fraying

一：Effectofthegreatdepression

womenlivedonlean-tosmade

ofscrapwoodandmetal,andfamilieswentwithoutmeatandfreshvegetables

formonths,chologicalburden

wavengreater:Americanssufferedthroughyearafteryearofgrinding

mployedstoodinlineforhourswaiting

forreliefchecks,veteranssoldapplesorpencilsonstreetcorners,their

left

ottedin

thefieldsbecaupricesweretoolowtomakeharvestingworthwhile;sheriffs

fendedoffangrycrowdsasbanksforeclodlongoverduemortgagesononce

prosperousfarms.

nAmericanswhohadleftthepovertyof

theruralSouthforfactoryjobsintheNorthwereamongthefirsttobelaidoff.

MexicanAmericans,whohadflowedintoreplaceEuropeanimmigrants,met

withcompetitionfromangrycitizens,nowwillingtodostooplaborinthefields

ationofficialsud

technicalitiestohalttheflowacrosstheRioDrandeandeventoreverit;

nearlyahalfmillionMexicansweredeportedinthe1930s,includingfamilies

withchildrenbornintheUnitedStates.

Thepoor---black,brown,andwhite---survivedbecautheyknewbetter

ayedinbedincold

weather,bothtokeepwarmandtoavoidunnecessaryburningupofcalories;

theypatchedtheirshoeswithpiecesofrubberfromdiscardedtires,heated

onlythekitchensoftheirhomes,andatescrapsoffoodthatotherswould

reject.

Themiddleclass,whichhadalwayslivedwithhighexpectations,washit

sionalsandwhite-collarworkersrefudtoaskforcharityeven

whiletheirfamilieswentwithoutfood;oneNewYorkdentistandhiswife

turnedonthegasandleftanotesaying,"Wewanttogetoutofthewaybefore

weareforcedtoacceptreliefmoney."peoplewhofellbehindintheir

mortgagepaymentslosttheirhomesandthemfacedevictionwhentheycould

-classpeoplestoppedgoingto

doctorsanddentistsregularly,unabletomaketherequiredcashpaymentin

advanceforrvicesrendered.

Eventhewell-to-dowereaffected,givingupmanyoftheirformerluxuries

andweigheddownwithguiltastheywatchedformerfriendsandbusiness

associationsjointheranksoftheimpoverished."myfatherlosteverythingin

theDepression"becauanall-too-familiarrefrainamongyoungpeoplewho

droppedoutofcollege.

,boys,andsome

women,rodetherailsinarchofjobs,hoppingfreightstomovesouthinthe

issouriPacificalone,thenumberof

vagrantsincreadformjustover13,000in1929tonearly200,000in1931.

OnetownintheSouthwesthiredspecialpolicementokeepvagrantsform

hobecametrampshadtokeeponthemove,but

theydidfindanofcommunityinthehobojunglesthatsprangupalong

ancouldfindaplacetoeatandsleep,and

anks,ablackveteran,told

interviewerStudsTerkelwhattheinformalcamprelike:

Blackandwhite,itdidn'tmakeanydifferencewhoyouare,'cau

endly,totakeabigpot

andcookfood,cabbage,ettogether,

-fiveorthirtywouldbeoutonthesideoftherail,white

andcolored:Theydidn'thavenomothersorsisters,theydidn'thaveno

home,theyweredirty,theyhadoverallson,theydidn'thavenofood,they

didn'thaveanything.

二：TheU.S.-EuropeDivide

PresidentBushismakinganobleefforttopulltogetherthefrayingalliance,butthe

all-importantquestionofpower-theutilityofpower,themoralityofpower-theyhave

ansbelievetheyaremovingbeyondpowerintoalf-contained

itlf

hanteredapost-historicalparadi,therealizationofImmanuelKant’s“Perpetual

Peace”.TheUnitedStates,meanwhile,remainsmiredinhistory,exercisingpowerin

theanarchicHobbesianworldwhereinternationalrulesareunreliableandwhere

curityandthepromotionofaliberalorderstilldependontheposssionanduof

why,onmajorstrategicandinternationalquestionstoday,

AmericansarefromMarsandEuropeansarefromVenus:Theyagreeonlittleand

understandonanotherlessandless.

Whythedivergentperspectives?Theyarenotdeeplyrootedinnationalcharacter.

TwocenturiesagoAmericanstatesmenappealedtointernationallawanddisdained

“powerpolitics”,whileEuropeanstatesmenspokeofraisond’ans

marchedofftoWorldWarIbelievinginpowerandmartialglory,whileAmericans

roleshavereverd.

betweenthe

UnitedStatesandEuropeopenedwideasaresultofWorldWarIIandhasgrown

a’sunparalleledmilitarystrengthhaspredictably

givenitagreaterpropensitytouforceandamoreconfidentbeliefinthemoral

’srelativeweaknesshasproducedanaversiontoforceas

anstoday,likeAmericans200yearsago,ek

aworldwherestrengthdoesn’tmattersomuch,whereunilateralactionbypowerfulis

forbidden,whereallnationsregardlessoftheirstrengthareprotectedbycommonly

yEuropeans,progresstowardsuchaworldismore

importantthaneliminatingthethreatpodbySaddamHusinForAmericans,the

eralismisnaturallymoreattractiveto

ernationallawconstrainsstrong

eofthedisparityofpower,Americansand

narmedonlywithaknifemaydecide

thatabearprowlingtheforestisatolerabledanger—tryingtokillthebearisriskier

rsonwithariflewilllikely

makeadifferentcalculation:Whyshouldheriskbeingmauledtodeathifhedoesn’t

needto?AmericanscouldimaginesuccessfullyinvadingIraqandtopplingSaddam,

ans,not

surprisingly,founditunimaginableandfrightening.

’s

rel

EuropeanUnionisamonumenttoEurope’

knowsthedangersofMachtpolitikbetterthanaFrenchorGermancitizen?Asthe

BritishdiplomatRobertCooperrecentlynoted,Europetodaylivesina“postmodern

system”thatdoesnotrestonabalanceofpowerbuton“therejectionofforce”andon

“lf-enforcedrulesofbehavior”.Raisond’etathasbeen“replacedbyamoral

consciousness”.

Americanrealistsmayscoff,butwithintheconfinesofEuropethebrutallawsof

orldWarIIEuropeansocietyhas

beenshapednotbythetraditionalexerciofpowerbutbytheunfoldingofa

geopoliticalmiracle:

Europeanshavebecomeevangelistsfortheir“postmodern”gospelofinternational

licationoftheEuropeanmiracletotherestoftheworldhasbecome

Europe’snewmission.

anshavenot

venoexperienceofpromotingidealsandorder

emoryofthepost50yearsisofaColdWar

strugglethatwaventuallywonbystrengthanddetermination,notbythe

childrenoftheEnlightenment,

ricansfromDonaldRumsieldto

MadelelineAlbrightalsobelievethatglobalcurityandaliberalorderdependonthe

UnitedStates—that“indispensablenation”—wieldingitspowerinthedangerous,

Hobbesianworldthatstillflourishes,atleastoutsideEurope.

nbothsidesofthe

AllanticwhoimploredEuropetoincreaitsmilitarycapabilitiesareright—thougha

Europethathassolittlebeliefinpowerisunlikelytospendthemoneytogetmoreof

hoaskAmericanstoshowsomegenerosityofspirit,whattheFounders

called“adecentrespectfortheopinionofmankind”,tedStates

shouldhonormultilateralismandtheruleoflawwhenitcan,andtrytobuildsome

internationalpoliticalcapitalforthotimeswhenunilateralactionisunavoidable.

Butevenifitdoes,willEuropeansshowthenecessarytoleranceforAmericanpower?

三：TheOriginofValentine’sDay

EveryFebruary,acrossthecountry,candy,flowers,andgiftsare

exchangedbetweenlovedones,is

thismysterioussaintandwhydowecelebratethisholiday?Thehistoryof

Valentine'o

ine'sDay,as

weknowittoday,containsvestigesofbothChristianandancientRoman

,whowasSaintValentineandhowdidhebecomeassociatedwith

thisancientrite?

OnelegendcontendsthatValentinewasapriestwhorvedduringthe

perorClaudiusIIdecidedthatsinglemen

madebettersoldiersthanthowithwivesandfamilies,heoutlawedmarriage

ine,realizingtheinjusticeofthe

decree,defiedClaudiusandcontinuedtoperformmarriagesforyoungloversincret.

WhenValentine'sactionswerediscovered,Claudiusorderedthathebeputtodeath.

OtherstoriessuggestthatValentinemayhavebeenkilledforattemptingtohelp

ChristianscapeharshRomanprisonswheretheywereoftenbeatenandtortured.

Accordingtoonelegend,Valentineactuallyntthefirst'valentine'greeting

nprison,itisbelievedthatValentinefellinlovewithayounggirl--

whomayhavebeenhisjailor'sdaughter--whovisitedhimduringhisconfinement.

Beforehisdeath,itisallegedthathewroteheraletter,whichhesigned'Fromyour

Valentine,'ghthetruthbehindthe

Valentinelegendsismurky,thestoriescertainlyemphasizehisappealasa

sympathetic,heroic,and,mostimportantly,'snosurprithatby

theMiddleAges,ValentinewasoneofthemostpopularsaintsinEnglandandFrance.

WhilesomebelievethatValentine'sDayiscelebratedinthemiddleofFebruaryto

commemoratetheanniversaryofValentine'sdeathorburial--whichprobably

occurredaround270A.D--othersclaimthattheChristianchurchmayhavedecided

tocelebrateValentine'sfeastdayinthemiddleofFebruaryinaneffortto'christianize'

entRome,Februarywasthe

were

rituallycleandbysweepingthemoutandthensprinklingsaltandatypeofwheat

alia,whichbeganattheidesofFebruary,

February15,wasafertilityfestivaldedicatedtoFaunus,theRomangodofagriculture,

nthefestival,

membersoftheLuperci,anorderofRomanpriests,wouldgatheratthesacredcave

wheretheinfantsRomulusandRemus,thefoundersofRome,werebelievedtohave

estswouldthensacrificeagoat,for

fertility,andadog,sthenslicedthegoat'shideintostrips,

dippedtheminthesacrificialbloodandtooktothestreets,gentlyslappingboth

mbeingfearful,Roman

womenwelcomedbeingtouchedwiththehidesbecauitwasbelievedthestrips

ntheday,accordingto

legend,

city'sbachelorswouldtheneachchooanameoutoftheurnandbecomepairedfor

ine'an

'lottery',

duringtheMiddleAges,itwascommonlybelievedinFranceandEnglandthat

February14wasthebeginningofbirds'matingason,whichaddedtotheideathat

themiddleofFebruary--Valentine'est

knownvalentinestillinexistencetodaywasapoemwrittenbyCharles,Dukeof

OrleanstohiswifewhilehewasimprisonedintheTowerofLondonfollowinghis

eting,whichwaswrittenin1415,ispartof

themanuscriptcollectionoftheBritishLibraryinLondon,lyears

later,itisbelievedthatKingHenryVhiredawriternamedJohnLydgatetocompo

tBritain,Valentine'sDaybegantobe

iddleoftheeighteenth

century,itwascommonforfriendsandloversinallsocialclasstoexchangesmall

ndofthecentury,printedcards

begantoreplacewrittenlettersduetoimprovementsinprintingtechnology.

Ready-madecardswereaneasywayforpeopletoexpresstheiremotionsinatime

whendirectexpressionofone'rpostageratesalso

contributedtoanincreainthepopularityofndingValentine'sDaygreetings.

四:

Parentsarerequiredbylawtoethattheirchildrenreceivefull-timeeducation,

atschoolorelwhere,betweentheagesof5and16inEngland,ScotlandandWales

93percentofpupilsreceivefreeeducationfr

ompublicfunds,whiletheothersattendindependentschoolsfinancedbyfeespaidby

parents.

Many,aged3-4years,childrenattendnurryschoolsandclass(or,inEngland,r

eceptionclassinprimaryschools).Pre-schooleducationmayalsobeprovidedinso

meprivatedaynurriesandpre-schoolplaygroups(whicharelargelyorganizedbyp

arents).

TheGovernmenthasstateditscommitmenttoamajorexpansionofpre-schooledu

cationandwantsallchildrentobeginschoolwithabasicfoundationinliteracyandn

ptember1998itisprovidingfreenurryeducationinEnglandand

Walesforall4yearoldswhoparentswantit,andiscommittedtostagedtargetsfor

ducationauthorities,inpartnershipwithpr

ivateandvoluntaryproviders,havedrawnup"earlyyearsdevelopmentplans"forc

nsaredesignedtoshowhowco-operationbetweenpriv

atenurries,playgroupsandschoolscallbestrvetheinterestsofchildrenandtheir

ril1999,earlyyearsdevelopmentpartnershipsandplanswillbeexp

tion,theGov

ernmentisworkingwithlocalauthoritiesandothersinEnglandtoestablish"earlyexc

ellencecenters"designedtodemonstrategoodpracticeineducationandchildcare.

InScotland,localeducationauthoritieshavebeentakingtheleadingrole,fromAu

-gust1998,inplanningandco-ordinatingpre-schooleducationandinprovidingplac

es,ernmentplan

nedtogiveallchildreninthepre-schoolyearaccesstoquality,part-timeeducationby

land,localeducationauthoritieshavebeentakingtheleadi

ngrole,fromAu-gust1998,inplanningandco-ordinatingpre-schooleducationandi

nprovidingplaces,

Governmentplannedtogiveallchildreninthepre-schoolyearaccesstoquality,part-

timeeducationbythewinterof1998.

五;

Freedbywarming,watersoncelockedbeneathicearegnawingatcoastal

ttlementsaroundtheArcticCircle.

InBykovsky,avillageof457onRussia'snortheastcoast,theshorelineis

collapsing,creepingclorandclortohousandtanksofheatingoil,atarateof

15to18feetayear.

"Itispracticallyallice-permafrost-anditisthawing."Forthefourmillion

peoplewholivenorthoftheArcticCircle,achangingclimateprentsnew

lsothreatenstheirenvironment,theirhomesand,fortho

whotraditionsrelyontheice-boundwilderness,theprervationoftheirculture.

ApushtodeveloptheNorth,quickenedbythemeltingoftheArcticas,carries

coveryofvastpetroleum

fieldsintheBarentsandKaraSeashasraidfearsofcatastrophicaccidentsasships

loadedwithoiland,soon,liquefiedgaschurnthroughthefisheriesoffScandinavia,

atwasuntouchedcouldbe

taintedbypollutionasgenerators,smokestacksandlargevehiclessprouttosupport

thegrowingenergyindustry.

CoastalerosionisaprobleminAlaskaaswell,forcingtheUnitedStatestoprepare

torelocateveralInuitvillagesataprojectedcostof$100millionormoreforeach

one.

AcrosstheArctic,indigenoustribeswithtraditionsshapedbycenturiesoflivingin

etrying

toadapt,butitcanbeconfounding.

InFinnmark,Norway'snorthernmostprovince,theArcticlandscapeunfoldsinlate

winterasanendlesssnowyplateau,silentbutforthecriesofthereindeerandthe

occasionalwhineofasnowmobileherdingthem.

AchangingArcticisfeltthere,too."Thereindeerarebeingunhappy,"saidIssatEira,

a31-year-oldreindeerherder.

FewcountriesrivalNorwaywhenitestoprotectingtheenvironmentand

tehaslavisheditsoilwealthontheregion,and

Samiculturehanjoyedsomethingofarenaissance.

athis

livelihood,intractablyentwinedwiththereindeer,

Texascattleman,aidwarmertemperatures

infallandspringweremeltingthetoplayersofsnow,whichthenrefreezeasice,

makingitharderforhisreindeertodigthroughtothelichentheyeat.

"Thepeoplewhoaremakingthedecisions,theyarelivinginthesouthandthey

arelivingintowns,",sittinginsidehishomemadeofreindeerhides.

"Theydon'lypeoplewholiveinnatureandget

resourcesfromnaturewhomarkit."

六：Don’tBlameDNA

Thereallycriticalimplicationofthediscoverystilllieswiththedoorthat

geneticistshaveopenedontheenvironmentalinfluencesofourbehaviour,our

personalitiesandourhealth,andwiththecriticalblowitstrikesontheideaof

biologicaldeterminism.

Forthepastdecade,thepublichaswitnesdarisingepidemicoftalesof

discoveriesofgenesthatdispohumanitytohomoxuality,toalcoholism,to

politicalpersuasion,torunningability,andtoartistictaste.

Butevenbeforeyesterday’srevelationsbyVenter,scientistshadstoppedbelieving

ault

onbiologicaldeterminismthatgeneticistshavenowtriggeredwillbetimely,andwill

provethathumannatureisalotmorecomplexandintriguingthandeterministshave

reimportantly,thediscoveryhascriticalimplicationsfor

ourunderstandingofideaoffreewill.

IthasbecomeincreasinglyfashionableforindividualsparticularlyintheUnited

erthe

Americanwoman,GlendaSueCaldwell,wasconvictedof

terdidshebegintodisplaythe

symptomsofHuntington’sDia,aninheritedbraindisorderthatproduceshorrific

ngshewasavictimofhergenes,the

womanwasclearedonappeal.

Sincethen,veralotherUSdefendantsaccudofviolentcrimeshaveargued

renotresponsiblefortheir

thepeoplehaveyetsucceededinpersuading

courtsoftheirinnocenceandtheirgenes’wyersfeltsuchanoutcome

rwords,geneticpredestinationcouldsoonhave

beenudtoexcumurderorrobbery——ifithadnotbeenforthisdiscoverythat

welackthegenestothusdispous!

KevinDaviesistheauthorofTheSequence,astoryofthehumangenomerace.

Hesaid,“Therehasbeenarecentstudyonperfectpitch,theabilitytoknowthe

absolutepitchofamusicalnote,thatstronglysuggeststhatisacquiredthroughthe

inheritanceofasinglegene.”

r,thereis

acrucialcorollary:youhavetobeexpodtoearlymusicaltrainingfortheabilityto

rwords,evenineminglysimpleinheritedabilities,nurturehasa

roletoplay.”

AndthenthereisthecaquotedbyVenter.“Everyonetalksaboutagenefor

saythere

caudbyaninheritedweaknessinonegenethatcontrolsDNArepairinothergenes.

r,itisonlythecolon

wherewefindallsortsoftoxinsandbacteriathatprovidetheharshcircumstancesthat

cauthatgenetofinallybreakdownandforcancertospread.”

Inshort,itisnotacoloncancergenebutagenethataffectsourabilitytorespond

t,iswhathumannatureisallabout.