Story Two of the History of Excellence - Outcastes and exiles

I'm starting to think about story two. The first story concerns the essential nature of capitalism, and in this story I want to talk about how outcastes and exiles innovate and transform societies for better and for worse.

I have a few issues with this. 'For worse' concerns the perversions of the caste system that Krishna suggests in the Atthava Gita, and the historical treatement of the Gypsies in Europe, both of which rely on creating the Outsider and then victimizing.

The real theme here appears to be the the need to be RIGHT creating devils of the imagination. The sleep of reason breeds monsters and all that kind of thing. But isn't it deeper than that?

Because the two great success stories of outsiders are - in exactly the same geographic locations - the Buddhists and the Jews. These are two inspirational examples of values that hit the road and change the world.

From Buddhism comes the notion of upaya, skilful means as they are somewhat vaguely translated. I call it marketing, however, and not without admiration; because Buddhism is one of the great marketing success stories, and trust-based marketing itself is often the domain of the outcaste on their comeuppance.

Now no one perhaps would claim good marketing of the Jews of the Ancient World through to the Middle Ages, would they? Would they?

Well, it depends on how you look at them. Clearly they were not concerned with the same issues as the Buddhists, and decidedly NOT living among the (so I understand at least) urbane and cosmopolitan Indian society of the Buddhists. They were not concerned with conversation and engagement with others so much as mutual support and flat out economic survival. Jews are great are social reproduction, which means they reproduce social mores and moneymaking ability excellently, and I believe even more so when they regard themselves as Outsiders to the system.

Because we are all outsiders, unless we are born into the elite and select few of capitalism. The lesson of the Jews for me is that we MUST survive in a hostile environment by first acknowledging our status as Outsiders. So long as we wilfully assume we "fit in" and accept our position in society, we allow ourselves to become slaves. So the lesson of the Jews might be said to be an historically progressive and cultivated malcontent.

On the other hand, the upaya of the Buddhists is an entirely more slippery concept, in fact not a concept at all.

Did the efforts of Lord Krishna to unify North India succeed? Did the Indian caste system EVER work at all, even during Krishna's day? What was the effects of the upaya concept on the Indian system, during Buddha's day and afterwards.

The other issue in mind as I develop these questions is the source of causation. We attribute cause and effect to historical movements as part of our belief in an objective external world. But from the higher perspective it would seem that the power of a nation or a people arises directly from their adherence to empowering spiritual principles. The example I have in mind is the difference between Sumeria and Babylonia when I calibrate them on the Hawkins scale.

Sumeria calibrates at 60, the level of guilt. That's a way low calibration!

On the other hand, Babylonia calibrates at 125, which is the level of desire, a highly motivating level even through it tests weak. The energy of desire pushes people to accumulate goods and engage and explore their world in selfish but ever-increasing detail. At this level capitalism becomes possible.

Ancient Athenian democracy pre-Revolution - 105.
Ancient Athenian democracy post-Revolution - very, very low indeed.
Socrates - 460.
Plato - 460.
Pericles - 200.
Lycurgus the Lawgiver - 300.
Aristotle - 499.

Ancient Republican Rome - 150, the level of vengeance, anger and war.
Ancient Imperial Rome - 201, tests strong at the level of courage.

Julius Caesar - 350, Inspirational Leadership.
Caesur Augustus - 400, Reason.

So I'm not sure how to proceed here yet. The Jew's source of power stems from Abrahamic principles, while the Buddhist's stem directly from Buddha. So Jewish social reproduction and Buddhist upaya will find their sources in their originals first and foremost.

And that is where I will go look!