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I simply can’t help but wonder about why do the barbarians go after knowledge centers age after age. Library of Alexandria, Bayt al-Hikmah, Nalanda and Odantapu

I simply can’t help but wonder about why do the barbarians go after knowledge centers age after age. Library of Alexandria, Bayt al-Hikmah, Nalanda and Odantapuri Universities and now the US institutes. Is there any study being done on this phenomenon?

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
jryan49 2y ago
They view the knowledge as corrupt and fabricated. So they believe they are purging the world of lies. Or they know it's true and have an evil, manipulative agenda.
yks 2y ago
Don't forget Wikipedia.
ZeroGravitas 2y ago
If the data disagrees with Trump it is fake news, if it agrees with him it is redundant.
dole 2y ago
"History is written by the victors." It's control of forms of communication through censorship and propaganda, same as Nazi Germany and any other regime that wants to exert power.
- Swenrekcah 2y ago
  > "History is written by the victors." This is a popular saying but it is not really true. In an open and free society like western societies (at least some still) are, history is the domain of historians and not the state. For example how could the plight of native Americans be anyone’s concern if the state controlled all history? So yes, the victors like to rewrite history but we should be conscious of the fact that most of the history we read is actually pretty accurate and well founded, not simple propaganda. Of course that might well be about to change in the US.
ashoeafoot 2y ago
The ever growing waterhead of society is fed and built ultimately upon the back of some manual labour. The ueber driver who spends his 14h work to rent a flat, to life from day to day, sees the people he transports as a parasite load draining all life from him. So they torch the house to kill the fleas, which safely reside in their coats.
bell-cot 2y ago
The more-distant past was (relatively) dirt poor. Libraries tended to be (or be in) major buildings, that were obviously associated with the wealthy. So - it's like asking why Willie Sutton robbed banks. (Plus - if you were a violent, drunken barbarian, already having the time of your life raping & looting - then what could possibly make things even better? Yes! - a giant fire!!) Or - any time you've got a nasty cultural conflict, and libraries are near-and-dear to just one side - yes, obviously the other side will go after 'em. Ask an old Playground Monitor whether verbal bullies shuffle through various subjects & words, searching for whatever will get the worst emotional reaction from their victim. (However much it mashes some people's buttons, I suspect that going after libraries for very calculated, 1984-ish reasons is relatively rare. If your side has effective control of the police and media, then maybe 0.01% of the population really cares that some dusty old book proves your current propaganda to be a lie.)

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

jryan49 2y ago

They view the knowledge as corrupt and fabricated. So they believe they are purging the world of lies. Or they know it's true and have an evil, manipulative agenda.

yks 2y ago

Don't forget Wikipedia.

ZeroGravitas 2y ago

If the data disagrees with Trump it is fake news, if it agrees with him it is redundant.

dole 2y ago

"History is written by the victors." It's control of forms of communication through censorship and propaganda, same as Nazi Germany and any other regime that wants to exert power.

Swenrekcah 2y ago
> "History is written by the victors." This is a popular saying but it is not really true. In an open and free society like western societies (at least some still) are, history is the domain of historians and not the state. For example how could the plight of native Americans be anyone’s concern if the state controlled all history? So yes, the victors like to rewrite history but we should be conscious of the fact that most of the history we read is actually pretty accurate and well founded, not simple propaganda. Of course that might well be about to change in the US.

ashoeafoot 2y ago

The ever growing waterhead of society is fed and built ultimately upon the back of some manual labour. The ueber driver who spends his 14h work to rent a flat, to life from day to day, sees the people he transports as a parasite load draining all life from him. So they torch the house to kill the fleas, which safely reside in their coats.

bell-cot 2y ago

The more-distant past was (relatively) dirt poor. Libraries tended to be (or be in) major buildings, that were obviously associated with the wealthy. So - it's like asking why Willie Sutton robbed banks. (Plus - if you were a violent, drunken barbarian, already having the time of your life raping & looting - then what could possibly make things even better? Yes! - a giant fire!!) Or - any time you've got a nasty cultural conflict, and libraries are near-and-dear to just one side - yes, obviously the other side will go after 'em. Ask an old Playground Monitor whether verbal bullies shuffle through various subjects & words, searching for whatever will get the worst emotional reaction from their victim. (However much it mashes some people's buttons, I suspect that going after libraries for very calculated, 1984-ish reasons is relatively rare. If your side has effective control of the police and media, then maybe 0.01% of the population really cares that some dusty old book proves your current propaganda to be a lie.)