The Nomadic Alternative – Page 7

material resources of his lands. If the evolutionary failure shows

no aptitude for the arts of civilization, he is excused on the
grounds of his genetic inferiority. If he disappears, he is the
victim of progress, a regrettable but necessary sacrifice to the
inevitable.

The will to progress is invariably confused with a dynamic
instinct to aggress (See note). A high view of human culture, it
seems, demands a low view of human nature. The domination of man
by man is seen as integral to the texture of human society. “It is
part of the inborn and not to be removed inequality of human beings”,
Freud wrote to Einstein, “that they break down into leaders and
followers. The latter are in the overwhelming majority; they have
need of authority which makes decisions for them, to which they
usually submit without question.” Man is a born bully and beast of
prey, as Aristotle in his Politics was one of the first to suggest.

“The art of war is a natural art of acquisition, for it includes
hunting, an art which we ought to practise against the wild beast,
and against men who were designed by nature to be ruled, but are
unwilling to be. This kind of war then, is just by nature.” The
nation who imposes its will or stranglehold on an inferior answers
the natural call of progress. Might is biologically right. The
great difference between the higher and lower races is that one
employs its fund of aggressive drives towards important aims, the
other devolves them in a perpetual manhunt.

Note. Aggression, which Freud saw as an “innate, independent,
instinctual disposition in man” has become one of the most overtaxed
words in modern vocabulary. It normally means an “unprovoked attack”
but has been invoked to describe the activity of a baby pulling at
its mother’s nipple; “an increase in creativity”; the natural gree
to dominate members of one’s own species, though not, apparently,
those of other species; the ascent of mountains, or mastery of the
environment in general. It can be a learned activity to guarantee
survival; a response to the frustrations of overcrowding, starvation
or deficient sexuality; or a positive urge to play, explore and
master life. The acquisition of things, women, territory and food
is aggressive. Deprivation of all, or any of them, is a stimulus
which releases aggression. So is their defence against an outside
aggressor. Aggression “the unprovoked attack” is synonymous with
“justifiable defence” depending on which side one happens to be on.
I once saw a claim that aggressive defence was “antecedent to
brotherly love”. And President Nixon apparently believes that
aggression is caused by appeasement.