4 ms·

Ever since I've heard of the meme that "modern men can't spend 24 hours without thinking of the Roman Empire", I haven't been able to escape it, even on days wh

Ever since I've heard of the meme that "modern men can't spend 24 hours without thinking of the Roman Empire", I haven't been able to escape it, even on days where my only contact with the outside world is HN. I guess it's like a curse, once you've heard about it you're doomed. And for anyone finding out about it just now, alea jacta est

kruffalon 1y ago
Thank you for reminding me, this is so fun to have bobbing around in the back of your mind! :D
sverhagen 1y ago
I need an faq or something then, to figure out what's wrong with me for never thinking of the Roman Empire. Except now then.
- Moru 1y ago
  It's only a certain type of man that they are talking about. We are not that type of men I guess. Can't say I know anyone what that problem to be honest. And yes, I have heard that saying before. Didn't work then and doesn't work now.
  - sph 1y ago
    It's extremely easy if you're immersed in Southern European culture. Moru -> Flag of Sardinia, whose Wikipedia page incidentally I was reading yesterday (the Four Moors, "is cuatru morus") -> Sardinian language -> grammatically still the closest language to Latin -> the everlasting glory of the Roman Empire --- Reminds me of the fantastic, unreleased Monty Python sketch about memory association: https://youtu.be/KnpY46lOTX4?si=3Yb17jvGp-1vn6de&t=2058 https://youtu.be/KnpY46lOTX4?si=3Yb17jvGp-1vn6de&t=2058 Also, Monty Python -> The Life of Brian -> the everlasting glory of the Roman Empire
sd9 1y ago
I just lost the game
- ZeWaka 1y ago
  ugh
frollogaston 1y ago
There used to be some SF Italian restaurant that showed first if you Googled "SPQR." Their SEO was stronger than Rome. I don't even live near there. I think this meme has bumped the real SPQR back to the top.
michaelsshaw 1y ago
Join the club of people who acknowledge that there's much more interesting history than that, and you'll suddenly forget all about Rome.
- sebastiennight 1y ago
  I love learning new history and I'm open to suggestions. Any less-trodden paths you'd recommend?
  - michaelsshaw 1y ago
    For national history, Chinese is probably my favorite by far. May I suggest you do a domain-specific history dive, such as the history of computing, the history of science or some other subject you may enjoy more. That's the real good stuff.
- AlecSchueler 1y ago
  For me it's not so much what's interesting as what affects my day to day. I love Chinese history but I'm unlikely to come across anything today with origins in Chinese law, or traverse the path of a Chinese road, or use an interesting word with a Chinese etymology and an associated story from old China.
thecupisblue 1y ago
It's so funny to see this be a worldwide phenomenon. As someone who grew up playing in the ruins of Roman temples & villas and was obsessed with it as a child, it almost feels like people are talking about "some other Rome".
- sebastiennight 1y ago
  I grew up in a school system which taught us about "our ancestors, the Gauls"... Which is fun if you're an Asterix fan, but one day you end up asking yourself - wait, we're in an ex-French colony here, but how much Gaul blood does anyone have in this place really?

kruffalon 1y ago

Thank you for reminding me, this is so fun to have bobbing around in the back of your mind! :D

sverhagen 1y ago

I need an faq or something then, to figure out what's wrong with me for never thinking of the Roman Empire. Except now then.

Moru 1y ago
It's only a certain type of man that they are talking about. We are not that type of men I guess. Can't say I know anyone what that problem to be honest. And yes, I have heard that saying before. Didn't work then and doesn't work now.
- sph 1y ago
  It's extremely easy if you're immersed in Southern European culture. Moru -> Flag of Sardinia, whose Wikipedia page incidentally I was reading yesterday (the Four Moors, "is cuatru morus") -> Sardinian language -> grammatically still the closest language to Latin -> the everlasting glory of the Roman Empire --- Reminds me of the fantastic, unreleased Monty Python sketch about memory association: https://youtu.be/KnpY46lOTX4?si=3Yb17jvGp-1vn6de&t=2058 https://youtu.be/KnpY46lOTX4?si=3Yb17jvGp-1vn6de&t=2058 Also, Monty Python -> The Life of Brian -> the everlasting glory of the Roman Empire

sd9 1y ago

I just lost the game

ZeWaka 1y ago
ugh

frollogaston 1y ago

There used to be some SF Italian restaurant that showed first if you Googled "SPQR." Their SEO was stronger than Rome. I don't even live near there. I think this meme has bumped the real SPQR back to the top.

michaelsshaw 1y ago

Join the club of people who acknowledge that there's much more interesting history than that, and you'll suddenly forget all about Rome.

sebastiennight 1y ago
I love learning new history and I'm open to suggestions. Any less-trodden paths you'd recommend?
- michaelsshaw 1y ago
  For national history, Chinese is probably my favorite by far. May I suggest you do a domain-specific history dive, such as the history of computing, the history of science or some other subject you may enjoy more. That's the real good stuff.
AlecSchueler 1y ago
For me it's not so much what's interesting as what affects my day to day. I love Chinese history but I'm unlikely to come across anything today with origins in Chinese law, or traverse the path of a Chinese road, or use an interesting word with a Chinese etymology and an associated story from old China.

thecupisblue 1y ago

It's so funny to see this be a worldwide phenomenon. As someone who grew up playing in the ruins of Roman temples & villas and was obsessed with it as a child, it almost feels like people are talking about "some other Rome".

sebastiennight 1y ago
I grew up in a school system which taught us about "our ancestors, the Gauls"... Which is fun if you're an Asterix fan, but one day you end up asking yourself - wait, we're in an ex-French colony here, but how much Gaul blood does anyone have in this place really?