They Huey P. Newton Reader

the mind is flesh 1321
ductive cycles, particularly in the last twenty, and especially in t:last
three, makes the only emotional posture appropriate to a human being
onc of considered confidence. Another way to grasp the dimension of
man's achievement is to imagine its two million years compressed into
a single lifetime, of, say, fifty years.
After shivering through darkness into middle-aged adulthood, at
the age of thirty-seven, men fully tamed fire.
Only after forty-nine and three-quarters years of wandering as
hunters did they settle down to till the ground, harvest crops, domesticate
animals, weave rough cloth.
Six weeks ago some men invented writing. Three weeks ago the
Greek carried literature, art, and philosophy to a pinnacle that set standards
for the succeeding weeks. They also devised political democracy
for the minority who were free citizens. And Hippocrates laid the foundation
for the ethical practice of clinical medicine.
Eighteen days ago Jesus was born and died, and the people of what
is now Vietnam began their continuing struggle against invaders. Five
days ago the printing press was invented, and Vesalius did his pioneering
human dissections. A day and a half later Shakespeare sent
his winged words across linguistic and temporal boundaries, and Harvey
discovered the circulation of the blood. Thirty-six hours ago Jenner
introduced vaccination for smallpox, and the United States
became an independent nation dedicated to the extension of democracy,
whose people were expected to understand and express their
judgment about all matters affecting their mutual future. On the same
day the steam engine was invented, Pinel unchained the mental
patients, and for the most part men stopped eviscerating in public
those who had new ideas of government, or hanging old women
accused of traffic with the Devil.
Late yesterday afternoon steamships and railroad trains began hastening
about the globe, and Lister introduced antisepsis. This morning
Freud launched his daring expedition to the lost inner continent
of the unconscious, and the magic of electricity was tamed. At noon
today men learned to sail beneath the waves and through the air.
Also around lunchtime a great war was fought to make the world
safe for democracy. Six hours ago Fleming discovered penicillin, and
another great war was fought, this one to save democracy for the world.