BI 218X Final Reflective Essay

Final Reflective Essay

Max Liebl

In my time taking this class, I have developed a new sense of gender and human sexuality. The world is an open book, not written in black and white although in terms of defining gender it may seem that way. As a straight male, I’ve often wondered about the differences in sexuality and what sets people apart in terms of how they define themselves. Whether it be through culture or by choice, people identify themselves as who they are on the inside. I’ve also discovered more about the role gender plays in cultures throughout the world and some of the taboo’s that go along with being of a certain gender. By examining cultures where it is even tradition to be something other than what you are assigned at birth, I’ve gained a better understanding of the world and the struggles that people face here in the United States and abroad because of discrimination or gender norms. As a future officer in the United States Army, it is important to have a good understanding of the world and what I will take away from this class is just that. I now have a broader understanding of the way gender is influenced by culture and how the human population is so diverse in so many ways.

            Around the world, gender is seen in many different lights. In fact, in some nations it is part of the culture of a given region or population. Gender norms that we are used to here in America vary greatly where some nations still hold onto traditional values while others are the complete opposite. One thing I’ve noticed is women’s rights around the world and how each culture is different when it comes to the role of women. In some cultures, such as the Igbo of Nigeria and the Masuo of China, women have very diverse roles and their societies are matrilineal which refers to the female line being a family’s lineage. Women in these traditional societies can own land and participate in commerce and trade which gives women a large amount of freedom as opposed to other societies in those regions. In places such as Afghanistan, women have very few rights and is primarily a patrilineal society. For this reason, families without sons must assign a daughter to assume the role of a male to carry out simple day-to-day tasks such as going to the market. This third gender is known as the Bacha Posh and third genders such as the Bacha Posh are not uncommon. In Samoan culture, the Fa’afafine is the third gender mostly seen throughout the population of Samoan families. In Artifact 2, I researched the Fa’afafine and discovered the following, “Some males are assigned to be Fa’afafine due to the lack of a female presence in the household whether it is desired by the boy or not. It is often acceptable within the culture and amongst families.” Discrimination plays a large factor in the lives of third gender people because often times this was assigned at birth without the child having a chance to figure out who they really are. “While acceptable, this does not mitigate discrimination and Fa’afafine males who don’t identify themselves as Fa’afafine face ridicule and seek to prove that they are either male or female” (Artifact 2), one Samoan man in particular experienced just that. Leo Tanoi, an ex-rugby player who is the subject of a video by The Feed, was assigned to be Fa’afafine at birth despite his desire to be a straight male. By playing male dominated sports such as rugby and eventually playing pro, he was able to overcome some of the embarrassment that he experienced as a child growing up. It is examples like these that have opened my eyes to the world we live in and how gender plays an important role in the daily lives of people in every corner of the globe.

            This class has also opened my eyes to the issue of global health in regards to gender. In the units where circumcision and menstruation were covered, I discovered that common practices such as hygiene have much lower standards in other countries especially in Africa and the Middle East. Many of these issues with hygiene stem from traditional cultures where modern medicine is scarce and often times trained healthcare professionals are not on hand to conduct surgeries and such. Circumcision, or the lack thereof, is a major issue for men in Africa as being uncircumcised has been found to make a male more susceptible to infections such as HIV. Therefore, men in Africa are encouraged to get circumcised by the hands of trained doctors in major cities where it is safely conducted. However, circumcision in some traditional African cultures signifies the beginning of manhood in a young boy. Circumcision is often done in a traditional ceremony without the use of sterile equipment or even a trained surgeon making risk of infection even more likely. Often times following the ceremony, the boys are forced to stay out for weeks at a time by themselves while they heal and have very little access to food and water (Artifact 4). In females, circumcision (genital mutilation) is also a common practice since it is said to be the transition of a girl into a woman and yet again this ceremony is conducted without proper medical equipment or training. Female circumcision also serves no purpose making it all the more dangerous to a woman’s health. Dangerous traditions such as these are unsafe and with proper education, death or serious infection or injury can be avoided. Education on menstruation for men in traditional societies where a woman on her period is said to be “dirty and dangerous” and capable of bringing bad luck to farms and crops is also necessary. Communities in the Middle East such as in Nepal, send women on their period to live outside in a mud hut where as many as 15-20 women could potentially be in there at one time (Artifact 5). This can lead to horrid diseases and less than favorable living conditions. Access to hygiene products is also very limited making the living conditions even worse for women in those communities. Small, seemingly insignificant facets of our daily lives in the United States are not taken for granted in other parts of the world. Health and hygiene contribute to the continuously widening global health gap and it is imperative for communities in remote parts of the world to be able to receive the medical care and access to basic necessities that we all deserve.

            This class has widened my view of the world by showing how important gender and sexuality is to the world and how large of a role it plays. I now have a better understanding of how we see ourselves as humans and that the world is not written in black and white and that the small things that we take for granted are in dire need of in other parts of the world. I’ve learned more about sexual health that I will be able to take with me into the future as well. Overall, by broadening my view of the world and having the chance to study the way gender plays a role in societies around the world, I feel better prepared to enter my career as an Army Officer with a new understanding of the world and our role in it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Help Recieved

Artifacts written by Max Liebl for BI 218X

Class activities and discussions

Canvas Resources

 

Artifact 5: Mensturation

Artifact 5: Menstruation

Throughout the world, a young girls’ coming of age is often marked by various natural life experiences. One of these common occurrences is menstruation, the process of a female shedding her uterine lining when the egg that has been produced has not been fertilized. In most countries, this process is just part of everyday life, however in some remote parts of the world it is considered unclean and filthy. Because of this lack of knowledge of bodily systems, the living conditions for women in communities where they are shamed for menstruation are significantly more primitive and dirty than imaginable. The lack of hygiene supplies has led to women becoming more prone to diseases in countries such as Nepal and in Africa where this is common. A woman being on her period comes with an unthinkable stigma compared to what’s acceptable in American society. Proper education and the availability of supplies can create a more sound environment for women and lift the cultural taboo that comes with menstruation.

When a girl hits puberty, one of the first things to occur is for her to get her period. What may seem common to us in the United States, carries with it a significant taboo in third world countries in the Middle East and Africa. The lack of proper education and supplies have created an environment for women that is disgusting by all standards. In Nepal, when a women is on her period, she is sent to live outside of the household in a mud hut where she will live until her period is over. The men in villages where this occurs believe that a woman on her period will bring misfortune to crops he may be harvesting and is not a good thing to have around simply because they think it is gross. Women who live in these condition also have to deal with lack of proper supplies or even clean underwear. This makes women more susceptible to diseases not only because of the cleanliness issue but also because all women have to be in the hut when on their period. Meaning if multiple women are on their period together, they will all be in there together sometimes up to 20 at a time. It’s imperative for men in these villages to realize that the health of their daughters and wives, etc. is at risk because of this “tradition” and accessibility to proper hygiene supplies is a necessity to mitigate health concerns.

Help Received: Class discussions, videos on Canvas

Artifact 4: Circumcision

Artifact 4: Circumcision

Max Liebl

 

                Circumcision is a necessary and sanitary practice for males commonly done at birth in more developed countries. However, for females in under-developed, third world countries, circumcision is a dangerous tradition that is completely unnecessary and could be catastrophic if not treated. For males in the United States, circumcision is primarily done immediately following birth while even still in the hospital. Circumcision is necessary for disease mitigation and cleanliness and accounts for fewer cases of HIV in males who are circumcised. In third world countries, however, circumcision is either not done or used as a tradition or “rite of passage” for young boys entering into manhood. The ritualistic circumcision performed in African nations for boys is often considered unsafe and usually done by an untrained surgeon. For females, the ritual is often the same kind of setting. Circumcision is a natural part of life for males, but for developing nations who use circumcision and female genital mutilation as a ritual for adulthood, it is unsanitary and dangerous which could backfire by doing the exact opposite it’s intended for.

                In developing nations, circumcision is a ritual performed to celebrate a young boy becoming a man. In an example showed in class, a boy undergoes a circumcision in an unsterilized environment by an untrained surgeon and is left with no food or water to survive until it is healed. The result of this process can potentially be life-threatening if not careful. For males in a modern society, circumcision is usually performed immediately following birth since it promotes health by mitigating risk of diseases such as HIV. Female circumcision, however, known as female genital mutilation, can be deadly and is completely unnecessary since circumcision has no health benefits. In fact, in countries where it is performed as a ritual, many girls end up contracting diseases from unsanitary conditions, excessive bleeding and in some cases, death. Female genital mutilation occurs in a private ceremony with only other adult female members of the village and is symbolic of a girl entering womanhood. Many African countries, are now starting to recognize the health risks this has, but also has recognized the benefit for males. It is encouraged through ads and walk-in clinics throughout African nations for men to get circumcised because of the high rates of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS that can occur for uncircumcised males. This can contribute to healthier African communities and help lower the risk of disease.

                Male circumcision is commonplace for most nations and a large percentage of males are circumcised because of the health benefits as well as religious and cultural factors. While risk cannot always be ruled out, it is certainly better to be circumcised if you are a male. However, for females and males where circumcision is part of a ritual for becoming an adult, it can potentially be life-threatening. Proper medical training and a sterile environment are necessary for this procedure and should not ever be attempted on females. Overall, circumcision has the potential for danger and extreme caution must be taken for safety and for the intended purpose of better personal health.

 

Help Received: Class Resources, videos on Canvas

Gender Health Gap

Gender Health Gap

Max Liebl

 

                The gender health gap between men and women is getting increasingly wider. It is commonly known that men have a lower life expectancy than women, but for what reason? The life expectancy for men is only getting shorter as time goes on and it is mainly due to men choosing to not be as accepting of healthcare. There is a tacit code amongst men to always be the tough guy or as the saying goes, “Man up”, however this is one of the main causes for the increasing gender health gap. Men can mitigate this by starting to take better care of themselves and going to get medical care when needed. There is no second chance in life and it is imperative that all humans take better care of themselves because at the end of the day, no one else will.

                Women have historically always been known to be the “caregivers” when it comes to healthcare. They are more likely to schedule appointments for their male counterparts as well as seek medical care when necessary. Men and boys from a young age are told to always be the tough guy and show no sign of weakness even if that means going to a doctor when something is seriously wrong. The culture of masculinity especially in the United States has created a stigma around receiving care when needed in an attempt to prove that one guy is more tough than the other. While there may be more issues regarding healthcare such as financial and insurance, men typically work more dangerous jobs and behave more erratically than women. If a man working a factory job is injured and unable to perform his duties that could mean potential for being laid off and then the man has no income which could be detrimental especially if that man has a family who relies on his salary. For that reason and many others, men would rather opt for toughing it out rather than accept potential for loss of a job or otherwise.

It is imperative for the sake of the gender health gap and for increasing longevity that the culture of masculinity be pushed to the side. Men need to start taking better care of themselves by accepting that they are not invincible and accept care when needed. Proper prevention techniques for diseases, accidents and the like as well as noticing the early warning signs and going to get regular check-ups can mean narrowing the gender health gap and increasing longevity for men.

Artifact 3: Gender and Culture

Artifact 3: Gender and Culture

Max Liebl

The role of gender plays a significant role in the lives of people throughout the world. In many cultures, men and women do not share the same freedoms or have the same role in societies men and women in other cultures do. Societies can be either patriarchal or matriarchal meaning their lineages are traced through the male and female side of a particular family, respectively. Or societies can be bilineal which has qualities of both matriarchal and patriarchal. The Igbo of Nigeria is unique in that it falls into the category of a bilineal culture. Compared to other cultures, the roles of men and women are unique in that commerce and horticulture define the social stratification and give unique freedoms to women not typical of traditional cultures.

Unlike other traditional societies, trade and commerce play a significant role in the daily lives of the Igbo. Especially the fact that women are primarily the ones involved in the trade. Women control the markets and handle the trade of all goods from handicrafts to agricultural products. Some women even make sizable profits from this. They are also responsible for producing food as well which primarily makes it a horticultural society. This allows for the Igbo men to have a more leisurely lifestyle. However, this allows for women to have more independence since they have a source of income and land is passed down through the matriarchs of the family. Compared to the Mosuo of China, the Igbo share some of the same freedoms women have, but not the total matrilineal society. Igbo men are still dominant despite the women doing the heavy work. While land is passed down through the matrilineage, women have no authority over control of the land. The men are in charge of the land as well as other facets of culture. The Igbo is a unique culture and is unlike all other traditional, non-modernized cultures.

Men and women in the Igbo culture share very unique roles. Igbo women share many freedoms as in the Mosuo of China where women are the dominant gender. Globalization has done little to affect the Igbo culture, and the role that women play in the political structure is unique in that men and women are split and govern themselves. To better understand the way our society works, it is important to understand how other cultures work and the way they view gender roles.

Help Recieved: Canvas and class resources

Artifact 2: Fa’afafine as a Third Gender

Artifact 2: Third Gender

Fa’afafine

Max Liebl

 

                The Fa’afafine of Samoa is a recognized gender in Samoan society where a person is assigned male at birth but embodies both male and female traits. Some males are assigned to be Fa’afafine due to the lack of a female presence in the household whether it is desired by the boy or not. It is often acceptable within the culture and amongst families. While acceptable, this does not mitigate discrimination and Fa’afafine males who don’t identify themselves as Fa’afafine face ridicule and seek to prove that they are either male or female. Fa’afafine is considered a separate gender, neither male nor female. While born a male, they exhibit traits of both sexes and often lead normal lives within society.

                The role of the Fa’afafine in Samoan society originates from a family having all male children and assigning a boy to take on the role of a female to establish a more female presence in the family. Currently, Fa’afafine lead seemingly normal lives and work traditional jobs. While some may exhibit traits of both male and female, some choose to fully adopt a female or male presence. In the case of Leo Tanoi, an ex-rugby who is the subject of a video by The Feed, was forced into being Fa’afafine because of the lack of a daughter in the family. As an adolescent, he was teased and made fun of and tried to break from the stigma that came from being Fa’afafine.

He desperately tried to prove his masculinity by playing sports such as rugby and eventually played as a professional. Upon achieving his goal of proving himself as a man to himself and others, he quit the sport after one season and now lives with only the memories of his past life. The opposite side of the spectrum is the case in which a Fa’afafine male chooses to live as a woman and in some cases, chooses to accept neither fully but live as just simply Fa’afafine.

                Samoan culture recognizes Fa’afafine as a third gender although there are a considerable number of laws that discriminate against it. Ridicule and discrimination still exists within their society especially Samoans living abroad in other countries. However, the tradition of Fa’afafine goes back many centuries and is generally accepted within families. Gender is a social construct and it is important to remember that sex does not define gender.

 

Help Received: Class resources on canvas

Artifact 1: Sex vs. Gender

Artifact 1: Sex vs. Gender

Max Liebl

 

            The common misconception with sex and gender is that people tend to relate the two. In fact, sex is defined as the biological characteristics of a male or female such as chromosomes, genitalia, etc. Whereas gender is the role and social identification of a male or female sometimes influenced by biological characteristics. The world is not black and white, one’s certain biological makeup does not necessarily dictate how someone identifies him or herself or the role they play in society. In some cultures, it is widely accepted and encouraged for people who may feel they identify as something they are biologically not, and in some it is necessary. It all depends on how a certain gender is viewed in a society. For example, in Afghanistan which is a patriarchal society, a woman cannot be without a man and the role of a woman is very restricting. Thus, families with only girls will assign one of their daughters to become a male and take on the roles of a male. History tells us that your role in society was often times based on gender and while we still have ways to come, the status quo has changed and societal roles are increasingly no longer based on gender.

            Gender is often misconstrued as being a biological, black and white sort of construct between male and female. However, gender is the way we identify ourselves socially and amongst society and doesn’t always match our biological identity. From birth, we are assigned a gender, male or female, and it is immediately dictated by our parents how we are to behave as children. For instance, in a video created by Buzzfeed which exaggerates the way males and females are treated as young children by a certain color or phrase that identifies with boys and girls. It’s perplexing to think about how much of our childhood is determined for us and society assumes that boys and girls should grow up to appreciate some things over others that identify with a certain gender. However, the opposite end of the spectrum includes children who must assume a certain gender role out of necessity such as the Bacha Posh girls of Afghanistan.

            In Afghan culture, it is necessary for a woman to be accompanied by a man at all times whether it be a husband or a son. Women have very few freedoms in their culture, so if a family has all female children, it is the duty of one of the girls to take on the role of a male in order to help with the needs of the family. Some of the implications that might exist with this is that a girl may be forced to act as a boy not on her own accord and may find transitioning back to female life to be difficult. This often leads to Bacha Posh women to be looked down upon in society or lonely and have to find other ways to adapt to life. While it may seem dismal, these Afghan girls redefine the status quo and break the stereotypes that are often associated with females. In American society we have very defined gender roles and carry with them certain stereotypes. But as other cultures show, they are in fact just stereotypes and do not represent our population accurately. Gender and sex are two very distinct things and they do not define each other. While in many cases gender and sex do align, sometimes they do not and just because our biological make up says one thing, it does not assume that we identify with it.

           

Help Received: Class resources on Canvas   

Short Assignment: Dulce et Decorum est

Short Assignment: Dulce et Decorum Est

Max Liebl

4/7/17

 

Wilfred Owen makes many changes to his manuscript in order to better capture the audience and all them to better see the emotion and desperation of the men in a gas attack. One of the first changes is to add in “Quick, boys!” following the signaling of the gas attack. Owen initially writes, “Gas! Gas! An ecstasy of fumbling,” which describes the somewhat chaotic and clumsy movement to don the protective gas masks in a hurry. However, his addition allows for the audience to better picture the speed required for the men to don the masks. It shows how dire the situation is and that speed is crucial and how that plays into the next stanza with the description of the young man who couldn’t get his on in time, thus suffering from the effects of the deadly gas.

Owen also takes out a major portion of his poem where he describes the sound of incoming gas shells. He describes how the men had loosened their masks in case it was gas and the quiet listening of their surroundings waiting for the inevitable. Eliciting this portion allows for the reader to better understand the desperation of a surprise gas attack, since this part paints the picture of men awaiting an oncoming attack. Owen seems to want to create a sense of urgency and surprise and show how these attacks took the lives of young men like the one described in the poem at random whether they had prepared or not.  

TMWWBK Reflective Essay

ERH 205WX The Man Who Would Be King Essay

Max Liebl

3/23/17

The story, The Man Who Would Be King, per Jeffrey Meyers, asserts the claim that the story is flawed because of Kipling’s apparent lack of moral authority and approval of Peachey and Dravot’s imperialistic goals. The two men the story revolves around tells the tale of how some everyday crooks manage to undermine an entire culture for their own personal gain. While it does end in demise, Kipling attempts to create a sense of vindication for Peachey and Dravot’s sacrifice by implicitly sympathizing with their situation. According to Meyers, this clearly presents to the audience a lack of seriousness and issues of morality that as greedy and rogue as the men were, they still deserve a sort of praise. However, by examining Kipling as an author in this time it is possible to see the irony in his style of writing and how Peachey and Dravot’s situation displays tongue-in-cheek humor. As flawed as the story may be in the backgrounds and behaviors of the main characters, it may have been the intention of Kipling to bring to light his view on national colonialism and implicitly show the humor of Britain’s politics abroad during this time.

Jeffrey Meyers asserts his claim of how Kipling lacks addressing the moral issues throughout the story and condemns him for showing sympathy to their imperialistic ambitions. In a rather harsh tone, Meyers examines Peachey and Dravot as men who lack the education, fidelity, and morality required for kingship and seek the power and riches for purely selfish reasons. In his comparison of the men to James Brooke, “…Dan’s vainglorious ambition is to surpass even Brooke in absolute power…” (Meyers 724), Meyers shows how his view of Brooke is purely materialistic. He desires the wealth and power he achieved by conquering Borneo in 1841 and fails to see the sense of morality and duty to lead that Brooke displayed throughout his rule. In describing Peachey and Dravot, it is easy to see Meyers’ opinion of the men and the evidence he provides backs his condemnation of the author. But Meyers doesn’t take into account the difference between the narrator and the author, assuming the two are indeed separate. While the narrator tells the tale that Meyers is condemning, it is possible that Meyers is pointing fingers at the wrong voice which may not necessarily be that of Kipling.

As a reader, Meyers’ article may come across as condemning to Kipling’s writing. It is easy to get lost in the story and realize the tongue-in-cheek humor that Kipling presents through Dan and Peachey’s situation. Because of this it is apparent to see how the voice of the author can be confused with that of the narrator. The narrator of the story is simply telling the story and may not be expressing exactly the points that Kipling is trying to make about British Colonialism. For example, Kipling creates the situation of Dan and Peachey rapidly taking over territory by using firepower and weapons that were not available to the people of Kafiristan. This poorly illustrates how the British could colonize India and the rapid onset of British culture in the region. While it may seem as simple as Dan and Peachey being able to kill their enemies without ever coming within hand-to-hand range, Kipling makes a mockery of colonialism and the humor arises in the fact that it could simply never happen the way it did in the story. Meyers tends to focus on the literal meaning of the story which is not incorrect, but rather one’s own interpretation which is that if colonizing nations were to forget their sense of morality and humanity, this is what would ensue. By picking up certain context clues, it is easier to see the difference in voice between the narrator and Kipling.

Identifying the voice of the narrator versus that of Kipling allows the reader to see the “joke” that Kipling implicitly creates. The story creates a sense of irony towards the ending especially as the two men are soon ousted from the community that only minutes before had praised them as gods. “They are Englishmen, these people, — and it’s my blasted nonsense that has brought you to this,” (Kipling 23), as Dan states this, they are running out of the community while under fire from its citizens that they had equipped and trained. The irony comes from the fact that they had sought to gain purely personal riches, but instead became self-proclaimed kings and brought western culture to an indigenous people roughly representing colonialism. How they’re plan backfired, in a sense, could be how Kipling saw colonialism and how it could backfire on the British as well should they exploit the indigenous population as Dan and Peachey had. As Meyers writes, he seems to not see past the voice of the narrator and condemn Kipling as being accepting to this kind of behavior and illegitimate rule. It was commonly known that Kipling expressed views related to that of fascism which could be grounds for Meyers scrutiny of the message he portrays in the story. To Meyers, this may be Kipling’s fascist views becoming known through Dan and Peachey’s abusive use of power and intolerance towards other cultures. While it was never confirmed that Kipling was a fascist, Meyers’ argument could support this point of view as well. Identifying the voice of the narrator versus that of Kipling allows for the reader to see the irony of the story being told, however, it is up to the reader to scrutinize between which message Kipling delivers.

Meyers delivers his interpretation of The Man Who Would Be King by addressing the apparent issues of morality as his argument. He identifies how Kipling does not condemn the men for their actions but rather sympathize with their situation. However, it is never stated by Kipling that his intention was to scrutinize Dan and Peachey’s journey to fraudulent kingship. The point of view of the author is that of an outside character and completely disconnected from the story. Kipling never agrees or disagrees with the actions of the characters but instead provides an impartial view of how everyday crooks sought out an adventure for monetary gain and power and achieved their goal which later turned to disaster. While Meyers scrutinizes Kipling’s message, he neglects to look at the deeper meaning of the writing and find the humor in it. While it is possible Kipling uses the voice of the narrator to push his alleged fascist agenda, the irony of two men taking over a region steeped in cultural values to adopt a western way of life is what is most apparent and the theme that Meyers neglects to notice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Kipling, Rudyard, and Jan Montefiore. The Man Who Would Be King. London: Penguin, 2011. ProQuest. Web.

Meyers, Jeffrey. “The Idea of Moral Authority in The Man Who Would Be King.” Studies in English Literature 1500-1900.Vol. 8, No. 4, Nineteenth Century (1968): 711-23. JSTOR. Web. 30 Mar. 2017.

TMWWBK Meyers Article Summary

Max Liebl

ERH-205WX Meyers Article Summary

3/19/17

 

Jeffrey Meyers’ article focuses on Moral Authority, or lack thereof, in the novel The Man Who Would Be King. Meyers begins his article by making the claim that Peachey and Dravot fail in kingship because of their lack of moral standards that would be typical of a king such as that of the British Empire. Beginning with their backgrounds which Meyers describes as “soldiers” which is comparable to that of the lowest class of socially acceptable working people in England during that time period. Peachey and Dravot are, “…uneducated and corrupt adventurers,” (Meyers 712), who spend their time committing petty acts of crime such as blackmailing and fraud which makes it clear that their intentions lack integrity and are not genuine. Meyers shows that the vulnerability of the land that which they are conquering also plays a major role in their lack of authenticity since the men have “purely materialistic” ambitions for the land, they seek areas outside of control of the Queen and British governance. Dan and Peachey refer throughout the novel of the comparison of their adventure to that of James Brooke in 1841 who conquered Borneo in much of the same way as the pair conquered Kafiristan. As time goes on, however, Meyers explains that where Brooke took genuine concern to the people of Borneo and acted with compassion and chivalry, Dan and Peachey did not in their case. The pair, “…aspire[d] to Brooke’s power, titles, wealth and fame,” (Meyers 714), but not the level of responsibility and the sense of duty Brooke felt towards his people. Because of the lack of moral values, Meyers shows that is how the men wrongfully assume that their form of government will be better than the primitive institution of power that was in place before. Meyers explains that the pair was able to exploit the gullibility of the people in this manner which is one of the main reasons their rise to power was so swift. Through their use of firepower and technology that was unavailable to the people of Kafiristan at the time, the men never recognize the brutality of their conquest in what Meyers refers to as “unprincipled colonialism”. Meyers shows throughout his article how Dan and Peachey make a mockery out of colonialism and while it may seem as though he is condemning British colonialism, it is rather that he is showing what would happen if morality was suddenly thrown out of the equation.