6 ms·

I get a humbling feeling watching this video. Every one of those people on the map were super important at a place and time, but everything they did or ruled is

I get a humbling feeling watching this video. Every one of those people on the map were super important at a place and time, but everything they did or ruled is now represented by a 1 or 2 second blip in the video among thousands of other fleeting blips. The author/creator of this video seems pretty humble himself: His "About" entry on YouTube says, "I make maps. Location France." Nothing else.

visarga 8y ago
Even a king is one of many, in the long run. I sometimes imagine how they see themselves compared to their peers. For some it might have been pretty difficult to shine, despite having reached the top of society.
irrational 8y ago
Truly. I studied history in college. Whenever I start to get worked up about the current political climate I remind myself that it is all just a blip on the course of history and someday in the future there will be a similar video and our time will go by in the blink of an eye and that future watcher will care as much about what happened in our days as I care about what happened to the people of 400BC.
- yonoataraxia 8y ago
  Your field of study is the source for this video, the preservation of greek philosophy and many other important thought schools and religions. The majority may not care so much about the daily life of the people of the past. But we sure care about their significant thoughts. Thanks for doing this job, it's more important for people today than it seems.
- tim333 8y ago
  The daily politics will probably fade to nothing much but the rise of AI is a once in a billion years thing that may get looked back on. I'm not sure how that'll play out on a future youtube rulers video.
mr_olive 8y ago
The "Pale Blue Dot" photograph strikes the same chord for me. Carl Sagan's reflection on it can be especially moving [1]. [...] The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that in glory and in triumph they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. [...] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_Blue_Dot#Reflections https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_Blue_Dot#Reflections
- nurettin 8y ago
  As someone who has never been religious and has all the traits to be scientific-minded, I will play the devil's advocate and say that Sagan's pale blue dot never struck a chord with me at all. Significance can be compared with size, now? This whole idea contradicts the very nature of being human which is to make up meaning according to the culture and trends of the time. Not to mention that even the tiniest piece of the universe, say, a quark, or a tiny physics formula can have eternal significance within the grand scheme of things. Overall the message of peace among people is well-received, but the tactic is cheesy and not well thought-out.
  - yonoataraxia 8y ago
    > This whole idea contradicts the very nature of being human which is to make up meaning according to the culture and trends of the time. We all do it: we have assumptions in form of learned concepts or experiences, place importance on some of them and then use it to prove a point. You state that it didn't "struck a chord with you at all" and then proceed with your assumptions / value system ("... physics formula can have eternal significance within the grand scheme of things"). For all positions, assumptions and opinions there exists a position where all of it doesn't matter. Trying to be scientific is also a belief system. Recognizing that all human beings share the trait of having assumptions (some of them called facts) and deriving behavior and opinions from it is the key. This understanding can support empathy which was generally a good strategy to have in the past (e.g. even monkeys implement fairness concepts based on individuals trying to manage resources in groups which IMHO is one important aspect of the origin of empathy). I can understand your position of relativism, but it's very close to nihilism. This is not inherently bad (nothing is good or bad, anyways - I'm also a big fan of relativism), but it can be detrimental to mental health and overall well-being. The tactic may be too simple to "get you", but your point of view is equally flawed in another way (as well as mine). The question is: What are you standing for if you don't find his arguments convincing? Nitpicking and being anti is not a good long-term strategy, maybe we can help him with better arguments for empathy that resonate with scientific-minded thinkers like you.
mikeash 8y ago
Consider the vast white areas toward the beginning. Entire civilizations lived and died there, and nobody living now has any idea what any of their names were.

visarga 8y ago

Even a king is one of many, in the long run. I sometimes imagine how they see themselves compared to their peers. For some it might have been pretty difficult to shine, despite having reached the top of society.

irrational 8y ago

Truly. I studied history in college. Whenever I start to get worked up about the current political climate I remind myself that it is all just a blip on the course of history and someday in the future there will be a similar video and our time will go by in the blink of an eye and that future watcher will care as much about what happened in our days as I care about what happened to the people of 400BC.

yonoataraxia 8y ago
Your field of study is the source for this video, the preservation of greek philosophy and many other important thought schools and religions. The majority may not care so much about the daily life of the people of the past. But we sure care about their significant thoughts. Thanks for doing this job, it's more important for people today than it seems.
tim333 8y ago
The daily politics will probably fade to nothing much but the rise of AI is a once in a billion years thing that may get looked back on. I'm not sure how that'll play out on a future youtube rulers video.

mr_olive 8y ago

The "Pale Blue Dot" photograph strikes the same chord for me. Carl Sagan's reflection on it can be especially moving [1]. [...] The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that in glory and in triumph they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. [...] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_Blue_Dot#Reflections https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_Blue_Dot#Reflections

nurettin 8y ago
As someone who has never been religious and has all the traits to be scientific-minded, I will play the devil's advocate and say that Sagan's pale blue dot never struck a chord with me at all. Significance can be compared with size, now? This whole idea contradicts the very nature of being human which is to make up meaning according to the culture and trends of the time. Not to mention that even the tiniest piece of the universe, say, a quark, or a tiny physics formula can have eternal significance within the grand scheme of things. Overall the message of peace among people is well-received, but the tactic is cheesy and not well thought-out.
- yonoataraxia 8y ago
  > This whole idea contradicts the very nature of being human which is to make up meaning according to the culture and trends of the time. We all do it: we have assumptions in form of learned concepts or experiences, place importance on some of them and then use it to prove a point. You state that it didn't "struck a chord with you at all" and then proceed with your assumptions / value system ("... physics formula can have eternal significance within the grand scheme of things"). For all positions, assumptions and opinions there exists a position where all of it doesn't matter. Trying to be scientific is also a belief system. Recognizing that all human beings share the trait of having assumptions (some of them called facts) and deriving behavior and opinions from it is the key. This understanding can support empathy which was generally a good strategy to have in the past (e.g. even monkeys implement fairness concepts based on individuals trying to manage resources in groups which IMHO is one important aspect of the origin of empathy). I can understand your position of relativism, but it's very close to nihilism. This is not inherently bad (nothing is good or bad, anyways - I'm also a big fan of relativism), but it can be detrimental to mental health and overall well-being. The tactic may be too simple to "get you", but your point of view is equally flawed in another way (as well as mine). The question is: What are you standing for if you don't find his arguments convincing? Nitpicking and being anti is not a good long-term strategy, maybe we can help him with better arguments for empathy that resonate with scientific-minded thinkers like you.

mikeash 8y ago

Consider the vast white areas toward the beginning. Entire civilizations lived and died there, and nobody living now has any idea what any of their names were.