• Walt Disney’s Mulan; The separation of stereotypical feminine and masculine aspects of Mulan’s character
  
  
• Thai Self-Criticism Versus the Western I Know It All
  
  
• Cults

 
Self criticism is healthy, it is like saying, “Yes, I’m a bit rigid sometimes” or “Yes, I was wrong and you were right.” It is admirable that Thais are critical towards their own society, ideals and lifestyle. In Suntaree Komin’s National Character in the Thai Nine Value Clusters, (1991) the honesty and factuality about certain attitudes and behavioral patterns of the Thai and the explanation of the reasons behind them are interesting and revealing at the same time. Seeing both the good and the bad or in other words both sides of the coin is not always easy, especially when it is your own. Whatever is considered Thai, whether good or bad it should be analyzed by the Thai first not the foreigner.

            Sometimes, people tend to criticize others more freely; often I feel that they go out of bound. Once I saw an older caucasian man stop at a table where a young Thai woman was sitting and she was smoking a cigarette, he said, “You are a Thai lady and you should not smoke in public.” She must have been speechless because god knows I was. Another time I was shopping at Rimping, quite up-scale as we know, I pumped into a caucasian man to whom I have talked before. We engaged in small talk, he was inquiring what I was doing at Uni, I said I was getting started on my Independent Study which will be in the field of linguistics, since I do not dare to approach Thai literature, politics or media discourse such delicate matters I rather leave to the Thais I still needed to learn more about Thailand. I needed some distance I said, studying at CMU has been great and my teachers are amazing but it also has been extremely intense. “Oh”, he said, “I did not know you talk about such matters at CMU.”  I have gotten the “look down” look from westerners before, “Oh you study in Thailand?!” I have also noticed that westerners often easily pass judgments on Thai matters, whether it is a social, economical or political issue, without having in-depth knowledge of what they are talking about. “What is wrong with you people?” Is what I want to ask them, what is wrong with you that you feel that you are so superior to even make a judgment about somebody or something you actual hardly know? Sometimes I feel ashamed of being western, I admit it. I think some one on the Thai side should start to criticize all those hundreds of ignorant westerners sit them down and hammer some decency into them. For almost two years at CMU as I have carefully listened to my Ajarns, I was surprised how little I knew about Thailand although I have lived here for 14 years. The most critical verdicts given on my side will be directed at the west, we are, including my self at times far too judgmental.

 A cult exists when a group of people are devoted to a common believe and shared values. A cult by definition isn’t negative but in reality it often is. A cult can be purely religious or spiritual but also political, dangerous it gets when religious cults find their ways into politics. Throughout human history the assumption that politics and religion are intervened is quite justifiable. A Cult often presents an extreme stand and has idiosyncratic practices, disconnected from the mainstream of religious practice. History has shown us how a cult and the results of its extreme beliefs can kill hundred thousands of people, such as the Nazi cult, which with its Neo-Nazism cult has survived to the present day. Often one cult on one extreme can give birth to a movement and eventually a cult on the other end; from extremely conservative to extreme laissez-fair from a right political wing to the left.

 Cult is derived from the Latin “cultus” meaning care or adoration, also in French and Spanish culte and culto respectively means to worship. Its initial meaning doesn’t indicate any negative connotation but in reality “cult” is often associated with extreme ideologies; the supremacy of one race and the inferiority of another, or the one true god and the chosen ones versus the rest therefore inferior. Cults are dangerous, especially in politic and religion. Religion and politics are extremely powerful and they probably have been combined, before humanity was able to keep any record of its own history. The question is; What is it with the cult, the extremists? Why would some people say that George W. Bush  has extreme religious affiliations and believes he was chosen by god, how about Bin Laden, Sadam Hussein, and how about Thaksin Shinawatra did he and his party embody certain extreme beliefs, has he had a vision of a Thailand based on cult like beliefs? Cults are dangerous when they are practiced by powerful people, maybe power is a cult for some and maybe the cult is just the tool to become powerful.

 Different countries different Strategies

Germany and France have enacted legislation against cults. Members of cults often establish rigid practices and taboos, governments fear that sects practicing certain cults abuse members and rob them of their given rights, by forcing them to comply with the standard within their community. Suicide and mass murder in extreme cases of cult practitioners have occurred in America and in Europe, which lead to different reactions. The United States has criticized European countries for their restrictions of formation of sects and other religious and spiritual groups, Europe felt that this is an internal affair and not America’s business. The attitude towards “cult” and its benefit or harm is therefore differently interpreted. While the US government feels that sects and cults represent spiritual freedom Europe in general feels that people have to be protected by cults, which often are fragments from the mainstream religion and political parties. Some people in Europe also would say that the US government is made of quite some advocates of religious and political cults, which is in Europe’s eyes is a rather negative development.

 Culture versus Cult

            Culture gives a society structure it binds and connects people and communities. The anticipation of a national holiday, which represents the nation, beliefs and values and tradition evolving around a core of a culture play an important part in daily life. Culture and tradition is important to a nation’s survival as a whole, it gives a nation a sense of unity.

European countries are proud of their cultural heritage so are many Asian countries, keeping cultural identity alive is widely discussed, because people sense that culture, is not just beautiful but also important.

The American culture is rather young or in an infant state while in Europe culture is more mature and in Asia definitely rich and old. While culture gives people a common ground and sense of belongingness in the US where after indigenous culture nearly destroyed, and people moved to the Land of the free from all over the world a new one was needed. Cultures were thrown in one pot and a new version came into existence, and obviously religion and tradition from Europe dominated over other continents’ and races’. A lot of whites in the US felt that they were superior to other races; subsequently they forced their traditions and beliefs upon others. The belief that the white race is superior to all others, therefore “others” weren’t given an equal chance to make their holidays and tradition national holidays and traditions, the white race extremely dominated the course of the Unites States.

A culture doesn’t need to be old to work, but if a culture, such as American culture, is young it is important that people adapt and are given an equal opportunity to practice traditions and are represented by their national culture. In America where a deep rooted culture is missing, and the nation’s culture at times fails to connect people, cults are sprouting in political and religious agendas.

 Governments and Cults

US politicians often lobby under cult like tactics to find support among certain groups. Extreme appeals and point of views seem to be constantly reinforced, therefore an intended belief established. The Republican Party in the United States is strongly influenced by fundamentalist Christianity, especially by members of the leadership circle of the party. There are speculations to what extend these views influence national policies and how harmful they can be. However earlier examples in history like World War 2, had shown that extremists and their cult can become a destructive force. Hitler’s ideologies were based on the belief that there is a pure race the Arians and all the others are impure. Hitler started a cult, which resulted in millions of people dying. Extreme views which are the hearts of cults can be extremely fatal. In general we have the tendency to discard the possibility of such horrible events, but history has taught us that cults are more than just ideas but they can cause war and death. Cults often represent an extreme idea, such as the superiority of one race or certain people which leads its practitioners and believers to act upon those commands. In the political arena adherents of cults have power to translate believes into actions, which can cause inequality and injustice for those who are opposed by beliefs of the cult. Mixing cult and politics are extremely dangerous.

 One extreme attracts the other extreme

The Rastafarians who believe that Haile Selassie or Ras Tafarie was the living god of the black race has cult like characteristics. Understandable Africans, tried to find an escape from the white oppressor, the core of the religion is to remind Africans of their heritage, and the resistance to any oppression which is by any means justifiable.

Oppression often triggers extreme hatred towards the oppressor, this hatred and pain is also reflected by beliefs of the Rastafarians, despite internal fraction there are fundamental principals and one is: Hatred for the white race. This is a counter reaction of decades of slavery and the denouncement of human dignity of black people. Through the pain extreme views developed. However, hating the white race makes as much sense as hating the black, namely none. What was taken from Africans can’t be returned and has changed the course of history of the African nation, hatred cannot change that.

The world is torn by fundamentalism. The Christian World is scared of the Islamic fundamentalism. The US just simply declared war against Terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism; people from both sides have been dying since.

            Cult and Religion

            The mainstream of religion such as Buddhism, Islam, Jewish, Christianity and Hinduism often started with a belief in supremacy; a god, goddesses and gods, and enlightenment. It becomes critical when it comes down to the earthly representative of the unearthly or heavenly supremacy. Often fanatic believers disregard any other religion as an imposter; a fake and as an insult to the “only real god”. The heart of a religion is more like a cult, representatives often follow extreme orders which the majority of the population or believers of the faith wouldn’t do. Practicing religion has to be made compatible with daily life; some abstract ceremonies which are impossible to follow are unlikely strictly followed by the mainstream.  However, religion can turn into a cult not just in Rome, Mekka, Jerusalem, or elsewhere but throughout history there have been people who felt they were chosen by their god to save others or sometimes to destroy others. At that point a cult becomes destructive and dangerous; the outbreak of a disaster depends on several factors.

Hitler and his cult

When Hitler lobbied he promised the people work and a descent living, and exactly that helped him to get elected. He always knew what the people needed to hear but he was pursuing his own vision to create the pure race and destroy its enemy. His policies weren’t understood but they people of Germany, a citizen wouldn’t have dreamt of Hitler’s horrifying plans. Hitler was obsessed with his cult, which partially has been around for a long time such as the persecutions of the Jewish race and coloured people. He never publicized his plans but he got people jobs and his policies managed to lift Germany’s economy out of depression. By getting jobs for millions Hitler got what he needed the tools and manpower to start a war.  He killed millions of people with the cooperation of the German military. A cult within a government is often well disguised because such extreme beliefs would shock the mainstream population. The vision of a cult is mostly only shared among a selected group of people. Hitler had his people such as Ernst Wilhelm Bohle; the Under Secretary of State, Karl Brandt; Reich Commissioner of Health and Sanitation, Albert Speer; the architect who built public buildings in Nazi style and many more.

Adolf  Hitler presented himself in public as a Christian and believed in the Christian heritage of Germany. It is said that he rejected accusation of adherences to spirituality and occultism, but his adoration for the Aryan race and his conviction that the Aryan race is the only pure race, does fit the criterion of cult characteristics, as earlier mentioned the word “cult” is derived from the Latin “cultus” meaning care or adoration.  Another characteristic of his fanatic beliefs that share cult like characteristics is that his conviction was not a shared belief by the German Christian mainstream.

The circumstances and the struggle of the German people were the perfect timing for Hitler to go through with his plan, because people needed jobs and routine, Adolf Hitler never said, “let’s kill 60 million people,” but he promised the people stability. World War 2 is therefore an example how dangerous cults can become, when social circumstances of a society provides an extremist such as Hitler to translate plans into action. It also shows, that when people are mainly occupied with trying to improve their own situation, which is just natural and justifiable, often there is not enough time and energy left to questions other’s plans.

Nazism has survived in the form of neo-Nazism or what we can see walking on the streets of Zurich, Bern, Munich, Berlin Vienna and elsewhere as skinheads. Nazism just has changed its name but the belief of supremacy of a particular race had been around long before Adolf Hitler.  

The article “Sometimes the truth is Friggin”

In 1995-1996 the estimated numbers of cults in America was 3000 to 5000, which are truly big numbers. There have been rumors surrounding the present President of the United States George W. Bush that he proclaimed himself as a chosen person by god. His comments and speeches do undeniably indicate that he beliefs he has the right and the duty to bring “others” democracy. He is also a conservative Christian and supposedly is implanting his ideals into politics.

Hitler had the idea of the pure race and Bush has his ongoing quest to bring Iraq democracy. Both men are different but still share some similarities both understood that promising economical stability gets them elected and both of them started a war. They both seek power, by using destruction and force. Whether Bush hides behind his Christian principles is unknown, but undeniable whatever he is thirsting for oil, power and money he is trying to justify his doings by saying that this is his Christian duty. Who knows maybe somebody smarter told him that, and maybe he was stupid enough to believe it.

One thing is sure that cult leaders always will look for somebody to share their vision, and they don’t care if these people are in for the money or and power. If a politician just has as much a tendency to adore cult like beliefs or any signs of conviction of being a chosen person by god, he should be forced out of office.