15 Comments
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Gnuneo's avatar

In his excellent non-fiction book, Python Terry Gilliam explores the idea that Rome's behaviour - the actual cultural origin of the word "dominance", unsurprisingly - was characteristic of neurotic paranoia, and concluded that it indeed was.

There's a 4 part companion TV series if you want some lightish relief. :)

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x429tzi - p1.

Niall McLaren's avatar

Seems to be a paywall.

Gnuneo's avatar

Strange, it's working for me fine, and I don't even have an account there.

Did you try refreshing? (I know I know, lol)

Well, if it's definitely not available, try a google of 'Terry Jones barbarians celts', there may be sites available in Oz that aren't up here.

Otherwise, a decent quality version is on torrents, if you do that.

Failing all that, do something with the time actually useful. ;)

(If, like me, you've felt the Romans get waaay too much credit and positive propaganda, and also feel that the "What have the Romans ever done for us?" question in Life of Brian was answered far too glibly by Cleese, this could bring much joy. :) The book is better, of course, but Terry is also easy on the eye and mind. )

Gnuneo's avatar

Darn it, forgot to add the book title!

'Barbarians', by Terry Jones: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Terry-Jones-Barbarians-Alan-Ereira/dp/056353916X

It's nowhere near as good as Pirsig's 'Zen and Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' however, but if you want light history, and someone not at all impressed with the past 2000 years of propaganda for DOMINATION and Empire, that's a good few days read.

Moebius Infinity's avatar

With bravebrowser i could view, there appears to be a nasty cookie wall that other browsers dont bybass

Gnuneo's avatar

Oh wow. I use firefox, and sometimes have to refresh on dailymotion to get to the vid, had no idea that the site blocks out certain browsers. How very odd.

Moebius Infinity's avatar

It looks like there is a cookie wall that forces people to accept the cookie.

In my case brave disables the malicious script and refused to show the cookie wall.

I think firefox also can do that.

Gnuneo's avatar

Ahhh.

Why is it the like entire Internet was better 20 years ago? <_<

Niall McLaren's avatar

They worked out how to extract more money from it. Berners-Lee wanted it free.

Moebius Infinity's avatar

Yeah. Tech-bro Homo-digitalus is a moron.

Marcus Ten Low's avatar

I browsed this article. The idea that economies need to keep growing is one of the biggest lies humans (in the west, especially) tell themselves. Other than essential needs, things like defence spending and even most industries are pestilential to Planet Earth over the long term.

The idea of damaging the USA and its economy is an interesting and ironic one. It's not straightforward but I would lean toward damaging it. I'm not an anthropocentric or a US patriot, but I'm writing in the company of many who, unfortunately, seem to be that.

Moebius Infinity's avatar

Judea christians believe in endles profit expansion. Another way say greed is the way forward.

Value added TAX is what drives it.

Everyone who pays VAT is a slave of the system and forced to compete.

PC's avatar
Aug 13Edited

Russia has ostensibly already used chemical weapons in Ukraine (tear gas, chloropicrin) and has no qualms in sending agents to other countries to kill their targets with toxins, unperturbed if others die in the process. War, these days, also doesn’t just take place on the battlefield-technological infiltration, cutting of underwater cables etc.

Their leader, to me, seems equally as deranged as Trump (probably why they get on so well) but far more psychopathic (Sergei Magnitsky for example), and doesn’t see his own citizens as human (relentlessly sending them to die, including prisoners etc-and other countries citizens such as NK’s) whilst he lives in absurd luxury. Who would have the temerity to stop/speak out against the leader instigating a more serious chemical attack (not necessarily a nuke) especially if he realises his personal days are numbered. The leader of the Wagner group once dared insubordination.

How should others react when a so-called spiritual leader’s spirit (he was about as spiritual as Deepak Chopra) guides him to order indiscriminate killing of his own people- not for the first time either.

Obviously I don’t agree with the invasion of another country as a solution (all wars, especially in this day and age, are stupid) but the urge to dominate cannot (and clearly does not) just apply to western leaders, if, as you say, (and I agree) that it is the basis of our nature.

Niall McLaren's avatar

Urge to dominate is universal, as is the drive to resist.

Yes, very well aware of Putin's time in the Kremlin. See: Belton C (2020). Putin’s People: How the KGB took back Russia and then took on the West. London: Harper Collins.

Wabi Sabi's avatar

Haha, me thinks thou dost jest! "the Russian president and his advisors are not complete fools." No they are totally evil people who care nothing for the hundreds of thousands of lives destroyed, all to try to regaine a past glory!