Ancient Celts- Pride or Prejudice??? (1 Viewer)

[lancer]

Human beings haven't evolved a bit in 25,000 years. We are all barbaric, some of us are just better able to hide our barbaric nature behind a thin mask we call civilization. Ancient Rome was called civilized, yet regularly massacred thousands in gladiatorial games. Before and during the rise of the Nazis, Germany's technology and culture would certainly have been considered highly civilized. During the middle ages, weren't both christendom and islam fond of referring to themselves as civilized and their rivals as barbarians? Frankly, I wouldn't trust any of our present day civilized governments as far as I could throw them. If murder, mayhem and destruction is in any government's political or economic interest, I would be willing to lay odds our present civilized nations would sign right up.

Louis, how cynical. I LIKE IT! -- lancer

 

[Uthred]

Uthred I'm pleased I've illusrated your point perfectly. But I'm afraid to say that despite my thick anglo-saxon head (were they orginally barbarians?) the Nazis were barbaric to my mind and to a lot of people I know- take it all leave it. BTW you do make your point most articulatly and interestingly, most enjoyable read.

Evzone

Thank you for your compliments. English is not my first language, you know... I get a bit proud when you say I make my point articulatly. Once again, thank you!

The anglo-saxons were Barbarians, no doubt about it. The nazis, on the other hand, no matter how much we hate them, were not "barbaric". At least not in the original sense of the word. Sure, people have been using "barbaric" when they really mean something else. My point is: Is this fair to the Barbarians?


I'm glad we understand each other, that means we're not Barbarians...


Uthred

 

[Gideon]

History is recorded primarily by those who conquered or successfully repelled invasions - basically, societies left in-tact.

Barbarianism today? Yes, a whole lot of it. Good and Evil? Mostly grey. There are rare cases of Good vs Evil - very rare but then you have good teamed up with Stalin, so there we go again. Then we have what the US turned into after WWII, into the 1980's.

During the 1980's, our economic warfare was (and continues) to be fierce. I think it was Dole who wanted to buy banana plantations in Jamaica. The Jamaican owners wouldn't sell so the US puts tariffs on those crops and the US companies stepped up production to price Jamaican growers out of the market.

That is barbaric too. That is a lot of poor farm workers unemployed with no social system to catch them.

Was Saddam truly evil? Compared to how many other dictators we propped up and supported? Suharto? Pinochet?

Barbaric is relative but I tend to agree with Louis.

 

[Uthred]

History is recorded primarily by those who conquered or successfully repelled invasions - basically, societies left in-tact.

Barbarianism today? Yes, a whole lot of it. Good and Evil? Mostly grey. There are rare cases of Good vs Evil - very rare but then you have good teamed up with Stalin, so there we go again. Then we have what the US turned into after WWII, into the 1980's.

During the 1980's, our economic warfare was (and continues) to be fierce. I think it was Dole who wanted to buy banana plantations in Jamaica. The Jamaican owners wouldn't sell so the US puts tariffs on those crops and the US companies stepped up production to price Jamaican growers out of the market.

That is barbaric too. That is a lot of poor farm workers unemployed with no social system to catch them.

Was Saddam truly evil? Compared to how many other dictators we propped up and supported? Suharto? Pinochet?

Barbaric is relative but I tend to agree with Louis.

Hi, Gideon!

My point is most people use the word "barbaric" in a complete biased and unfair way. Some Barbarians were civilized, made beautiful works of art, and did not deserve to be called "barbaric" in the sense people call Saddam or Hitler "barbaric".

Barbarian only means someone who does not speak our language, to the Ancient Greeks, or someone living outside the Empire, to the Ancient Romans.

Now, how could one call Pol Pot or Idi Amin "barbaric" without harming the real Barbarians reputation?


Cheers...

Uthred