04.12.05 - 11:58 pm

in the last 1000 years or so, europe has relished as the origin of human creativity. there were the music greats: mozart, beethoven, among others. there were the artists: michaelangelo, raphael among others. there were the inventors: leonardo and...others. there were the explorers: magellan, columbus and others. the thinkers: galileo and more.

the human race blossomed with creativity and adventure and exploration and thinking and writing and drawing and sculpting and creating. in all the european countries things were happening, changing and improving. yes, slavery and genocide and holy wars, but nevermind those right now, thats not what im getting at.

even today, in the last 500 years or so, americans have come to create atomic bombs, computers, machines great and small, artists, filmmakers, political thinkers and groups like PETA among others. creativity seems to be fostered by a certain sense of freedom and liberty.

now the following is a very ethnocentric and naive, but what about china? iran? the UAE? north korea? where is their creativity? what do they contribute to the world? how do they improve the lives of humanity?

....do they?

granted, this is sort of a muddled thought because im comparing europe 1000 years ago to china 100 years ago. but due to their government structure, they restrain their civilians. theyre locked into anti-individualism. right? their values are more of society and social norms, than individuality and standing out. in the last 50 years, has china really been a beacon for creativty and the arts? milan, prague, new york, los angeles, london...these are all places that continue to spawn fashion, films, literature and art. what does china provide?

does china realize that having so much control over its citizens has caused its country to act as one giant cold shoulder to humanity? what about north korea? i mean, if north koreans were constantly inventing new medicines or cures, thought provoking movies or literature, no one would care that they hate the rest of the world. no one would care that they enjoy their solitude. but it just seems like the countries that inhibit their populations the most via communism, government, poverty and deceit are robbing their civilians and the world of great things. great discoveries. great thoughts. they are robbing the world of potentially new thinkers. new artists. new inventors.

i understand i know nothing about what goes on over there. i know china does some pretty fucked up things in concealing its past and its activities as a government. but i dont know what happens as a civilian in iran. i dont know if there is great discoveries or humanitarian efforts being excersized in these places. i dont hear of any. my news here in america doesnt tell me what goes on there. in that regards im an arrogant american making blanket assumptions on countries ive only heard about from american viewpoints. but from this naive american viewpoint, i just wish iran, saudi arabia, north korea and china would loosen their grip on their people and encourage them to be free thinkers capable of helping the world and their country.

maybe that just sounds too much like: come on you, start acting more like the rest of the caucasian world. start being more white.

but maybe it means: i know there are people there capable of changing the world, i just wish youd let them.