LET’s Know Ourselves How Can we be Civilized? [Archives:2001/32/Culture]

Ali Kaheli 
In the last issue we found out that we were not civilized enough because of our violation of the law and our limited social ties. This issue tries to grasp the real meaning of civilization and the ways by which we can be civilized. 
Civilization is a city that is based on humanity-identity and whose members satisfyingly believe in its principles and willingly subjected to the same rules. These principles are the goals of the community, so these goals must be equally beneficial to all the members of the society. The rules are the steps and ways that will enable the community to reach its goals. This skeleton is also the same skeleton of a tribe, government, movement, family and even an individual. 
Yet these goals and rules are the skeleton of the city, but they are insufficient to build an lively city with a soul and a heart. The heart of civilization is satisfaction, which is the feeling that public interest is more important than individual interests. All the individuals are satisfied with giving up their individual interests that oppose the public interests. For example, they follow the democratic ways regardless of their own personal interests. They never smuggle, bribe, steal, or even misbehave. Thus we find civilized, kind, thoughtful members subjected to one set of principles and rules. 
In the absence of this feeling of satisfaction we find a tribe where its members seize every chance to fulfill their personal interests at the expense of public interest and principles. So the set of rules and principles are violated by different individuals within a tribe, family, or city controlled by individual interests these fragile principles produce uncivilized, rude, selfish members. 
The soul of the civilization according to the definition is the tie that connects the civilized members. The only thing we, as human beings, have in common is humanity-identity. This identity enables any person to get the nationality of this city on condition that he satisfyingly believes and practices the principles of the city. This relationship secures the members their rights: freedom and equity, etc. and rids it of the inhumane features: injustice and discrimination etc. The soul of civilization makes all the members equal because all of them are human beings. As these members are equally subjected to the principles n which they satisfyingly believe’ they certainly feel free. Then equity and freedom draw the attention of the members to work for the good of the community. Moreover this relationship also makes the community continue increasing and look at the whole world as one nation. The civilized community is a universal community that gives a resort to every human being. It has no discrimination against any person. Thus civilization is the right of all human beings. 
In the absence of this identity the members in the society are not of one rank but there are different ranks and classes. People here are classified by reasons of birth, rank, or invested power. The governing class enjoys all the advantages while the governed, suppressed class gradually loses basic rights. Discrimination, injustice… etc. appear and lead to the feeling of satisfaction. This feeling of satisfaction creates conflicts and instability. 
Are we civilized? We are civilized when we have the same connective and organized principles. These principles must be the culture pattern we move in, the incentives we are propelled; the dreams we are moved by; the sense of society that cements us. Thus our society is class free. Each person doesn’t bare his head or bend his knee to another by reasons of birth, rank, race or invested power. None is to have a better or worse start than another. Reaching the class free society, we are absolutely civilized. 

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