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Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by basher(m): 4:47pm On May 08, 2012 |
obo_man: The first reason I'm gonna give is climate.. Yes differences in climate could be the reason why africa is backward. Is it a coincidence that most of the most developed and innovative countries are temperate regions of the earth? I'll also have to disagree with you here too. The Indian sub-continent is also very hot, and in some areas, even hotter than places in West Africa. They were however, still able to come up with a form of writing and counting, and also make some very reasonable forages into philosophy and medicine before the white man arrived there. I strongly believe that it is the negative aspects of our culture that has held us down throughout our history and is still affecting us now. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Coldfeet(f): 4:56pm On May 08, 2012 |
We have blamed the white man long enough its time to take the bull by the horn! Their actions demoralised us for sure! But unknown to them and us (sadly) they left us with TWO!!! Great tools to liberate ourselves and that is CHRISTIANITY and EDUCATION! Why can't we utilise them to our advantage? If we all pitch in with meaningful contributions in any little way possible am sure the rot in Africa will be a thing of the past! Tribalism, religious fanaticism and corruption is an individual battle that we must fight on our own! Africa's backwardness today! has nothing to do with the coming of the white man its been backward since time immemorial! Their coming just watered the seed that has been sown by our forefathers. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by pssword: 5:05pm On May 08, 2012 |
obo_man: The first reason I'm gonna give is climate.. Yes differences in climate could be the reason why africa is backward. Is it a coincidence that most of the most developed and innovative countries are temperate regions of the earth? How about the Brazilians and Argentinians? |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Nobody: 5:12pm On May 08, 2012 |
basher: Obviously, there are exceptions like the indian sub-continent u mentioned.. But is it a coincidence that over 80% of the oecd countries are situated in the temperate? India is marginally better than africa and don't forget europeans colonised it aswell. Their form of counting and writing didn't stop europeans from colonising and enslaving them, just as they did to west africans. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Nobody: 5:22pm On May 08, 2012 |
pssword: Meaning? I'm arguing based on statistics...... If you go across the hot regions of the earth, you find more developing countries...'Backward' in OP's words. If you go across cold regions of the earth, you find more developed countries...... Now, there will be exceptions, obviously but the statistics of the execeptions can be neglected because its minimal. ( 2 or 3 outliners).. Is it also a coincidence that 80 percent of scientic breakthroughs can be associated with europeans? ( Cold region)? Yes, these europeans migrated to north american, south america ( your brazil and argentina), australia, etc... 1 Like |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Sianoz: 6:03pm On May 08, 2012 |
shymmex:ur somehow right but the british are not only to be blamed.if i may ask wat held africans from movin to other lands to find people they wil colonise? Well, am of the view dat wat held our ancestors from thriving is stil wit us & wat made their ancestors(west) to conquer the world is stil wit them.May be our ancestors were cursed. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Nobody: 6:20pm On May 08, 2012 |
Sianoz: ur somehow right but the british are not only to be blamed.if i may ask wat held africans from movin to other lands to find people they wil colonise? Well, am of the view dat wat held our ancestors from thriving is stil wit us & wat made their ancestors(west) to conquer the world is stil wit them.May be our ancestors were cursed. Are you minding these primitive people? Millenia have passed and their thinking has not changed. Preferring instead to sit in a bush and moan and complain about everything everyone but themselves has done to them. Bullshit aside, if you truly look at the history of your continent, you will see that the slave trade thing was orchestrated by blacks. White men didn't come to enslave you, they came as merchants. And you were all selling out yourselves as products. So enough with all the noise. So by your complaining and blaming, you are essentially saying "It's okay that our kinsmen captured each other, put themselves in chains and put each other on public slave market. That's perfectly understandable. However, why did the white men, who needed cheap labor etc, buy these products?" . . . This is the what they are all saying. Sadly, it is unfortunate that thinking things through is not one of the strongpoints of africans. The beginning of you all rising out of your slums is the accepting of responsibility that yes indeed, you are where you are because of YOU and not white man, red man, green man, etc. Accepting responsibility for where you are in life is a VERY empowering thing. If it is important to you, accepting that it was the BLACKS that were responsible for the slave trade and not the whites will dawn the epiphany required to do things better. You have to understand what BLAMING things other than yourself does to your psyche. Sometime, you should accept the blame for a thing. You will be left stronger for it. THIS is the leadership spirit Africa needs today, not that of complainers and blamers... |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Daddi: 6:28pm On May 08, 2012 |
just as being stated by other posters, Africa's woes is from low esteem which brings what I may call achivement mediocrity. Though colonisation have its effects but we can overcome it, if we actually want. It's only in Africa or an african that if one achieved success by share intelligence and is rewarded, laziness of mind sets in & the first initial right idea dissappears. This arises 'cos no one asks where are u deviating to. Some1 said respect to elders which is fine, but must be constructive respect. For instance people like Gaddhafi, Mugabe, IBB, etc started very well but once being praised or a slight issue of mind test they derail. SOLUTION: we need to rise up n decide how to move forward n be ready to stick to it. It means we need to talk. Starting from our nation to the continent. If we can stand on issues without sentiments then we can be undivided then our solution is near at hand. But our problem is me n you, who has refused to put sentiments aside n tackle our problems headlong. Mind you nations are matching forward, see Ghana, South Africa, maybe Senegal now n if Nigeria can join, wat do ya think?. GOD bless Nigeria, GOD bless Africa |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Sianoz: 6:35pm On May 08, 2012 |
Everytime i consider d gap b/w africans & europeans even d chinese i always come to the conclusion dat our ancestors were cursed & d curse is stil with us.if i may ask wat held our ancestors from conquering other lands & colonising them as well? Wat made it possible for the west to conquer other lands? Though the british are partly to be blamed but they are not the root cause of our problems. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Nobody: 6:56pm On May 08, 2012 |
@ neuronin Generally speaking, Africans have always been well traveled. Keep in mind our ancestors for the most part were nomadic. Africans were very much part of the Greek, Roman, Persian, Mesopotamian, Assyrian; etc empires despite that fact being voided out of textbooks (an effort to hide our contributions to western civilization and the world at large). Not to mention our ancestors built magnificent empires and kingdoms of their own. But the issue is black people are too trusting of others but hateful to one another! While other people may have tribal or national conflicts, when it comes to outsiders they will form alliances within their race to aid each other in fending off foreign attack (although S. Korea is an exception to that rule!). This is notable when the Celtic and Gaul peoples (western European in origin) and Greeks, all former enemies BTW, banded together against the ancient tribes of the middle east (Phoenicians) who sought to invade and control many parts Europe. Yes many of these groups incorporated African and foreign men into their armies but those men had to abide by the laws of that society. There were boundaries when it came to foreigners. Africans will invite foreigners to help annihilate other Africans just to be victorious. In the Congo for example, when the government hired white South African mercenaries to help fight Congolese rebels, they not only paid them but gave these men the right to do as they please within Congolese borders. This included terrorizing, extorting and abusing their power on the people they claimed to be helping. That is what makes us different. That is what makes us weak. We are a docile people to others but very hard on each other....since the beginning of time. Even those of us in the west who are descendants of slaves took that same mentality with us. This "extreme" tribalistic and "better them than us" mentality. During the 70s and early 80s, Jamaicans killed each other based on political influence just so that their white or biracial candidates could get into office and fulfill their promises of "Americanizing the nation". Lives lost for what? Better cars, clothes, and means to brag. ('Greedy chief' syndrome) Smh. Don't get me started on African American issues. Readers pls. don't get me wrong, I am not "putting Africans/black people down". I am just saying at what point do we realize that our M.O. is failing us and accept that WE ARE THE PROBLEM? |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Nobody: 7:00pm On May 08, 2012 |
obo_man: The first reason I'm gonna give is climate.. Yes differences in climate could be the reason why africa is backward. Is it a coincidence that most of the most developed and innovative countries are temperate regions of the earth?I have never heard anything dumber! So, russia with the most temperate region is the most developed in the world? If you theory holds true, then development (or innovation as it pertains to countries) should rank in terms of how temperate such country is. Apparently, that is not the case |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Nobody: 7:01pm On May 08, 2012 |
sauer: |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by OzReal(m): 7:21pm On May 08, 2012 |
basher: I'm not exactly sure what it is about that quote you disagree with; neither did i state or imply that the whites are naturally more intelligent than black people. In fact, there nothing that vexes me more than hearing that statement. I believe I said that there is something inherently amiss with us, which I simply cannot give a rational explanation. However, let us be very practical here and answer these questions: Why is it that there is no developed nation on the African continent? Why is there no nation on earth where there is a black majority developed? I'll state again that it is my fervent belief that our culture impedes our development. Granted, no one is born with a particular 'culture'; yet this is what we learn in our formative years. I cannot speak for other countries, but no matter how progressive we think we may be, the average Nigerian male or female is still very conservative when it comes to traditional practices. I stated earlier that we have unquestionable respect for elders, which I believe is very admirable for we Nigerians; however, I believe that this is a particular trait that has made the so-called leaders we have take us for granted everyday. Each time we criticize our leaders, we are branded as being disrespectful; thus, suffering in silence. This has made these guys continue unchallenged. While the after-effects of colonialism are still being felt in our country(e.g implementation of IMF and World bank policies), we Nigerians(leaders and citizens alike) are still our biggest problem. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by neuronin: 7:45pm On May 08, 2012 |
MsDarkSkin: @ neuroninYou suggest that particular character traits are our undoing, if that is true then it is our nature, our natural construct as fashioned out by God or random forces of nature, that is responsible for the state of the black man. Right? That has very big implications you know |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by OzReal(m): 7:50pm On May 08, 2012 |
obo_man: The first reason I'm gonna give is climate.. Yes differences in climate could be the reason why africa is backward. Is it a coincidence that most of the most developed and innovative countries are temperate regions of the earth? This must be a joke. Anyway nice try at your rationalization. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Nobody: 8:24pm On May 08, 2012 |
Why is it dumb I posed a question based on statistics..... Why are colder regions of the world much more developed on average? Ms dark skinned, u laughed, u laughing @ what? U picked russia, surely there will be exceptions. This same russia u picked has more nobel prize winners than africa times 2....from the man that wrote the periodic tables you all used in chemistry to the man that made the ak47 yall carry in africa..lol. ( He didn't win a nobel prize doe)... Most of the armouries ya african armies use are all russian made.. Can someone who is rational tell me why colder regions on average ( check list of oecd countries) are much more developed? Don't call me stupid when you picked russia , just 1 country to counter my point.. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Nobody: 8:37pm On May 08, 2012 |
neuronin: Now you blame God? <sigh> I can see none of what has been said on this thread penetrates the heads of those who have apparently set themselves apart for failure. A person who says God, genetics, and other things beyond their control is the reason for their failure is a person who has already decided that he will do all that is in his power to fail! |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by neuronin: 8:47pm On May 08, 2012 |
2buff: I made reference to what a person wrote and used simple logic to point out what her statement suggests. Except you believe all the contributors on this thread "have apparently set themselves apart for failure" |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Nobody: 8:54pm On May 08, 2012 |
OzReal: Why is it a joke? Argue otherwise and make me look stupid... Pls.. Don't just call it a joke... Are u an expert on tropical diseases? Don't u think innovation thrives on serenity and tranquillity? If we are innovative and as inventive as our other counterparts, would we still be termed ' backward' ? MsDarkSkin: Why is it funny? sauer: sauer: Russia is obviously better than africa has until recently was a super power (ussr)...russia is part of the G8. Your clever periodic table was designed by a russian. Type russian inventions on google.. I'm looking beyond colonisation and slavery.. I'm looking deep into the era man left africa and called other continents home. My analogy is simple and plain...' If we are a product of our culture, then climate has something to do with it'.. 'If our cultures as africans made us backward, then climate has something to do with it.' I then argued that tropical climate do indeed promote much more social activities than temperate regions do, and because of that, it might make us dedicate less time on solitary activities( which is the source of innovation and invention). |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Nobody: 8:56pm On May 08, 2012 |
neuronin: From what I have read thus far, some of them have, yes. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Skii(m): 9:01pm On May 08, 2012 |
Efiko: ...the must authentic, valid & foundamental theory is Genesis 9:20–27 where Noah cursed his younger son (Ham). This is the fundamental reason. Sadly, it might remain like this for most of unbelieving Africa till Christ comes. But once she does, she will no longer belong to the old covenant and its curses but becomes entitled to the heritage and blessings of Abraham |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Beaf: 9:21pm On May 08, 2012 |
2buff: Simples. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by gomentii(m): 10:41pm On May 08, 2012 |
Efiko: ...the must authentic, valid & foundamental theory is Genesis 9:20–27 where Noah cursed his younger son (Ham). |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Nobody: 10:54pm On May 08, 2012 |
Okay now, the technology is there, implement it, you folks are finding it very hard.Give up your corrupt minds and extreme love for money and other things will be added. How many of you can go into the jungle to do research? How many of you can sacrifice your life for an invention? A lot of these inventors weren't rich. But they had passion for something, to selflessly improve mankind. But the average black man is so fixated on the things of this world that he never created or invented to begin with. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by afinic001(m): 11:08pm On May 08, 2012 |
Apart from slavery and colonialism, we Africans also share a portion of the blame. Africans are too greedy and selfish! This is evident in our leadership(by overstaying in power and embezzlement of developmental funds). The citizens also share a portion of the blame (by killing themselves over natural resources). Natural resources e.g. Oil,copper,diamond,gold etc were deposited in Africa by God for our development and advancement. Its a shame that we could not find an acceptable and a fair resource control formula(e) for all these resources in our different countries to be shared fairly. Hence, its no coincidence that wars and unrests are rife in majority of the African countries leading to a lack of peace. We all know that there can never be any serious development and advancement where peace is lacking. Also, The contributions of western powers can not be ruled out cos dey remote-controlled and teleguide some of our policies. This would not have been possible but for the selfishness and greed that I have mentioned earlier. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by nnabuike1(m): 11:14pm On May 08, 2012 |
Beaf: The African is the Africans worst problem. Africans do not have a lower IQ. In fact, the unusually harsh african environment probably biases africans to a higher IQ. I have my reasons for believing so. I believe that the reason that Africans appear "backwards" is because of the harsh african environment. Europeans benefitted from very long, old cultural heritage(most of their knowledge/inventions are actually not european in origin). This is a result of more lenient european environment which thus enabled free flow of information/ideas. The other reason why europe is the way it is (western europe mostly) is the bubonic plague. One will almost never see this as cited as a reason for the advancement of western europe but most historians agree that this is the main reason why western europe look different from eastern europe. In fact, before the 1200's, 1300's europe did not look much different from africa. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by putro(m): 11:24pm On May 08, 2012 |
PROUD-IGBO:One thing you fail to understand is we are so much similar in our character and behavior but our thinking and reasoning is so far apart. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Omarbah: 1:24am On May 09, 2012 |
I personally think that Africa needs justice. Africans needs a good judicial system to make sure that those in grief won't see their oppressors get away with whatever they do. We need to solve our internal problems. One good example is Nigeria. Igbos tend to hold a grudge against this country and they are angry at what happened during the civil war. With the lack of justice, people stop feeling loyal to their homeland. We also need to work toward economic development and achieve great things. It is the only way that the future generations won't feel inferior to others. We need to heal our past through education and teach the truth about slavery and colonization so that the same mistakes won't happen again. I don't think we are supposed to apologize to anyone. Black people in the diaspora are NOT Africans, they don't feel like they are anyway. I don't feel guilty about slavery at all. It wasn't done by all ethnic groups on the continent. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Beaf: 2:09am On May 09, 2012 |
OzReal: It is strictly an African problem, bro. Its got nothing to do with being black, you will find that there are indeed developed countries peopled and led by blacks of African descent (the slaves sold by our ancestors). Until we get to face the facts of our poor history, our societies will continue to go round in circles of confusion and bewilderment, brought on by our escapism. The parts we played in selling ourselves both to the colonial master and slave dealer needs to be faced squarely, because wether we admit it or not, the poverty of the many due to the corruption of the few is the same trade going on in a different guise, we just love to give it big names like "ethnic bigotry" and "corruption." Barbados is developed (90% African descent). Prime Ministers pic: Bahamas (85% African) - 3rd richest country in the Western hemisphere by GDP (after the US and Canada). Prime Ministers pic: |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Beaf: 2:17am On May 09, 2012 |
^ Those two guys above look like they could be Yoruba (top) and Igbo (bottom). We need to look for our problems within ourselves. |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by Nobody: 2:19am On May 09, 2012 |
^^^ What are you doing to change the trend?? Are you not part of the system? |
Re: Theories To Explain The Backward State Of Africa by cold(m): 2:24am On May 09, 2012 |
There is no way we can address the underdevelopment of Africa without discussing the over-indulgence of Africans in religious deities.In fact,as far i'm concerned religion is a major hindrance to the develpment of African societies.Corruption & rudderless leadership all stem from the notoriously religious nature of the typical African nay the black man.Here is an excerpt from an article that puts it succinctly: Mythologies hypnotize people, particularly early in childhood. They manipulate societies as much as societies manipulate them. In Africa, mythological Gods - not scientific knowledge - pervade African mindsets. These gods have the power of invading all areas of human life (To a man with an empty stomach, food is God -Mahatma Gandhi). This is exemplified by the following examples taken from the local press. A group of Imams in northern Nigeria obstinately defends the idea that God commands all African men to grow beards in a certain shape and a certain length. A young Mauritanian girl agrees with Core mutilation, veiling and forced marriage ‘because god wants me to’. A preacher in Sudan explains the particular way god wants wives to be beaten by their husbands. Still more telling is perhaps what is not making news. Indeed, the African Christian mindscape, for example is full of truly amazing weird winged anthropomorphic figures or humanoids such as phantoms, ghosts, spirits, angels, archangels, guardian angels and devils. It is full of myths, such as divine conceptions, immortality (pharaohs), after-lives, guiding stars, annunciations, miracles and salvation – mythologies that predate Christianity. These mythologies are kept alive with extensive rituals and celebrations. Mythological indigenous knowledge, on the other hand, is filled with deities, spirits, superstitions, fallacies, fictions, specters, phantasmagorias, chimeras, misconceptions, confabulations, palavers, fantasies, and ancient cults, rituals and taboos. In many African languages the word ‘god’, particularly in Islamic and Christian Africa, is continuously repeated throughout the day in salutations, enquiries, thanking, etc. Mythologies and superstitions are by no means limited to Africa and to developing countries but African mythologies, whether imported or home grown, are not helpful for bringing about a scientific culture and is – under certain conditions - quite useless, if not counterproductive, to achieve sustainable development. It is useless, for instance, for competing with China in low-tech industrial goods, the main industrial competitor of Africa. There is an urgent need for de-deifying African knowledge. |
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