AD ALTA
JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
4 Competition of languages reflects the competition of genes
- a biological basis of nationalism
Human history is full of bloody wars between the nations
although the writer F.M. Dostojevsky claimed, that any, even
very right and noble idea is not of worth of even one teardrop of
the child [10]. Why so much bloodshed for national idea? Is
national culture and language being really worth of so much toll
of life and material losses? What is the sense of these victims?
I believe, the people don’t fight for language and national
customs per se. The role of national language and culture is
much more important than the instrument of communication.
They are the external indicators and symbols of common origin
and genetic relatedness of particular group of individuals.
It is a time now to turn to the next biological rule – necessity to
protect and to defend the own genes in competition with foreign
genes. People, like other living beings, aware or not aware are
following dictate of the own genes to protect and to defend they.
The normal women would do everything to save the own child.
She would like to scarify less for child of far relatives and even
less – for not related child. Did you think why? Each large
multinational city has visible or invisible Harlem, Brighton
beach, Chinatowns etc. whose are characterized my immigration
and concentration of one particular nation or race and gradual
emigration of other inhabitants. Such enclaves are usually
relatively homogenous from the viewpoint of origin, religion,
traditions, although their basic values and way of life cannot be
different from those of the major population. Did you think
why?
To my opinion, the answer is simple – what previously was
named as “call of blood” and today – genetic relationships. We
are not able to watch genes, but we can recognize “ours”
according to their language, looks, behavior and national
traditions. In addition to language and culture, sometimes
parents, politics and mass media help to distinguish “ours” and
“foreigners”. It is to note, that the competition not only of genes,
but also of memes (ideas, customs, traditions) occurs [11]. One
of example of such competition is the competition of religions,
which sometimes can be expressed in a form of bloody religious
wars. Memes are closely associated with genes. Therefore, the
people can recognize “ours” and discriminate they from “others”
not only according to their language, but also according to their
confession, points of view, outfit etc.
Anyways, nature has encoded us first to take care to our own
family, then to families of relatives, then to your nation and
country, thereafter – to rest of humankind and sometimes only
thereafter – to other unknown living beings, ecosystems and
whole Earth. This hierarchy of values is forced by self-protection
of our genes and their preference over the “foreigners”.
Furthermore, genes try to expand themselves and to use the
available natural resources as much as possible. Furthermore,
they try to prevent the use of these resources by the concurrent
“foreign” genes.
On the other hand, not all “foreign” genes could be concurrent:
some successful genes and individual could be useful for “us”.
In this case our genes would not fight against such successful
“foreigners”, as it was mentioned in part concerning hierarchy.
Sometimes it is more helpful to use “foreigner”, to learn from
him the secrets of his success and to take from him everything,
what could be useful for “ours”. Sometimes living under
governance of more developed and successful can bring visible
benefits – no need to develop himself, to manage his life, to take
responsibility. If something would go worse, you may complain
not to yourself, but to the “foreign” leader. And when he will not
be required more, you may ban him and to confiscate his
ownership. Genetic competition.
5 Is nationalism good or bad?
National spirit and his positive and negative consequences – love
to family, patriotism, nationalism and xenophobia are difficult,
but necessary to control. I believe, the two biological laws,
hierarchic organization of the social interrelationships and favor,
guarding and protection of his genes in competition with other
ones, can help to understand the source of national instinct.
These conclusions could not be always pleasant for the reader
and for myself. Nevertheless, the nature does not require our
understanding and agreement with anything what it makes by
means of us. For it is all the same, whether its efforts correspond
our moral, social and geopolitical imaginations, interests and
conventions. For it is important to maintain reliable and
efficient the permanent cycle of life. This process requires
expansion and competition of genes. That´s why he provided us
with numerous instincts including the national one.
What can we do with this instinct, which is not rational and
sometimes makes so much problems and crimes? Nothing at all.
As with any other instinct. One should understand and accept it
as each natural low. To take it into account, if it makes good for
family and motherland and not jeopardize other genes, people
and nations. Try to be objective, not xenophobic, tolerant and
empathetic to everybody. Everything is returning to us, both
good and bad thoughts and actions.
Nationalism is usually
assumed to be a dirty word and a phenomenon not acceptable
from humanistic and moral viewpoint
.
On the other hand, it can
be considered as a foundation of democratic self-government
and of international peace [12].
Therefore, nationalism, as each
phenomenon, has two sides, which should be taken into account
and regulated (in a limited extend) according to social needs.
But what about national historical rightness? A number of
Slavonic workers have done their best to build Empire State
Building, but nobody remembering they now, and all the glory
belongs to its architect, Anglo-American William Frederick
Lamb [13]. Let´s be satisfied, that without cooperation between
Slavs and Anglo-Americans this building would not stay, and
now a whole world knows it.
Taken together, the existence of current nationalism in the
modern globalized society can be explained by biological rules
of hierarchy and competition between the genotypes. Due to its
innate character, nationalism (like a love to the family) cannot be
deleted from the social life, but the understanding its biological
origin can avoid its negative expressions in the multinational
communities.
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