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The reason is that the complexity of the world is increasing, including the scale of the problems. It is hard to be perspicacious with such a vast influx of inf
by defterGoose 6y ago
The reason is that the complexity of the world is increasing, including the scale of the problems. It is hard to be perspicacious with such a vast influx of information, and it is therefore comforting and hopeful to look back on a past from which one can extrapolate and understand causality. In other words, we may be trying to unearth the essence of bygone eras in an attempt to see the way forward.
"History doesnt repeat itself, but it often rhymes"
- ereyes01 6y agoI think you've perfectly characterized why I love listening to Dan Carlin. He's masterful at personalizing history (even ancient history) and challenging you to ponder how you would act under the same circumstances. I think this form of thinking, when approached with an open mind and a little imagination, is a wonderful antidote to the knee-jerk group-think that dominates today's discourse.
- FranzFerdiNaN 6y agoShame he is bad at history though. He is an entertainer, not someone to learn about the past from like you would from a historian.
- the-dude 6y agoIn what ways is he bad at history? Do you have examples?
- tomgp 6y agoPossibly. I enjoy historical fiction not because I think it can tell me much about the problems of today but more because it can put them in perspective. Reading about Europe in the Middle Ages is great for making me appreciate the quality of life I enjoy today.
- bennysonething 6y agoI agree. After reading a few Tom Holland books (not really historical fiction) like Dominion, under the shadow of the sword, millennium, Rubicon you start to realise how awful ancient civilizations were. Slavery was just a just an accepted norm. Likelyhood of disease or famine killing you was way higher. Worst of all was probably lack of proper plumbing. Until fairly recently, human existence for the majority, was a picture of hell.
- PrinceKropotkin 6y agoThis can also swing the other way, shining a light on ways of living (certainly including societies much less violent than the Roman Empire, a civilization neurotically focused on domination) & experiences that have since been lost and are more or less impossible to achieve now.