Galloping Geezer
Jack Downey Comments on Canadian Issues to Inform and Amuse.
Photo Credit to Julie Ann Biggs out on the Mekong River, Cambodia Vietnam Border.".
The Non Conformists Change the World
Since the beginning of organized civilization, power and control has been held in the hands that can convince people that "Blind Obedience" is their station in life. Kings and Queens, Religious and Political leaders have demanded conformity to what these leaders wanted as behavioral and thought controls on the masses. Many thousands of deaths were the punishment for non-conformity. Civilization advances at a snails pace due to the pressures placed on the young by parents and teachers to bend young minds to "conform, conform, conform or you'll never get a job". In the work place, a non-conformist is thought to be a non team player and is terminated.
There are two types of non-conformity, positive and negative. Criminals are executed or incarcerated for their negative non-conformity. The positive non-conformist knows when something is wrong or improvement is needed and a new way of thinking or doing is required and provides an innovative solution.
There are a large number of non-conformists who have changed the world. You may agree or disagree with the choices, but their names are well known so they rose above conforming to 'the little woman' label. Madam Currie in Science, Amelia Earhart in aviation, Madam Vanier as Governor General, Harriet Tubman in Black emancipation, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sheila Copps and Madam Chang-Ki-chek in politics. And do not forget your mothers and grandmothers, plus 'The Clan of the Cave Bear.'
A lovely song of a non-conforming fair young maid from circa 1600 can be heard here.
It is said that "The hand that rocks the cradle rocks the world." The list is never ending of women and men who, through having the courage not to conform, changed the world for the better. Of the many men, lets stick with a few religious leaders and politicians. Buddha, Allah, Jesus, Moses, all of whom were non-conformists, yet changed the world. Some non-conformist politicians might include Trudeau, Churchill, Ghandi, Mao, Lincoln and, believe it or not, 'The Beetles.'
To be a POSITIVE non-conformist has many risks, especially for women. . In Medieval times any non-conforming women were promptly fetched up and burned at the stake. The church was in mortal fear of any thinking woman and the cruelest of punishments was meted out to them. So-called Witches knew that the skin of a toad could be burnt and given as a powder to those with heart problems. We know that today it contains digitalis and today's MD's prescribe the modern equivalent for the same problem. Instead of sending those Witches to the Stake they should have given them the Nobel Prize for medicine for their many potions and balms. The Iroquois were smart. They allowed the women to govern and developed the first democratic nation. This total non-conformity in a world controlled by Kings and a very few Queens is shamefully not well known.
 |
Salem Witch Trial
Examination of a Witch, by T.H. Matteson 1853.
Courtesy of the Peabody Essex Museum
|
One thinks of the Military as the home of conformity, which may be true to a certain degree, but Chief Crazy Horse beat the US Cavalry time and time again with innovative or non-conforming tactics. Rommel was a non-conformist. The Battle of Agincourt, where Knighthood died, and the Great Kubila Khan sweeping through much of the known world with a non-conformist horde prove that blind obedience is the demand of poor commanders. The idiotic military axiom of "do as I say, not as I do" ignores another axiom "discipline by example." True leadership is "On the Parade Ground conform, on deployment think to live, and shoot to kill. (Translation from the orders of Ghengis Khan, arguably the greatest non-conformist in history.)
Our history books are full of powerful men who have taught their subordinates to conform at all cost and have stifled productive thinking. They have used Oaths of Loyalty, Bribery, with honors and awards (money too) and punishment for those who were non-conformists. Napoleon said, "I can make men die for pieces of colored ribbon." You see these colored ribbons on service personnel uniforms today.
I regret that women who changed the world in various positive ways, except in advanced schools, are not being made known to our children one woman for one man in the curriculum. Since women are 53% of our population why not equal time by gender?
Since the Democratic process says "the majority rules", I, as the quintessential non-conformist, want to be on the side of the majority. I'm not a complete idiot who wants to be burnt at the stake when the ladies take over.
Since you readers all have PCs, why not be a positive non-conformist and at least expose your children and grandchildren to some of the Great Women of history. An excellent illustrated site is;
GREAT WOMEN RULERS
'Might not do any harm for the men readers to read too'.
Remember...
"The Hand that Rocks the Cradle Rocks the World!".
(G.W. Downey London ON.)
© Jack C. Downey CD
Send comments to: Jack
Thanks for your help
best regards
www.CanadianCulture.com
Get Involved!
Your Ideas are Important!
Content is contributed by various Canadians and does not necessarily
reflect the views of canadianculture.com.
|
 
|
