The Allure of What Might Have Been

John Greenleaf Whittier, in addition to writing the words appearing above, was a poet, abolitionist and Quaker of some note in 19th century America.  Being disturbed by what might have been would seem to be the epitome of what should be avoided by a would-be Stoic.  What didn't happen shouldn't be of concern to a Stoic except perhaps as a learning tool, as one of the rules of Stoicism is not to disturb yourself with matters beyond your control.

Whittier may nonetheless be right in stating that the words he refers to are sad, and perhaps even the saddest words.  The trick, if one can call it that, is to acknowledge they're sad but not to be saddened by them.

Regardless, speculation concerning what might have been can be fascinating in some senses.  Alternate history seems to be something authors of fiction like to write about.  Harry Turtledove appears to specialize in it.  I've read some of his novels based on alternate histories regarding the American Civil War, World Wars I and II and other periods.  I don't know how many he's written and how much of our history remains for him to reimagine, but think we've done enough in, say, the last 100,000 years to keep him and others busy for some time yet.

I myself find it fascinating to speculate on what would have happened if we left each other alone.  That requires some explanation, I know.  Let me try to do so.

We humans have developed separate cultures and societies throughout our history.  In some cases, differences between them are especially pronounced as to those which developed over time in separate areas of the world.  Of all the peoples of the world, Europeans have been most assiduous in NOT leaving other people alone.  They colonized most of it, conquered most of it, subjugated most of it.  They radically changed most of it.  What if that had not happened?

There are still those who believe that in doing so, they improved the lot of other peoples.  Reference is made to improvement in technology and medicine which resulted.  It is to be hoped that improvement in religion, meaning Christianization for the most part, isn't claimed by many anymore.

But it's interesting to wonder how the people of the pre-Columbian North and South America would have developed over time, if time was allowed them, and the Polynesian peoples, and sub-Saharan Africans, and others would have fared and what they would have accomplished but for European intrusion.  How would their technology, science and arts have changed?  If they hadn't changed, or changed differently from the way in which they changed in Europe, what of it?

It's difficult for me to maintain that the changes which actually took place are necessarily or inherently better than what would have occurred without European conquest and influence.  One can't do so without assuming European culture and society are superior and better than all others, and that would be a difficult assumption to make.  If people want to remain hunter-gathers, or nomads, for example, why not let them do so?  Is it appropriate to compel them to do otherwise?  The great pre-Columbian civilizations of the Americas were remarkably sophisticated in various respects.  If they had continued as they were, or developed in ways Europeans would have found strange, what of it?   I think the world would have been far more interesting than it is now if people had left each other alone.

Profound change isn't something which should be compelled.  This isn't to say that there should be no contact between peoples and cultures.  Trade, communication and travel would have influenced the peoples of the word and worked changes, but those changes wouldn't be forced or imposed, but accepted or rejected.  People would be different and, more importantly, the differences wouldn't be seen as strange but instead natural. 

Of course, humans being humans, some people would think they were superior to others or their ways of living better than others, but in the best case scenario of this alternate history they wouldn't feel it necessary or desirable that others become just like them or think it proper to make that happen.