Montaigne

Cultural myths take center stage in the amphitheater of the social consciousness. These vital myths are the mediums through which the ideas and stories of any given culture conjure its self-image. They are a society’s cloudy mirror, reflecting a skewed vision of what any given society truly harbors. These myths build cultural cohesion between individuals and groups uniting them under one high-flying banner, paying homage to their uniqueness and distinct place in the well-fingered pages of history. They teach specific self-serving versions of history, vividly illustrate the glorious facets of their cultural identity, and quite often paint their culture as superior to those of others. Within these mythical ideas of superiority in which terms such as “savage” and “barbarian” are spawned; the notions of the less sophisticated, less intelligent, less technologically advanced “Others” are an essential facet in a given social consciousness’ adherence to their own myths of superiority. In short for superiority to exist there must be “Others” who are “inferior” to one degree or another. This occurs at both macroscopic (on a country to country basis) and microscopic (group to group; especially in the professional sports and political world). By creating this dichotomy varying levels of “barbarianism” exist within the minds of all those who adhere to the group dynamic.

            History is rife with examples of the “superior” defining the mysterious “Others” as barbarians due to misunderstanding their differences and societal evolution. The famous anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss touched on such notions in his works “The structural Study of Myth” and his longer work Tristes Tropiques among others. The Norton Anthology of Literary Theory summarizes one of the primary ideas Levi-Strauss theories stating, “Myths make order out of the simultaneity of conflicting theories: they narrate over, without resolving a cultural contradiction” (“Claude Levi-Strauss” 1275). In the instance of barbarism the “superior” culture conveniently forgets to canvas their own malevolent actions and amplify those of the “inferior” culture. By doing so their phantasmagoric superiority is dispersed to the populace at large and the mirage of barbarism marches onward into the future. In short, one group will tend to raise the flag or superiority over actions or ideas they don’t find suitable to their station or life experiences. From the American football fan demeaning his friend for supporting a “weaker” team to the bad-blood between various religions each side will be inclined to think their side is superior in some way, shape, or form.

Michel De Montaigne, highlights this phenomenon in his work Of Cannibals writing, “So [the “superior” culture] may call these people barbarians, in respect to their rules of reason, but not in respect to ourselves[those of the “superior” culture], who surpass them in every kind of barbarity” (De Montaigne 1657). In the specific context of the work he highlights the practices of the “savages” in the New World contrasted with the “superior” practices of the Old World. He primarily comments on the treatment, torture, and killing of war-prisoners among the indigenous peoples of the New World versus the horrors of European torture and execution (particularly being burned at the stake). Today, in a world growing more and more associated by the day, these archaic notions of “superiority” are still propagated through such mechanisms as mass media, historical texts, social-media, and old fashioned word of mouth.   

In the modern world much criticism has been cast toward the people who believe and follow various sects of Islamic belief. The rise of such groups as ISIS, Al Queda, and other terror-driven organizations have caused presidential candidates, such as Donald Trump, to make blanket statements alluding to the idea that all Muslims are a threat or that they are—to put it simply—barbarians. Mr. Trump, referring to himself in the third person, has stated things such as, “Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States…” (Heilpern). In contrast to what could often be deemed as common sense many potential voters have joined him in sharing these sentiments of barbarity; quotes about Muslims taking over the United States are a common sight on social-media based websites such as Twitter and Facebook. Memes showing the atrocities committed by terrorists (such as beheadings) can be seen and are shared to help fan the flames of hatred on both sides of the issue. Unfortunately many people who have absolutely no affiliations to terrorism are being grouped together as the “Other” less superior group.

Things have gotten to a degree in which the dichotomy between “them” and “us” has solidified itself within the social sphere; as it always has. As long as groups of people find something to disagree about new dichotomies will continue to be birthed. The questions we should be asking are “How are they different? What do they have/think that is malign? What is good? Is it everyone or just a few people?” Without such rhetoric malformed notions of superiority/inferiority will continue to exist based on nothing more than smoke, mirrors, and the cyclical trends of the human species. 

Works Cited:

De Montaigne, Michel. Of Cannibals. The Norton Anthology of World Literature: Shorter Third Edition, Two- Volume Set. W.W. Norton. Ed. M Puchner. 2012. 1657. Print.

Heilpern, Will. "Trump Campaign: 11 Outrageous Quotes." CNN. Cable News Network, 23 Feb. 2016. Web. 8 June 2016.

Leitch, Vincent B. “Claude Levi-Strauss”. The Norton Anthology of Theory & Criticism. Ed. Vincent B. Leitch et al. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2010. 1320-1321. Print.