Karenina Unity Principle

The Anna Karenina Unity Principle

By John Taylor; 2006 April 20

I am slowly reading (too slowly, actually, I realize that I need new
reading glasses -- as Barbara, our community's Oldest Member often
advises me, "Do not get old.") Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs and
Steel," which Bill Gates recommended as the most important book
written in the last fifty years. It seems that this book in part
inspired and guided him in his prodigious acts of charity. How
prodigious, you ask? Consider, his Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation
gives away more funding for international health care than the entire
World Health Organization. When I read that I felt shame on behalf of
the governments of the world, for by rights what they give should
dwarf what any individual, no matter how rich, could ever contribute.

As a Baha'i, I find myself agreeing heartily with Gates' assessment of
the importance of this book, for it demonstrates how totally
scientific knowledge backs up the central message of the Master, even
His opinions about the importance of the Holy Land. This area contains
the Fertile Crescent, where we got our most productive crops and
domestic beasts some 10,000 years ago. Without that, there could not
be large numbers of people. If that does not put the holy in Holy
Land, what does? Consider the following statement of the Master, from
one of His most important Tablet:

"All countries, in the estimation of the one true God, are but one
country, and all cities and villages are on an equal footing. Neither
holds distinction over another. All of them are the fields of God and
the habitation of the souls of men. Through faith and certitude, and
the precedence achieved by one over another, however, the dweller
conferreth honor upon the dwelling, some of the countries achieve
distinction, and attain a preeminent position. For instance,
notwithstanding that some of the countries of Europe and of America
are distinguished by, and surpass other countries in, the salubrity of
their climate, the wholesomeness of their water, and the charm of
their mountains, plains and prairies, yet Palestine became the glory
of all nations inasmuch as all the holy and divine Manifestations,
from the time of Abraham until the appearance of the Seal of the
Prophets (Muhammad), have lived in, or migrated to, or traveled
through, that country. Likewise, Mecca and Medina have achieved
illimitable glory, as the light of Prophethood shone forth therein.
For this reason Palestine and Hijaz have been distinguished from all
other countries." (Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan, 61-62)

The central thesis of "Guns, Germs and Steel" is that there is only
one race of human beings, that the only applicable distinguishing
factor between peoples is the climate and geography of the area in
which they live. Reading in detail about how true this is everywhere,
I see certain "dark" sayings of the Master in a different light.

For example, the following from His blueprint for development, Secret
of Divine Civilization... This has been taken by some to imply that
the inhabitants of His native people are genetically superior to other
peoples. Reading it now I see that by "endowments conferred by birth"
He is talking exclusively about the landscape and resources of Persia,
and that nothing else is implied; to imagine otherwise is to overturn
the central pillar of Baha'i faith, oneness of humanity, not to
mention all findings of science over the past century.

"It should not be imagined that the people of Persia are inherently
deficient in intelligence, or that for essential perceptiveness and
understanding, inborn sagacity, intuition and wisdom, or innate
capacity, they are inferior to others. God forbid! On the contrary,
they have always excelled all other peoples in endowments conferred by
birth. Persia herself, moreover, from the standpoint of her temperate
climate and natural beauties, her geographical advantages and her rich
soil, is blessed to a supreme degree. What she urgently requires,
however, is deep reflection, resolute action, training, inspiration
and encouragement. Her people must make a massive effort, and their
pride must be aroused." (Abdu'l-Baha, Secret of Divine Civilization,
9-10)

The last two sentences here should inspire a world-wide oneness of
humanity publicity campaign. All the ingredients for a conclusive case
are in Secret and the findings reported in Guns, Germs and Steel.
People everywhere, not only in Persia, will remain overawed, helpless
and demoralized by the great Bugaboo, The West, until they make an
effort at change and follow this recipe. They must out develop the
developed lands, for they are taking us all on a rollercoaster ride to
hell. The peoples of the world will never stand tall and make a
"massive effort" until their leaders of thought inspire them in ways
that "arouse their pride." Pride in membership in the human family,
yes, all well and good, but especially pride as a member of the region
in which we live. We have to see that it was a great accomplishment
just inhabiting the more difficult regions, and be proud of it. All
clear thinkers who understand the broad picture see that these peoples
are not poor, deprived and afflicted because they are inferior, so
there is no point in blaming themselves or anybody else. We just have
to see it and act it ourselves.

We can do it, but only if we follow these steps: reflection, action,
training, inspiration, in a constant feedback loop. If we are
conscious that we we are one, that only our environment varies, we can
act on that. But no matter what, we must go through each step one
after the other, and not miss any. Each is an essential for success.
It is just like happiness; happiness is not one big pipe dream
fulfilled but it is the combined result of several factors, each
essential. Jared Diamond calls this the Anna Karenina principle. Let
him explain in his own words from the chapter in Guns, Germs and Steel
explaining why some animals can be used by humans and others cannot.

"Domesticable animals are all alike: every undomesticable animal is
undomesticable in its own way. If you think you have already read
something like that before, you are right. Just make a few changes,
and you have the first sentence of Tolstoy's great novel Anna
Karenina: `Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is
unhappy in its own way.' By that sentence, Tolstoy meant that, in
order to be happy, a marriage must succeed in many different respects:
sexual attraction, agreement about money, child discipline, religion,
in-laws, and other vital issues. Failure in any one of those essential
respects can doom a marriage even if it has all the other ingredients
needed for happiness." (Guns, Germs and Steel, 157)

The thesis of "Secret of Divine Civilization," in these terms, is that
the developed and advanced members of the human family have succeeded
not because they are superior to peoples in undeveloped areas, but
simply because they periodically, systematically, one way or another
go through the unavoidable steps: reflection, action, training,
encouragement, plus a few others explicated in "Secret of Divine
Civilization." They do not miss any. So as Diamond might paraphrase
Tolstoy, "Unified folk in the broader family of humanity are all
alike; disunified peoples are disunified each in their own way."

--
John Taylor

badijet@gmail.com