This one is in English. I’m in a bit of a hurry, to be honest, and I wanted to write without having to change keyboards.
Text:
Harvest of Empire by Juan Gonzalez, 3rd ed.
Ch.1
Context:
On Conquerors and Victims (1500-18000)
Topics that surfaced in the reading and my notes:
Latin Americans and Americans doomed to conflict based off a history in European conquest.
This first topic felt like a gut-punch during these times. I was born here escaping danger caused by circumstances over monetary and territorial issues that were beyond my control. I find that I am actually in a major group of the population despite being labeled “minority”. And yet, representation in the corporate places of language interest I aimed for were, in fact ,off-limits to me, where it is commonly recognized that token minorities hold the positions. This was in my 20s. I became a target in my 30s for the traction in-career I gained due to a complete stranger gaining the trust of my employer and conveniently sowing doubt in my rookie year at a new post. Rumor after a history of rumors is a powerful thing I grossly underestimated. I wasn’t sure I’d ever leave that as a public share but it is factual and it helps my health to say so instead of validating a private wildfire I could only helplessly patch up here and there.
I don’t subscribe to the passive: “the unseen wants you here or there”. I suppose given enough jaded complacency anyone makes the sane choice to leave but it is tragic to grow in a place, share its ideals, invest energy freely in it only to be dragged into a culture of haphazard dismissal.
This claim that we are doomed to this fate sounds more like mindlessness or convenient nationalism.
I also noted, at the end of the read, that it wasn’t brought into much definition. The end note of the chapter references finding identity instead of being doomed to conflict. I prefer this.
There’s been a lot of tall talk, perhaps I should say real threat, around the issue of conquest in recent history. It is unsettling.
I hope that sovereign countries are able to gain their proper footing again. A lot of work has gone into creating something positive for posterity despite messy and tragic parts of history.
My own country, the United States, has a lot of work ahead in truly holding its own as a fair and sustainable place to live. I’ve seen many good days here despite some deeply upsetting news as things have changed.
Other topics of the text included:
The flourishing, overtaking and disappearing of civilizations.
Mestizos, slavery and relationships
The managing of colonial funds
Racial and territorial disputes
Interracial marriage or affairs and neglect
U.S. Pre-revolution social composition and economic choices
The formation of identity as American and Latin American with an inclusion of Native American and former African slave identity.
Questions that remained in society on spirituality and authority and identity.
I skipped over many details. The author takes quite a comprehensive look at this time period.
Unfortunately, I just realized that what I had access to was a sample and not the whole text.
I really enjoyed this read. It took on a lot in some parts but remained a fair read.
It brought to light for me that these issues are not entirely settled. I realized that generations revisit them to learn and debate them for the first time and, in the best case scenario, new peace is found.
Honey Aware of the Vinegar 
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