Jim Steinhilber

Home First?

I am not a Literature major and I have never before taken a Literature course.  My interests have been more in line of Space Exploration.  For many years I have been employed in America’s space program, contributing as I can to humankind's endeavourers above the clouds.  Toward that end it is noted by me that mankind will eventually transport not only his body but his mind as well. – A mind filled with both cleverness and dark-instinct.  In this respect the colonization of space is in no way different from the past colonization of Earthly lands, societies and cultures.  In this class we have spent (and continue to spend) great effort considering the mindsets of both the colonized and the colonizers.  One of the questions we have been invited to ask is whether or not colonization is only a physical movement or is it also a psychological movement as well?  In part can the ‘intentions’ of the colonizers spring from the attitude of ‘Big me little you’, you’re culture is wrong or does not exist, let us (me) give you mine, mine is the best – all without the colonizer being conscious of such?

Several years ago I had the experience of living for three months in Moscow Russia.  I was there for work and had an apartment not too far from Red Square.  Five days a week I would commute about an hour east of Moscow to Star City and the Russian Cosmonaut Training Facility.  On the weekends and in the evenings I would wander Moscow itself.  During this time I interacted a great deal with the Russian people and their culture.  While one does not think of Russia when thinking of profuse world colonizers (no physical Russian colonies that I can think of) one must agree upon its disposition of spreading its own political culture.  It colonized not so much through ‘initiating’ countries as much as by ‘changing’ established cultures in established countries.  The Russians (Soviets and before and after) have had a mindset of ‘they being able to teach all others a better way of life’.  Of course it may not have worked out that way.  Never the less, this class has caused me to re-examine some of my own adventures and I have come to the conclusion (when examining Russia) that what wasn’t there, what I didn’t sense, is perhaps more important than what I did perceive.  Specifically I didn’t see an attitude of interest in those I met for the possibly of learning other cultures – just in case those cultures had/have something to contribute.  Rather and to the contrary, what was left was an attitude of ‘we know a better way of life’.

A tell tale sign that a country (city, civilization, culture) isn’t interested in learning about other cultures or even assimilating is shown by observing how many of their landmarks, signs, language, etc., are only for use by local participants -- where non-local ways of life often exist but are not accommodated; particularly in circumstances such as capital cities.  This became apparent to me only due to my long stay within the country and (for me) a stark absence of inquiries and about my own culture.  My thoughts stem not from what I found but from what I didn’t find... 

One interpreter that was almost always with me was named… Vladimir.  He was about 20 years older than I, was married and with three amazing children.  He was (and still is) a very amiable man.  He told me a great deal about the Russian way of life during our many casual moments.  And, he used to entertain me with wonderful stories.  But, in all our time spent together I do not remember him ever asking about my culture…  It was (and is) not a feeling of discounting my traditions so much as not even thinking about them.  I knew another interpreter… Victor… whom I also often interacted with.  – Same sensation.  My own culture wasn’t being ignored, just not consciously thought of.  On the subways, streets, monuments – no accommodation was served up for anyone who may not know the system or history.  In fact it would seem now the only accommodations offered where in conjunction with profit possibilities…  Restaurant menu’s come to mind.  Almost every restaurant had an English menu (when asked for) and at the time I felt well looked after.  But in retrospect, I had something they wanted (the money).  On the other hand, if my requirements posed no profit potential it seemed ‘I was on my own’.  The subway system in the capital city exemplifies this. – The signs were abundant but not with even subtitles in anything but Cyrillic.  The subway was very cheap.  And to be used by all.  My money was no different than any others.  Therefore no thought of possible accommodation was evidenced.

I have now moved on to (contributing) designing Americas’ successor to the Space Shuttle – the ORION spacecraft.  There are no sojourns to Russia in my near future.  But I have kept the friendships I made there and continue to learn from them.  I have been attempting to answer the question if the ‘intentions’ of the colonizers can spring from the attitude of ‘Big me little you’, your culture is wrong or does not exist, let us (me) give you mine, mine is the best – all without the colonizer being conscious of such?  By ‘omission’ I believe evidence has shown that the mindset of the colonizer may not be malicious at all, simply acting on impulse.  ‘Let me shine a light for you.  You have darkness? (or) You have your own light?  Oh, well the question never crossed my mind’.  Thus I suspect part of the psychology of the colonizer (not the colonized) stems from an unconscious mindset of unawareness.  Colonization starts at home first.