Having traveled to about 14 African countries within the past year, I can certainly assure you that this isn't true. Maybe you just need to get out a bit? Do some traveling? It's actually in most parts a basically nice place, like you'd find anywhere else in the world.
And the people? Fully evolved, from what I could tell.
I was in Tanzania last year and was surprised most of the locals seemed to have cell phones and e-mail addresses, through which I still stay in periodic touch with a few, learning of how the economic downturn has been killing tourism while a persistent drought is leaving the Maasai in desperate straights.
But it looked like a tenuous combination of modernism and stagnation in some ways . . . . . and Tanzania is one of the more progressive countries on the continent.
Coincidentally, last night I was reading my new issue of National Geographic and this article (link below) on the Hadza of Tanzania, one of the last pure hunter/gatherer societies on Earth. The article has a different approach, asking the question "What do they know that we've forgotten." Very entertaining and illuminating for those in this debate . . . . .
I also agree that we are getting past the point where colonialism can be blamed for a lot of Africa's problems. The only problem with Africa, in many instances, is Africans.
Cowperson
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Colonialism per se cannot be the excuse for situation in Africa, as Colonialism occurred across the entire planet at roughly the same time. Nor can it be the length of time that a nation underwent colonialism, as many African nations were among the last to be colonized. For example, Korea, India, and Ireland were all colonized for far longer than many african nations.
How is at any reason?! Yeah, I guess I heard those stories about my great-, great-, great-grandfather being in Antwerpen in 1884, and seeing an Englishman and a Belgian sitting at a table eating a roasted Frenchman. Clearly, those evil imperialist colonizers contributed to the spread of neighbour-eating in Africa...
This threads two arguments are getting meshed. Which they're related but not the same. No one is arguing that the colonies led to "neighbour-eating". The argument was that colonial history on the continent proves to be a hurdle to education needed to combat such things. The whole colonies dealy was brought up when I poster made statements about evolutionary causes of all problems in Africa over more realistic ones, including colonialism.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Locke
Thats why Flames fans make ideal Star Trek fans. We've really been taught to embrace the self-loathing and extreme criticism.
This threads two arguments are getting meshed. Which they're related but not the same. No one is arguing that the colonies led to "neighbour-eating". The argument was that colonial history on the continent proves to be a hurdle to education needed to combat such things. The whole colonies dealy was brought up when I poster made statements about evolutionary causes of all problems in Africa over more realistic ones, including colonialism.
Either that or, but for colonialism, slavery and cannibalism would be even more widespread...
Colonialism per se cannot be the excuse for situation in Africa, as Colonialism occurred across the entire planet at roughly the same time. Nor can it be the length of time that a nation underwent colonialism, as many African nations were among the last to be colonized. For example, Korea, India, and Ireland were all colonized for far longer than many african nations.
Perhaps the problem was not too much colonialism, but rather not enough?
oh god i love all these replies as if my comment was to be taken as racist. if you think i was trying to be racist, the fact is you were thinking the racism, not me. africa is a continent that is crippled with corruption, poverty, genocide, and every atrocity known to man.
no no, you are right. its paradise
I mentioned colonialism in response to this.
No one was saying that colonialism resulted in people hunting down and eating albino's. It was kind of a side argument, in amongst the albino issue.
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Either that or, but for colonialism, slavery and cannibalism would be even more widespread...
Or without colonial rule, African countries might have been able to develop, educate, and nurture themselves enough to be able to rid themselves of old tribal hostilities and rituals.
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A few weeks after crashing head-first into the boards (denting his helmet and being unable to move for a little while) following a hit from behind by Bob Errey, the Calgary Flames player explains:
"I was like Christ, lying on my back, with my arms outstretched, crucified"
-- Frank Musil - Early January 1994
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Or without colonial rule, African countries might have been able to develop, educate, and nurture themselves enough to be able to rid themselves of old tribal hostilities and rituals.
Oh right, we can thank european colonizers for giving Africa the idea of the nation-state. The tribes never would've figured out how to organize themselves without that. Good thing the enlightened europeans domesticated those animals, right?
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A few weeks after crashing head-first into the boards (denting his helmet and being unable to move for a little while) following a hit from behind by Bob Errey, the Calgary Flames player explains:
"I was like Christ, lying on my back, with my arms outstretched, crucified"
-- Frank Musil - Early January 1994
Oh right, we can thank european colonizers for giving Africa the idea of the nation-state. The tribes never would've figured out how to organize themselves without that. Good thing the enlightened europeans domesticated those animals, right?
Actually, not nation states - other than North African states, there are no nation states. You can easily make the argument that it's still a bunch of tribes grouped into artificial abominations such as Sudan or Congo.
Oh right, we can thank european colonizers for giving Africa the idea of the nation-state. The tribes never would've figured out how to organize themselves without that. Good thing the enlightened europeans domesticated those animals, right?
Northern Africa had the first nation states the most famous of which is called Egypt. Sudan and Ethiopia were well along in developing a nation state as we know that definition as today.
This was more likely due to their contact with outside influences from Asia and Europe.
The rest of Africa was made up of tribal area. The Zulus were the closest thing to having a nation with an operating government.
It is debatable whether theses areas would have developed a working government without outside influences making it necessary. i.e. trade, invasion, conquest, organized religion.
As I said before, do I have to tell you what to think? Does something to pass a certain level of standard before you will honestly engage with it? I think you are exposing your own ignorance.
And yet you are the ONLY poster in this thread who feels the need to insult everyone who critically challenges your premise.
For someone who seemingly believes they are intellectually superior to most posters on this site, I think this pettiness is very telling.
Give me a break. This is just another form of condescenion, although somehow parroting as some sort of noble disdain. And that last part is certainly right.
Believe me, there's nothing noble about my disdain for your posts. Even when I agree with you, which is often, I still find you an insufferable blowhard who is all personal insults and indignation over contemporary intellectual trends. I'm not saying you have to agree with what everyone posts. But considering you started the thread, one would assume you'd be a little more charitable to opinions contrary to your own.
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Originally Posted by longsuffering
And yet you are the ONLY poster in this thread who feels the need to insult everyone who critically challenges your premise.
For someone who seemingly believes they are intellectually superior to most posters on this site, I think this pettiness is very telling.
Glad to see I'm not the only one noticed this.
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I also agree that we are getting past the point where colonialism can be blamed for a lot of Africa's problems. The only problem with Africa, in many instances, is Africans.
Cowperson
To what extent does Guns, Germs and Steel explain this?
