Sparta doesn't strike me as being more civilized than Athens, especially considering that boys were expected to murder helots to be considered men...
Sparta doesn't strike me as being more civilized than Athens, especially considering that boys were expected to murder helots to be considered men...
Who says it was? You're putting words in my mouth. I'm saying one cannot compare them.
And anyway, as we owe our own forms of government to Ancient Greece and derive our hierarchy from Rome, going about dissing them is rather childish and ludicrous. Even their decadence and death foreshadow our own.
I wasn't actually saying this was the peak of civilization. I was arguing against the 1850's being the peak of civilization by suggesting that in some ways even ancient Rome and Greece were more advanced.
Still, civilization really means different things to different people. For me a society is not fully civilized without a high degree of liberty and equality.
I'd wager culture had more of an impact on them. I'm thinking of Oscar Wilde's imprisonment, for example.
“Today a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.” – Bill Hicks
Right, and if you think you've got any freedom in our so-called democracies, you are fooling yourself.
As for equality, that is a joke on a whole another level.
PS.: re Oscar Wilde. The circumstances of the trial were unique. Not every homosexual got that treatment, right? Rent boys, provocation, mad father... it was all very special.
Last edited by Duskygrin; 01-25-2014 at 09:41 AM.
Might be a suggestion I don't give a fuck either way. In case you hadn't noticed before...
I consider myself a socialist and to say I despise capitalism would be fairly accurate. If you toned down the hyperbole there I'd probably align myself closely with you.
I do hope you're not getting as angry as that post sounds. We're all just having a pleasant chat after all.
“Today a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.” – Bill Hicks
I still think it needs to be qualified with explanation for the majority of people to get its point, though, so it still quite doesn't qualify for me.Haha, I like it!! New tagline.
I don't know how anyone can choose the peak of civilization as much, much more violent times. When speaking of language, I suppose that the artistic side of language peaked then... but artistic usage of language is hardly the most important part of society.
Last edited by Llamas; 01-25-2014 at 08:00 PM.
Shame we can't test it.
Well, it's a shame for me anyway. It's fortunate for you.
Do I really need to use an emoticon to be on the safe side? *sigh* :P
A dedicated student of aesthetics might not agree with you and to be fair there really is no objectively right answer.
“Today a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves.” – Bill Hicks