Tibet essays

Tibet essays As Freud said man is wolf to man, meaning that man is always trying to gain power over the weak. World conflicts around the world confirm Freuds philosophies. Men are not gentle creatures who want to be loved, and who at the most can defend themselves if they are attacked; they are, on the contrary, creatures among whose instinctual endowments is to be reckoned a powerful share of aggressiveness. As a consequence of this hostility between human beings, disintegration, mob violence, and conflict between nations threaten society and the world as a whole. This negative and pessimistic view of human nature had its beginnings in the outbreak of World War I, and increased with the sophisticated military technology and mass destruction brought by World War II. The two wars and the following conflicts validated Freuds concepts and prompted an era of reactions; the sad part is that we are still witnessing conflicts between nations, conflicts motivated by the exaggerated need of power that is part of human beings. The conflict between China and Tibet is a good example of a conflict that had its origins in the desire for power and control. Before describing the conflict in detail it is necessary to know the geographical location of China and Tibet and a summary of their history. Tibet lies at the center of Asia, with an area of 2.5 million square kilometers. The earth's highest mountains, a vast arid plateau and great river valleys make up the physical homeland of 6 million Tibetans. The Plateau of Tibet comprises nearly the entire southeastern portion of China. (Goldstein, 19) According to many Tibetans the territory itself promotes a feeling of peace, meditation, and spirituality. The plateau is also the source of five of Asias greatest rivers, making it vital to the environment (Ferroa, 3). China, also known as the Middle Kingdom, sits in East Asia and covers an area of 3.7 million square miles....