Dear Friends,
It seems to me, if we change the culture, we change the future. We’re more a product of our culture than our genes. Raise a kid in a different culture and they grow up to reflect the culture not their genetics. If you could pluck an infant from ancient Sparta and raise him in the US today, there’s the same likelihood he will succeed, or die of fentanyl overdose, as any other kid. People are people, it’s our cultures that separate us. That’s why all cultures are not equal. Some promote weakness, war, class, political favor, opulence, etc… Many in the US are almost pure Indian, yet don’t live a hunter gatherer lifestyle, they have jobs, watch sports, eat out, have permanent homes and cars. They’re products of American culture. Just as we are all products of our cultures. More than anything else.
A middle class man of Victorian England will be very different from a middle class Englishman today. Because, while their genetics is nearly identical, the culture is radically different. Therefore, their morals are very different, as are their way of thinking, acting and feeling. These are all based a great deal on our culture. You have the morals you do because of the way you were raised. Had you been raised in a different culture you would have different morals. Were you been raised in ancient Rome, you would have no problem with the institution of slavery, but you would be very agitated at Christianity. Like a modern progressive. Because when we’re born we’re empty vessels. Our parents, culture and education program us. Moral cultures are the ones we should model then.
They claim Africans are less intelligent than Europeans, Jews or Asians. I believe the apparent disparity is cultural not genetic. I say this because there are studies that show identical twins raised in different cultures have different intelligence quotients. This would not be possible if genetics was the only factor. Moreover, identical twins raised in similar households, have similar IQ. Which is a strong suggestion that culture is critical in determining intelligence. I suspect that why different cultures advance at different rates. Not because some people are dumb, places are too hot or cold, but because of the prevailing culture. So if we want to increase the intelligence of our people, we would be wise to look at why some cultures have greater and lesser intelligence. Then model the successful ones.
Some cultures are naturally more prosperous than others. Maybe due to the intelligence, work ethic or morality those cultures inculcate, or perhaps there’s another reason. The first few decades of the US’ existence, it was nearly impossible to find help. Because there was so much opportunity. No one would work for a living when there was so much wealth available to the industrious. So the elite solved that problem by changing the culture, from independence, industriousness and hard work… right past worker bees, and onto lazy, entitled and drug addicted louts. The people are the same, but the culture is different, resulting in different ethics, morals and intelligence leading to the difference in prosperity. Smart people in poor cultures then should copy the cultural practices of prosperous ones.
A wise culture then tries to be curious, hard working, independent, thankful and thrifty. A curious culture fosters intelligence in the people. A hard working culture quickly becomes prosperous. Moreover, people that are independent would rather pull the wagon than ride in it. Thankful people value the valuable and are humble. Then there’s thrift. Which creates savings for the opportunities and inevitable famines that must come along. All these cultural practices combine to make a people that are resilient, wealthy and smart. That should be a goal of every nation on Earth. Even as the culture our cultural elite have created results in poverty, hopelessness and eventual collapse. Change the culture… change the future. So lets join hands and change ours for the better.
Sincerely,
John Pepin