Lingering History
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| Bajans working the land. Barbados – March 2012 |
Whether it's Barbados, New England or Russia, there does tend to be generational history where the blessings and curses upon the land and people seem to resonate from one generation to the next. The question of why some countries retain characteristics they do concerning a propensity for war or peace, famine or abundance, poverty or flourishing prompts many different opinions. At the beginning of the 20th century many saw the answer in race and genetics. Thankfully the majority opinion has shifted since then, though it still has no one home. Geography? Culture? Language? Spiritual influences? It may yet be a mixture of these and others not enumerated here. Regardless, I suspect the question of why God's children may be born on the same earth and still lead lives with such disparate values and aspirtations may yet intrigue us indefinitely.
-aw
Another great photo! Architecture says so much about a people and a place. And as for why people are poor: read that Stark book I gave you. I'm settling more and more firmly on the "cultural" hypothesis, not least because it is what the poor themselves endorse.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Are they gardening in front of that building?
I will have to read it on Kindle. Didn't have enough room for the book in luggage (it was a very snug fit) so I had to leave it with T&M. And the cultural hypothesis does seem to account for the day-to-day reason that for better or for worse the status quo is maintained. But over time, culture changes in some places and not in others. I'm reading a book by Joel Brinkley about the history of Cambodia and a millenium ago, they were the biggest baddest empire on the block. The sweet temples and gold treasure and harems and all that. And then... hundreds of years later their technology and farming know-how shrinks and they become trampled upon by their neighbors from the 13/14th century until now. Why? Did the culture change or perhaps one constant culture can be double-edged? I'm speaking in vague terms but you get my drift.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, they're farming in front. On either side of them out of frame are acres and acres of sugar cane. Thanks btw for the impetus to start blogging!