Readers: this blog is set in the future (sometime after the year 2020).  Each entry assumes there has been a 5th revolution in the US — the Revenge Revolution.  More about the Revenge Revolution and author, Entry #1.  List and general description of entries to date.

Note: most entries are formatted as conversations.  Characters appear in a number of entries, with many entries building on previous conversations.  Profile of characters (see link at top of page).  You’ll catch on quickly.  Thanks for your time and interest…and comments.

Scene: Jordan’s office, Washington, DC.  Conversation starts Entry #265.

(Phone rings.  Jordan answers)

Jordan:  “Jordan Abel.  May I help you?”

Caller:  “Jordan, this is Wolf Man.  You left a voice mail and I’m available to chat if you have time.”

Jordan:  “I’ve got time.  Gelly is in the office.  And I think you met Greenie some time along the way.”

Wolf Man:  “Met Gelly.  Chatted with Greenie but never met her.”

Jordan:  “As I mentioned in the voice mail, Greenie’s writing some articles about possible causes of the Revenge Revolution.  She’s exploring the effect of long-term culture on current behavior.  We’d like to talk about how changes in culture over time might have affected Native Americas.  Ok if they sit in on the call?”

Wolf Man:  “Of course.”

Jordan:  “Wolf Man you’re on the speaker.”

Wolf Man:  “Hi Gelly and Greenie.”

Gelly and Greenie (in unison):  “Hello Wolf Man.”

Jordan:  “Wolf Man, how are you and where are you?”

Wolf Man:  “On my way to see another client.  Give me some more details about what you want to discuss?”

Greenie:  “One of the first steps is trying to understand how much of a particular culture has melted into the US melting pot…and also understand how much should not have melted.  We’d like your perspective on how much culture of Native Americans has melted into the US melting pot.”

Wolf Man:  “The short answer is virtually all of the culture of Native Americans has melted.  How much of the culture should have melted?  Not much.”

Jordan:  “Why do you say virtually all melted?  I mean Native Americas still have lots of land and seems as if lots of freedom to do want they want, right?”

Wolf Man:  “If I didn’t know you so well, I’d think you were a dumb-ass white man.  Pardon me guys but that type comment is so typical.  But, I know you guys are sincere and I’ll tell you more.”

Greenie:  “We’ll try to be more understanding.  Tell us more, please, Wolf Man.”

Wolf Man:  “The best way I can describe the difference in cultures between Native Americas and the white man is to compare how each looks at land.”

Greenie:  “What’s the difference in perspective?”

Wolf Man:  “Indian culture, and I think this applies to every tribe, is built around being ‘of the land.’  The land itself is an integral part of the culture…as are all the parts of the land —  animals, water, vegetation.  Native Americans are part of the land ecosysten and not separate from that ecosystem.”

Gelly:  “And what different about the white man’s perspective?”

Wolf Man:  “The white man wants to separate himself from the land.  He wants to own the land.  As an owner, the white man believes that everything on the land and all rights to whatever is on the land go with ownership.”

Greenie:  “Interesting and insightful comparison.  One culture seems very ‘group focused’ and the other culture seems very ‘self focused’.  Never really thought about it that way.  What has that difference in perspective meant for Indians?”

Wolf Man:  “Simple. The white man took the best land from the natives and then created reservations for natives on crappy land.  The reservations had few resources, lots of bad water and created an environment of marginal subsistence.”

Jordan:  “C’mon.  Aren’t you exaggerating?  Is it really that bad?”

Wolf Man:  “Actually, life on the reservation is a lot worse than you think.  Because natives can no longer be ‘of the land’ and survive, the tribes have become dependent on the Federal government handouts to survive.”

Jordan:  “So we, societal we, basically turned the tribes from being self-sustaining to being a welfare state, save a few tribes with highly profitable casinos.  That analysis seems like such an exaggeration.”

Wolf Man:  “It is not.  In fact, it’s an understatement.  I don’t of a tribe whose culture has not been decimated…and especially the ones with casinos.”

Greenie:  “Wasn’t a change in the culture inevitable?  As more and more people settled in the US, some dislocation was inevitable.”

Wolf Man:  “Look, I understand to the victors go the spoils.  But, in my view, the white man went overboard in screwing the natives.  In my most cynical moments, I sometimes think the tribes would have better off being wiped out than subject to current conditions.”

Jordan:  “That’s a bold statement.  Is there any way to turn this around?  Might be a long process but surely something can be done.”

Greenie:  “Wolf Man, from what Jordan’s told me, you’ve been very successful.  What’s your secret?”

Wolf Man:  “My secret?  A key part of my success – I wasn’t raised on the reservation.”

Gelly:  “What’s so different about not being raised off the reservation?  You had the same parents on or off?  What’s the difference?”

Wolf Man:  “No crab barrels off the reservation.”

Jordan:  “Crab barrels?  What are you talking about?”

Wolf Man:  “Imagine there’s a barrel with a bunch of crabs.  Every time one of the crabs tries to crawl out of the barrel and escape, the other crabs pull him back in the barrel.”

Greenie:  “Are you saying when someone on the reservation starts to be successful, other tribal members hinder that effort?  That seems so counter productive.”

Wolf Man:  “Yep, you got it.  The person gets pulled back in…or at least the others try to pull him back in”

Jordan:  “I’m shaking my head.  Wow, what a problem.  Is there anything that can be done to change this attitude?”

Wolf Man:  “Good question.  Let me get back.  Just arrived at my clients.”

Greenie:  “The crab barrel is so opposite of how we were raised.  Everyone pushed to improve their lot and your lot in life.  I just have a hard time understanding the crab-barrel mentality.”

Gelly:  “I can’t understand it either.  The inability to understand a polar-opposite perspective…not necessarily the lack of desire to understand the other perspective but the inability to understand…might be a bigger contributor to the Revenge Revolution than we thought.”

Greenie:  “Point well taken, Gelly.  I need a break.”

(Continued)