How Africans smelt iron and make a hoe in a day or two

a reply to: anonentity

I think the very ancient meaning had to do being urban and being taken advantage of by folks in funny hats.
Others think it's the act of bring civil... Ie.. don't punch your sibling in the face in order to get that last piece of cake.

a reply to: anonentity

If STF became a thing, this is how it may work, a charismatic personality with or without any real survival skills can inventory folks who have skills in whatever, from..hunting to story telling and all in between and organized them, after all that's how we ended up with priest, kings and artist. Who live off the labor of others.

They should teach their technique to their American counterparts....it takes them a little longer because they have to get their hoes hooked on narcotics first....

a reply to: Guiltyguitarist

Dude really???

originally posted by: Spider879
a reply to: Guiltyguitarist

Dude really???

You know it was funny...just smile...it will be ok

a reply to: Guiltyguitarist

OK jokes
Gotcha.

a reply to: anonentity

The question has got to be asked, "What is Civilisation all about?"

Control. Thats why they gather people all together into 'cities' , making them dependent upon the system, so they can profit.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: anonentity

The question has got to be asked, "What is Civilisation all about?"

Control. Thats why they gather people all together into 'cities' , making them dependent upon the system, so they can profit.

No I disagree there. Cities are naturally evolving projects based on a critical mass between population, resources and trade. You know? Little village is well-situated near a river delta (sewage, water, fertility) and population starts growing. Turns into a large village and grows into a town. The 'big man' or tribal chief can't manage the numbers and needs more muscle. Laws and practices arise to deal with social and financial issues.

A family with productive land get to trade more and want a nice house to show for it. Poorer folk offer to keep it clean for barter and goods. Traders realise they make a living being static and need to open a business. There are markets that need protecting etc. More laws and a soldiery to maintain order and protect the wealthy.

Meanwhile agricultural economies don't sustain the unskilled, the ambitious or the artisans so they gravitate to the cities. So do criminals. More laws and more protection.

You could have a point on the 'control' side of things in the modern world. I just can't see how an advancing society could avoid building cities without stagnating.

a reply to: Kandinsky

You know? Little village is well-situated near a river delta (sewage, water, fertility) and population starts growing. Turns into a large village and grows into a town. The 'big man' or tribal chief can't manage the numbers and needs more muscle. Laws and practices arise to deal with social and financial issues.

Thats where laws that protect from someone 'taking' control from the little guy so they can 'capitalize' (profit exclusively) from the money stream should come into play and be enforced against that exclusive control, guarding the people rights to make money and not just the large corporations and the state.

IOW, what results from cities and administration is the little people no longer can 'profit', only the Monopolistic Corporations.

You just try to start a hamburger stand, ice cream or some other business. Make electric power and sell it to neighbors, try to put up a small table on a street corner and sell something you produce.

You will be quickly closed down and fined or even arrested for operating without a permit or license and all the gubment regulations in place to prevent you from making a profit.

The only thing you will be increasingly allowed to make money at is working for the entrenched bureaucratic mega Coporatocracy...

Get a job at Walmart or Mickey Ds, earn slave wages, pay your tax, and spend the earnings on the products they produce.

This is called Indentured Servitude, a gentle Euphemism for slavery.

Pertinent lyrics considering the current state of "Africa" and their meager attempts to 'industrialize' by forging hoes in termite mounds.

You load sixteen tons, what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store

a reply to: intrptr


So the centralisation of power is a force that would grow exponentially, it has to under this scenario.The system speeds up like a snowball gathering momentum, what fuels it is the space to expand.The moment it doesn't it has to eat itself.

This OP title could of been...


How Africans Smelt A Hoe


Once upon a time - not long ago..
There lived a young African by the African coast.
His tool would be shown
by the ant hill he'd blown..
When the young African first smelt a hoe.

a reply to: Pearj


Great verse lol.

OMG, seriously?!?!?
Africa has united into ONE country....

NIIIIICE........

originally posted by: anonentity
a reply to: intrptr


So the centralisation of power is a force that would grow exponentially, it has to under this scenario.The system speeds up like a snowball gathering momentum, what fuels it is the space to expand.The moment it doesn't it has to eat itself.

Exactly, because greed knows no bounds, and greedy men will always take more and more to themselves despite any cost to others.

Thats why Africa is kept divided and impoverished, even though it is the resource richest continent on the planet.