Jim Steinhilber

Am I Really A Colonizer?

Continuing with the idea I first proposed in Research Paper I, that is, a Colonizer may not consciously realize he or she is pre-supposed to dominating an ‘other’, be that other a person, persons or culture.  Or, as we saw in the beginning of Robinson Crusoe that other can be an inanimate object too.  I contend that an unconscious attitude of colonization can exist within personal and societal mindsets.  At the very least is ‘paves the way’ and does not resist the impulse to expand ones views.  I examine the Russian model as an example of this.

My premise (self question) starts with my own memory (as in Research I) of the time I spent in Russia.  Again, one does not think of Russia as a great colonizer (irregardless of whether or not it was) -- in the memory of Britain and Spain and France…  but like America it has colonized with 'ideas' and societal culture.  I remember asking lots of questions (of the Russians) about their culture and they being happy and willing to educate me.  Yet, I don't remember a lot of back questions about my culture… I take this (not just a Russian thing, but more so a 'colonizer' thing) that lack of back questions does not indicate a lack of interest but by ‘omission’ I believe the mindset of the colonizer may be pre-disposed to ‘colonizer’ thinking and such is not malicious at all.  “Let me shine a light for you.  You have darkness? (or) You have your own light?  Oh, well the question never crossed my mind”. – this from a previous research of mine. Thus I suspect part of the psychology of the colonizer (not the colonized) stems from an unconscious mindset of unawareness.

Is that confusing enough?  What it all means is this:  If a person (some person) is predisposed to sending out his own culture to other areas or peoples, then a fair indicator would be an absent-minded unawareness of the 'colonized' social existence.  Or perhaps a discounting of the others societal norms.  Colonizers remain ignorant unless personal gain (money, power) are at stake.  I see Russia as an example of a 'colonizer' and the lack (as I remember it) of back questions indicates a basic physiological requirement to do so

Toward learning if my basic quire is valid, I talked not only to the Russian interpreters I got to know (as recounted in Research I) but to several Americans that have spent a great deal of time there too.  Also I talked to a Canadian that was there and at the same time I was… and several times thereafter.  I will call him Daryl and he writes (paraphrasing) that the Russians were fed years of examples of the prowess and superiority, both real and imagined.  This is important due to the last word – imagined.  What this implies is it does not matter what is actually real, or real to me.  It is (was) real to them.  And it is from that perspective their mindset was generated.  Thus if one is fed such from the cradle and can’t imagine anything else, why ask about anything else?  Why, is there anything else?

One of my American friends (let’s call him Charles) who has spent years there feels the elder Russian culture of the past was educated that their communist way was the best and ONLY way to live. – Again, is there anything else?  Subconscious news to me (the colonizer).  Therefore, why question about that which doesn’t even exist.  Yes, yes, the consciousness knows about it, but, we are talking about the unconscious.\

In her 2006 research posting I, Pauline Chapman writes a single line I feel is very telling.  In the second paragraph she writes, “When I asked if she experienced prejudice, she said there is prejudice everywhere – it’s a personal problem – ignorance and fear”.  The subject is Kim, who immigrated from South Korea in 1969.  The key word here, for my purposes, is Ignorance.  Yet, in this case, I might substitute the word Innocence.  Call it what one will, it refers to a basic lack of realization on the part of the one ‘colonizing’, or coming too… and this ‘absence’ of back questions can indicate colonial tendencies, either in the individual or society. 

On April 9, 1867 the United States bought the Alaskan territories (at that time), now state, from Russia for $7,200,000.  There has been a movement within Russia that Alaska was not sold but merely leased and that lease will soon be up.  Of course the agreement was a complete cession but that is entirely another discussion.  What we are interested in is the ‘human’ ability to ‘remember’ what works and ‘not remember’ what does not.  And taken further, learn, not learn, see, not see, believe in existence and ‘miss’ existence.  Yes, miss existence.  Miss asking back questions…

Time to wrap this up.  I still feel my original premise of part of the psychology of the colonizer (not the colonized) stems from an unconscious mindset of unawareness.  This can be a necessary basis for colonization.  It is the start.  The home. 

But another realization has come over me…  Can the same traits be found in Americans?  It is said we can be the most culturally ignorant peoples there are…  Is one so very sure why?...