The Mystery of the Brain 3 Sept 2010 / 266
7 - The Utopia of the Free Market 16 Febr 2012 / 383
8. - The Aftermath of Neo-liberalism 5 Sept 2012 / 413
9. - The Art Not to Be an Egoist 6 Nov 2012 / 426
10 - Non-Western Philosophy 29 May 2013 / 477
11 - Why Science is Right 2 Sept 2014 / 534
12 - A Philosopher looks at Atheism 1 Jan 2015 / 557
13 - EVIL, a philosophical investigation 17 Apr 2015 / 580
14 - Existentialism and Free Will 2 Sept 2015 / 586
15 - Spinoza 2 Sept 2016 / 615
16 - The Meaning of Life 13 Febr 2017 / 637
17 - In Search of of my Self 6 Sept 2017 / 670
18 - The 20th Century Revisited 3 Apr 2018 / 706
19 - The Pessimist 11 Jan 2020 / 819
20 - The Optimist 9 Febr 2020 / 824
21 - Awakening from a Neoliberal Dream 8 Oct 2020 / 872
22 - A World Full of Patterns 1 Apr 2021 / 912
23 - The Concept of Freedom 8 Jan 2022 / 965
The Discussion
[14:25] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): Thank you Herman
[14:26] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[14:26] oola Neruda: this summary is blowing my mind.... wow
[14:26] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm
[14:26] oola Neruda: wow
[14:26] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): big stuff
[14:26] herman Bergson: thank you...
[14:27] oola Neruda: in school... they did not seem to ever mention the blowback... by any other country except the US and France
[14:27] herman Bergson: blowback?
[14:27] herman Bergson: what do you mean by that oola?
[14:27] oola Neruda: the fact that so many different people were rebelling against this situation at the same time
[14:28] oola Neruda: not just america and france
[14:28] herman Bergson: MY point today is, that these "so many People? were just the white inhabitants of this planet
[14:28] oola Neruda: you have set this subject on fire... very important... am so glad .. and uplifted by what you have said
[14:29] oola Neruda: yes... i picked up on that at once
[14:29] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[14:29] herman Bergson: what troubles me somewhat is that these days there is a tendency to almost blame white people fo being white....
[14:29] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): true
[14:30] herman Bergson: I agree that this is correct is it applies to American white supremacism
[14:30] oola Neruda: exactly
[14:30] herman Bergson: But when you look at history...it were the Europeans who "invented' freedom in a political sense
[14:31] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ah
[14:31] oola Neruda: they don't mention that.... like it was only white Americans who did it
[14:31] herman Bergson: Nowhere else in the world lived the thought of rule by the people
[14:32] herman Bergson: Some cultures like China just don't agree with the Western individualistic ideas of human rights
[14:32] oola Neruda: notice how few Americans can speak more than one language... unlike people elsewhere
[14:32] herman Bergson grins
[14:33] herman Bergson: I speak 5 languages :-)))
[14:33] oola Neruda: smiles
[14:33] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[14:33] herman Bergson: so funny
[14:33] herman Bergson: Bergie takes it for granted that I speak German with her
[14:34] herman Bergson: you oola expect me to speak english and Beertje likes Dutch :-)
[14:34] bergfrau Apfelbaum: if you count the language of your cello, it's six :-)
[14:34] herman Bergson smiles
[14:34] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): i can speak german and english too
[14:34] oola Neruda: and you do Spainish too
[14:34] herman Bergson: musikc is an international language indeed ^_^
[14:35] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well i know a bit of german at least but rarely use it but i get most esp in chat
[14:35] herman Bergson: I noticed that Bejiita :-)
[14:36] oola Neruda: eine Bissen Deutsch
[14:36] bergfrau Apfelbaum: yay
[14:36] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): ツ
[14:36] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[14:36] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): i can read Óld Dutch"but not speak it
[14:36] herman Bergson: But anyway...I have no idea why it is the white people on this earth that developed the idea of political freedom, freedom of speech etc...
[14:37] herman Bergson: it is not because they are white...nor that they are more intelligent than colored people....
[14:37] oola Neruda: i think geography had a lot to do with i
[14:37] oola Neruda: it
[14:37] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): or culture
[14:37] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): fun thing is that i for some reason have begun study the difference between Dutch and Afrikaans. I guess its from while hanging out at the Africa Live place a lot and recently listened to some such music
[14:37] herman Bergson: I agree oola....somewhere inthat area we have to look for explanations
[14:38] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and noticed the similarities
[14:38] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ah
[14:38] herman Bergson: If you mean South African language...it is a dutch dialect n fact
[14:38] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa yes
[14:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): looked it up
[14:39] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): the first people who cam to South Africa were the nederlanders
[14:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): thats interesting
[14:39] herman Bergson: yeah \o/
[14:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): for sur
[14:39] herman Bergson: it was us :-))
[14:39] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): no other people there since before?
[14:39] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): yay
[14:40] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): they were on their way to China
[14:40] oola Neruda: when I was in Africa.. English was the uniting factor because there were si may "tribes" or local areas of language that it became necessary
[14:40] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): but stayed op Kapp de Goede hoop
[14:40] oola Neruda: at least in the "out back"
[14:40] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): aaa i can imagine
[14:41] herman Bergson: The Brits took over in South Africa
[14:41] oola Neruda: and Dutch
[14:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): also if u want to hear sa south African artist sounding very similar to dutch music look up the guy with the in english kind of fun name Snotkopf
[14:41] herman Bergson: so English became language nr.2 there
[14:41] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): i got quite hooked on some of his music
[14:42] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): here in sl u discover the entire world for sure
[14:42] herman Bergson: What I am wonderin g is this....
[14:42] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): thats a great thing
[14:43] herman Bergson: when you confront people who live in non democratic countries with what we have as democratic rights and freedom....would they say...no ...we don't want that ...we love our tyrant of dictator
[14:43] oola Neruda: the S. Africans have music competitions...have a friend who was asked to judge.... because he was white... otherwise the black judges would choose the winners to be from their own area
[14:43] Wisdomseeker (lissena) is online.
[14:43] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm ok
[14:43] oola Neruda: that was the reason given
[14:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): i see oola
[14:44] oola Neruda: choral music...not individuals
[14:44] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm interesting Herman
[14:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well they have nothing to compare with maybe but
[14:45] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): i think they are afraid to really tell you that they want to be free..afraid for the tiran I mean
[14:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): no one want to be enslaved or tyrannized
[14:45] herman Bergson: I really wonder... people in Brazil, or russia, or Venezuela, or China.....
[14:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): i guess Beertje
[14:45] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm
[14:46] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): indeed i think the government scare then to silence
[14:46] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): they want to be free but don't dare to
[14:46] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): so to say
[14:46] herman Bergson: That is the point Beertje...and the most telling answer too...i means YES they would like to lifelike that too
[14:46] herman Bergson: Isn't it absurd to be AFRAD of your government....???
[14:46] oola Neruda: Native Americans do not trust the government... and for good reason
[14:47] herman Bergson: Very true and justified oola
[14:47] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well they were taken by force and war back in the days so why should they, its a dark part of americas history
[14:47] herman Bergson: But to be afraid of your government.....????? How absurd is that
[14:48] oola Neruda: not absurd at all in many cases
[14:48] herman Bergson: I never have lived in such a situation....
[14:48] herman Bergson: Americans either...except that they are afraid of their police officers :-)
[14:48] oola Neruda: Trump is an example
[14:49] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): it;s like a child afraid for his tiran father....that should be absurd too..but it happens
[14:49] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm indeed
[14:49] herman Bergson: Yes Beertje
[14:49] bergfrau Apfelbaum: indians trust their chief. It's for them the government.... says where to go
[14:49] herman Bergson: Oh...in the US they have the Deep State conspiracy theory....that scares them :-))
[14:50] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): like how they do experiments on citizens and hide aliens in area 51 and such stuff?
[14:50] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): a good leader takes care for the people, but often they develop to a tiran
[14:50] herman Bergson: And the Pedofile-Satanic cabal.....
[14:50] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hidden secret stuff
[14:51] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): uuugh (shudders)
[14:51] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmm indeed
[14:51] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): crazy
[14:51] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well there are many strange things going on i bet
[14:51] oola Neruda: they did do experiments on Black people... not good ones either
[14:51] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): conspiracy theories and such
[14:51] herman Bergson: Well..I guess it is an almost proven fact that power corrupts the personality..
[14:51] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hmmm :(
[14:52] herman Bergson: That is why democracies don't allow people to stay in power too long...
[14:52] herman Bergson: However the system isn't waterproof
[14:52] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): het zijn sterke schouders die weelde kunnen dragen....
[14:52] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): indeed thats an important part
[14:52] herman Bergson: We have a prime minister who is in power for 10 years now.....
[14:53] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and Trump for ex tries to overthrow that to remain president for ever as a dictator, also he stands on Putins side
[14:53] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): the brothers of evil and corruption
[14:53] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): such ones are the true danger to freedom and democracy
[14:54] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): power corruption do bad things
[14:54] herman Bergson: The Ancient Greeks already used a system of limited terms of service for public officials...They already knew how power can corrupt a person
[14:54] oola Neruda: and money can as well
[14:55] herman Bergson: money and power go hand in hand oola :-))
[14:55] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): I have thought a lot if I was to become a dictator, could i become like that? I have no dark side or evil in me what i see, i think id want everyone to be happy instead
[14:55] oola Neruda: I've noticed
[14:55] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): coult that happen to me still
[14:55] herman Bergson: You would Bejiita...believe me
[14:55] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): its not in my personality at all
[14:55] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): im not evi at all
[14:55] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): evil
[14:56] herman Bergson: then stay out of power Bejiita :-)
[14:56] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): and out of money:)
[14:56] herman Bergson: lol
[14:56] herman Bergson: Beertje....
[14:56] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): but that's easy
[14:56] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): we use to say me and one at work that if we were dictators we would make sure everyone had beer on friday
[14:56] herman Bergson: poor Bejiita:-)
[14:57] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[14:57] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well its a thought I've had a lot
[14:57] jaynine Scarborough is online.
[14:58] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): if it have with personality to do, cause i cant see myself hurting others for power. unthinkable
[14:58] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): a thought experiment I've had now and then
[14:58] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): well
[14:58] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): Bejiita the happiness dictator
[14:58] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[14:58] herman Bergson: Forget it Bejiita, just think of Beer on Fridays :-)
[14:59] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): good idea
[14:59] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): mmm beeer
[14:59] herman Bergson: Time to end our debate....beer is calling :-)
[14:59] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[14:59] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): and the plupps
[14:59] herman Bergson: Thank youall again....
[14:59] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): ㋡
[14:59] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): hehe
[14:59] herman Bergson: Class dismissed...
[14:59] .: Beertje :. (beertje.beaumont): Thank you Herman ツ
[14:59] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): was interesting again
[14:59] Particle Physicist Bejiita (bejiita.imako): all perfect
[15:00] bergfrau Apfelbaum: Thank you Herman and class!
[15:00] oola Neruda: I found it particularly of interest... especially the first part that I commented on...
