The noblest aspect of all the ideas the U.S.A. as a whole represents, or claims to represent, is one of political and social hybrid vigor. People adopt the best attributes of cultures from across the globe and conjoin them with those of others. Whether it is food or philosophy, people in the United States join ideas of differing cultures and fuse them together. People and philosophy might unite in commonality in the U.S.A. The following is such a fusion of independent yet correlating philosophy which can lead to a better understanding of mentality through exploration of their universality.
The number 4 is symbolic for completion. Through the number four the most complicated subjects can be broken down into the simplest presentation. There is an eternal, natural and social polarization of all situations great and small. Polarization occurs naturally with day and night. Polarization or, pairing of opposites, occurs socially with the politics of the right and left. This polarization of politics into the right and left is a global and perhaps timeless phenomenon. On the other hand, social polarizations are not necessarily naturally occurring, but normally amplified and utilized by politicians themselves.
The oldest symbols in the world present the concept of extreme duality. The yin and yang, which can be traced back to at least 1100 B.C., displays the eternal polarization of positive and negative. The yin and yang present polarization in two main parts, but there is a total of four distinct features in the circle. The two swirling positive and negative portions each contain a part of the other within.
The cross is a similarly ancient and influential archetype. It has been used by cultures distinct from and preceding Christianity. It is simply two crossing lines, but it conveys complex symbolism. When shed of other symbolism it is simply two perpendicular and intersecting lines. When two lines intersect four parts are made. When two polarized ideas intersect, four basic parts are made as well.
From Socrates to Donald Rumsfeld philosophers and politicians have posited there are four types of information. Socrates' proposed there are four types of information in accordance to a polarization. In the Analogy of the Divided Line, Socrates proposes that information is first polarized between the tangible and intangible and that this polarization leads to four types of information. It is proposed there is tangible information and reflections of the tangible, like one's reflection in water. Then there is intangible information, numbers for instance, and reflections of the intangible, like mathematical theories.
Former Secretary of State, Donald Rumsfeld made a relevant and somewhat poetic speech, unintentionally pointing to another polarization of information in the form of knowns and unknowns. "There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we now know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. These are things we do not know we don't know."
The fourth part of the polarization, Donald's omission, is unknown knowns. This type of information left unmentioned by Donald is ironically based on going unmentioned. It is information that some have and others are unaware of entirely. It is information that is acted on and held onto, normally held by politicians or equally oligarchical and institutionalized individuals, which the majority are ignorant of. Unknown knowns are secrets known by few among many. Donald and those of his ilk, would rather one not consider there is information falling into the unknown known category. In typical form, Donald left the unsaid type of information unsaid.
The number 4 looks like a cutter with a handle. And Four is Occam's Razor. Conceptualizing conditions with four assists in slicing away the superfluous and enables getting to the bottom of a situation, understanding. Occam 's razor is representative of the theory that entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity. Scientists and philosophers use the theory to better understand conditions, however Albert Einstein may have summed up the notion best "Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler."
Various cultures have basic philosophy in which the number four is intrinsic. The original four characters in the first story of the Bible; Adam, Eve, Serpent and God further exemplify the significance of four. The Hopi creation story where four different colors of people, related to the four colors of corn, (red, purple, yellow and white) rose out of the destruction of the fourth world also exemplifies the significance of four throughout the four corners of the globe.
Now the Hopi philosophy is not one of racism, it simply acknowledges differences in appearance. The Hopi explain that each color is empowered by one of the four elements and their presentation serves not to degrade whatsoever. The Hopi concluded that all people are brothers despite slight differences.
The Hopi proposed there are four types of people based on a polarization of appearance. This is no way to judge anyone completely or near accurately. It is just an interesting polarization and notion of the implied impotance of four as presented in the Hopi creation as well as Genesis. I am from the U.S.A. and renounce all racists, racism and prejudiced conjured biases in total. I acknowledge polarizations equating to four including the Hopi presentation which is an affirmation of brotherhood. Anyone who might make some racist declarations using Hopi ideas has the mentality of a feral caveman for the Hopi ideas are of unification.
In every situation there is polarization and the variations formed by their intersection. This is simple yet stunningly significant in recognizing conditions and problem solving. The most divisive and seemingly unsolvable problems might be stripped away of all distracting irrelevance and simplified in order to better understand them. The most ageless problems can be better understood, deciphered and sometimes overcome when simplified and deciphered through the polarization of four.
Take one of the most persistent and divisive problems of all time; racism. There are four forms of racism. Racism is not limited to simply this or that. There are hundreds of nations, each containing people who differ in obvious or obscure appearances, beliefs, histories, names, and other nuances by which they are judged by neighbors and foreigners alike. There are endless examples of racist perspectives of course, being that there are billions of us. People are taught these endless racist perspectives and make their own conclusions as well, but generally people are taught to have racist perspectives. I need not remind anyone of the endless variations of stereotypes, clichà ©s and racist prejudices.
The four types of racism are based on positive and negative polarization of judgment based on appearance. The commonality the four types of racism share is racist preconceptions based on appearance. The particular variations of racism are endless, but sadly the predominant form of racism is white against those they deem not white. This is historically evident. The forms of racism presented are to explore mentality of individuals in general which can be used universally. This in no way calculates or decodes the institutionalization of racism in total, or the most commonly taught form of racism, it only points to individual thinking.
Racism is nowhere near as overt as it once was, but when it is apparent, it arrives in polarization of help or hinder, respect or disrespect, involve or exclude, or worse. The commonality is a positive or negative reaction based on appearance, or any such qualification or conjuration. The polarization presents two more common types and then two less common types. To simplify, for and against are used.
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