Humanity and the Nature of Man
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HUMANITY AND THE NATURE OF MAN – FREE PREVIEW. The book examines humanity as a whole and the behaviour –favourable or unfavourable- of the individual within the group. Likewise the actions of the majority as they affect the minority. The second meaning within the book is the benevolence of the majority on one hand and the atrocities or the very small minority in this world. Although certain people in some countries or sections of some societies in the world may be noted for a particular type of unpleasant behaviour, I still maintain that ‘White’, ‘Black’ ‘Christian’, ‘Muslim’ etc, are just labels. What matters is what makes the individual a human being. There is humanity in abundance everywhere but sadly the devil rears its nefarious head everywhere from time to time. The history of the world is littered with conflicts, slavery, oppression, racism, injustice, envy, hatred, discrimination, famine, poverty, homelessness, dictatorships, corruption, social exclusion, human trafficking, exploitation, religious persecution, fundamentalism, apartheid, anarchy, terrorism, lawlessness, disease, natural disasters, ignorance, domestic violence, avarice, betrayal, deception and revenge. The machinery of elected governments, dictatorships, councils and official international bodies all over the world is expected to cope with whatever emanates from any of the above stated problems. These and many more have beset mankind from time immemorial. The reality is, the world over, this machinery has from time after time been woefully inadequate: But for charities, churches, individuals and humanitarians everywhere, the world would have been an even sadder place for humanity. THE SYRIAN CONFLICT AND CHILD REFUGEES It was reported in the 19-11-2012 issue of the Daily Mirror that 200,000 Syrian refugee children were facing a bitter winter of sub-zero temperature without adequate shelter and clothing. Children do not ask to be born therefore it is imperative to protect them at all times. Either side in this conflict appears to be preoccupied with their objectives so much that, as always women and especially children suffer needlessly in such conflicts. It is impossible to be able to know what goes on in a child’s mind as he or she is awoken at night and literally dragged along to safety in a foreign land. In worse situations they are caught in cross fire or worst of all fail to survive arduous journeys made even treacherous by weather conditions. Children survive these journeys without even knowing whether parents and other siblings have also survived or have been killed. The forlorn faces we see on TV in refugee camps belie the actual trauma affecting these young innocent children. When I was at their age about three in 1951, I used to cry when my aunts returned home in the evening without my “mummy.” She should either return home before them or show up at the same time as they. Even a few minutes late always sent the alarm bells ringing – ‘ a wolf might have taken my mummy away.’ How possible could that be? The family house was and is still in the centre of the capital Accra; for goodness sake. No bush, nothing whatsoever. It was my imagination. These poor Syrian children however are not imagining things. They are seeing, being exposed and experiencing real danger. On 26-11-2012, the BBC News (Middle East) report, gave a figure of 2.5 million Syrians internally displaced, 400,000 refugees in neighbouring countries and 11,000 crossing the Syrian border in a single day. The UN expected the number of registered refugees outside Syria to swell to 700,000 by the end of 2012. Humanity should have the moral will if not the political, to end this atrocity now. The heading in the January 3rd, 2013 issue of the Daily Mail- ‘Syrian death toll reaches 60,000. For how long can this carnage go on? AN ABOMINABLE HUMAN ACT Slavery as it unfolded during the forcible transportation of Africans to the Americas and the Caribbean, was abominable. It is still abominable and therefore inhumane in whatever guise it now appears globally. Civilisation has come a very long way since those terrible days when man was a commodity, used as such and sold for profit. Humanity however has never changed. It was in the human being as it is now in all of us. Some needed to delve deeper to realise it. Others felt it instantly. Many needed a jolt to be enlightened. In Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, it was instinctive. His moral stance amid at times the cut-throat politics of the day awakened the humanity in others. In many others, he reinforced what they were already feeling. DAILY MIRROR - December 17th, 2013, caption, ‘Massacre of Sandy Hook.' Main Headline, 'Hit By As Many As 11 Bullets', Double Sub- headlines, Kids of 6 and 7 shot multiple times,' And 'Killer's row with teachers day before.' Lucy Thornton like other reporters in all the national newspapers wrote about the horrific and needless to stress, senseless massacre of 20 six and seven year-olds at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, United States. It was just about a week to Christmas. These were children were old enough to be anticipating what Father Christmas had in store for them. Two weeks of Christmas holiday to forget about Miss and her times tables, dictation, reading and all those distractions from having innocent, carefree fun; as children should, oblivious of the cares of this world. Yes these children were old enough to know about Christmas, however they were by any stretch of the imagination too young to have an inkling let alone know about the ugly side of the world we live. After all they saw Hollywood actors shot several times in movies only to see them on Oscar red carpets about to receive their accolades. Can anybody imagine how these children felt, after seeing their friends shot several times knowing they were next in the firing line of the crazed world of a 20 year-old killer? He could have been an older brother, a cousin or a young uncle. These relations do not molest or worst of all kill you. No! They buy sweets for you and take you to the park, the fair to have fun. A state medical examiner revealed that each of the 20 children and six adults killed was shot between 3 to 11 times." Unimaginable! Gruesome! A nightmare for humanity. From time immemorial, mankind has faced and endured extreme difficulties. However the Humanity of fellow man and Providence have always made the lot of the Human Race worthwhile. Maya Angelo said, ”To have is to give and to know is to teach.”
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About the Book
This book is about the invaluable contribution of charities and humanitarians in our world, the benevolence of the majority, and the atrocities of a (very small) minority. Mankind’s difficulties often stem from natural disasters, including terrible weather conditions creating human misery. The tsunami and the famine in Ethiopia are typical examples. The other difficulties that have beset humanity from time immemorial are man-made, like wars, slavery, and pogroms. We also have dictatorships, pariah states, and police states, which do not seek to serve their people and alienate the international community. The people in these places become outcasts, despite genuine and determined efforts by others to bring them into the fold. In any society, we see the destructive effects of misunderstanding, greed, envy, hatred, and discrimination. Senseless acts of individual barbarism also pose a problem. Governments, democratic or otherwise, are installed with all the natural and human resources, as well as the goodwill of the global community, to serve and, where necessary, manage the difficulties of the people. History and current affairs indicate that no government is capable of delivering utopia to its people – even those unhampered by ideology, political sensitivities, self-interest, and retribution. Mankind’s difficulties are ever so complex. Invariably, the void left has to be managed for mankind to have a life worth living. “Nature abhors a vacuum,” so says the adage. Political stalwarts like Abraham Lincoln and courageous clergymen William Wilberforce rise to the fore. This pious hegemony is ably supported by charities, humanitarians, and ordinary individuals who have shown courage and compassion and the willingness to save and improve lives. Charities continue to make the difference. The courage and compassion of Lincoln, Wilberforce, Nightingale, and Mother Teresa may be unsurpassed, but Providence will continue to provide heroes and heroines for humanity.
About the Author
Ebsen William Amarteifio was brought up in a home strongly influenced by the Christian religion. Both paternal (Amarteifios) and the maternal (Nunoos) households are devout Methodists. His maternal grandmother, Beatrice Nunoo, was a well-known and respected church leader of her day. His paternal grandfather, Thomas Amarteifio, a pharmacist by profession, espoused fairness and humanity and was influential in his community. George A. Amarteifio, the author’s father, also a pharmacist and a leading chorister at the main Accra Methodist Church, was a humanitarian. He always urged others, rich or poor, strong or weak, Christian or Muslim, to be kind to others. He was always immensely thrilled to learn that somebody, he or someone else, had helped, had also been kind to another human being. Ebsen has dedicated his book to his father and all humanitarians everywhere. He is currently setting up the George A. Amarteifio Foundation. For the past sixteen years Ebsen has unofficially, in the name of the foundation, been sending medical products to Korle-Bu University Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana, the third largest hospital in Africa. His father qualified there as a pharmacist. Elizabeth A. Nunoo, the author’s mother, frequently quotes the Bible to support a moral point. On the eve of Ebsen’s departure to England over forty years ago, she stated, “I know you will not depart from your Christian upbringing. If you get into trouble, it is because you always think of other people.” In forty-four years of working, the author has found it immensely gratifying to be a team member in the fields of education and medicine, dedicated to making the difference in the lives of other human beings.