The funny thing is that the rest of the world mostly don't look up to American culture. We all think our own cultures are far superior due to its longevity and family / community bonds. One of the things we learn as kids is how to actively resist western influences. It's working out so-so.
'The conquistadors were able to take everything from them and nearly wipe them out.'
Regarding this point, a few main factors to why many countries in this day and age are still poor and underdeveloped is colonization and the stealing of those country's wealth by the colonizers.
Sadly, similar actions continue on to this day in the form of neo-colonization whereby certain Western-lead global institutions and multinational corporations have established a neoliberal, ultra-capitalist system that mainly benefits the elite, corporate class, rather than the average citizens in those poorer countries.
Interesting premise. You may want to revisit your assertions about pre-colonial Australia as being ‘Stone Age’. Try reading about Budj Bim eel farming here: https://www.budjbim.com.au/about-us/world-heritage/ and look up firestick farming. Australian First Peoples shaped whole landscapes, not just farms.
Maybe a better way of saying it would have been that they didn’t develop agriculture, writing, cities, etc. — I’ll need time to read the whole piece you sent.
They did develop agriculture, it’s a different approach to the Nile delta model, but it’s still husbandry. Cities, no. Large camps and trading routes, yes. And there’s still more to understand. Enjoy the read.
Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook in one of their The Rest Is History podcasts,one about the fall of the Aztec Empire to the Conquistadors tell how,as usual,it wasn't as simple and uncomplicated as we think. The Spanish intruders were able to exploit underlying dissent in the Aztec world and get the support and collaboration of ethnic groups and people's who had been taken over and enslaved by the Aztec supremacy,so they were able to exploit the below the surface dissent just like the British did in India. We never actually took over the whole territory and ruled it that way. We made treaties, alliances,deals with local rulers in a complex patchwork of influence. Real history teaches us that life and human societies are NEVER so simple in and clear as we all got taught in the 20th century because that was how they wanted us to think.
It occurs to me that Christian Nationalists either don’t have the ability to see themselves in history, or they choose to ignore it, relying instead on the perceived invincibility of their religion.
I don’t do sports analogies at all but I did find myself writing today that theocrats have 3 players on base and a slugger at bat. I erased it because I didn’t want to imply that the Combover King has talent (he’s a slug, not a slugger) but it remains true that the hard right wing could take over our country practically in an instant because all of their decades of slow progress. The seats they hold in SCOTUS, the gerrymandering, the misinformation infrastructure, the support of Christian church leaders and the deep seated misogyny and racism in our society have positioned them to make the plays they are making now. Long game indeed.
Thank you for the boo recommendations. A couple I'd heard of but others not. That's a great analogy,milk to yoghurt. The historian Tom Holland,a brave man,he published a book on the early history of Islam in the face of open death threats,has written a lot lately about how the "air we breathe in,the water we swim in" so basic we don't even notice,as you point out,we assume that's how it is,is actually formed from cultural turns humanity made centuries ago. I believe that marriage has always been about money and property and that's how it should be in my opinion. This wussy idea that it's all about your personal happiness is the road to personal misery and the collapsing society we've got today.
My marriage was never about money — neither of us has ever had any. But 18 years in we are very much in love and happy. Broke, but we have each other. I wouldn’t trade him for 10 billionaires!
That is lovely and yes,that is the foundation of both my sisters marriages and it's the best one. I used to believe in that unconditional love give freely and expect nothing back only I found out that if you expect nothing you are rewarded with plenty of it. That's why I'm a cynical sceptical old BitchFace.,who stops to admire with awe,yellow brave dandelions bursting from a crack in the kerbside and early spring blossom cascading from a suburban front garden transcending it's banal setting - and get smirked or giggled at by the sensible people ie Everyone Else! I do notice. And sadly,I do care. Because Im not a sociopathic psychopath. I'd be happier if I was!
Years ago I read how one Sultan put a stop to centuries of Islamic progress in science and math. A millennia later, the Arab world remains mired in an anti-rationalist sandpit, unable to break free of this edict.
A similar anti-rationalism is being propagated by zealous evangelicals who fear the truths being taught in public schools and universities. We will be doomed to the same fate as the Islamic world if this anti-rationalism takes hold.
The funny thing is that the rest of the world mostly don't look up to American culture. We all think our own cultures are far superior due to its longevity and family / community bonds. One of the things we learn as kids is how to actively resist western influences. It's working out so-so.
Interesting! So Americans aren’t the only ones who have a form of “exceptionalism”!
Haha that's absolutely right!
Even in great Britain where we have an ambivalent feeling towards USA culture it's seen as trashy. Only for the sort of people who live at Jaywick.
'The conquistadors were able to take everything from them and nearly wipe them out.'
Regarding this point, a few main factors to why many countries in this day and age are still poor and underdeveloped is colonization and the stealing of those country's wealth by the colonizers.
Sadly, similar actions continue on to this day in the form of neo-colonization whereby certain Western-lead global institutions and multinational corporations have established a neoliberal, ultra-capitalist system that mainly benefits the elite, corporate class, rather than the average citizens in those poorer countries.
Yes, we are still un enlightened.
Interesting premise. You may want to revisit your assertions about pre-colonial Australia as being ‘Stone Age’. Try reading about Budj Bim eel farming here: https://www.budjbim.com.au/about-us/world-heritage/ and look up firestick farming. Australian First Peoples shaped whole landscapes, not just farms.
Maybe a better way of saying it would have been that they didn’t develop agriculture, writing, cities, etc. — I’ll need time to read the whole piece you sent.
They did develop agriculture, it’s a different approach to the Nile delta model, but it’s still husbandry. Cities, no. Large camps and trading routes, yes. And there’s still more to understand. Enjoy the read.
If you haven't read them I recommend Charles Mann's 1491 and 1493. Very interesting how Eastern, Western and American cultures interacted before and after Columbus's voyages to the Caribbean. https://www.amazon.com/1491-Second-Revelations-Americas-Columbus-ebook/dp/B000JMKVE4
I'll take a look.
Here's a free pdf version: https://ia902800.us.archive.org/32/items/1491.newrevelationsoftheamericasbeforecolumbusbycharlesc.mann/1491.%20New%20revelations%20of%20the%20Americas%20before%20Columbus%20by%20Charles%20C.%20Mann.pdf
Thank you!
Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook in one of their The Rest Is History podcasts,one about the fall of the Aztec Empire to the Conquistadors tell how,as usual,it wasn't as simple and uncomplicated as we think. The Spanish intruders were able to exploit underlying dissent in the Aztec world and get the support and collaboration of ethnic groups and people's who had been taken over and enslaved by the Aztec supremacy,so they were able to exploit the below the surface dissent just like the British did in India. We never actually took over the whole territory and ruled it that way. We made treaties, alliances,deals with local rulers in a complex patchwork of influence. Real history teaches us that life and human societies are NEVER so simple in and clear as we all got taught in the 20th century because that was how they wanted us to think.
It occurs to me that Christian Nationalists either don’t have the ability to see themselves in history, or they choose to ignore it, relying instead on the perceived invincibility of their religion.
I’d love to know which
My guess is the former.
I think they see themselves as being outside history, living through an eternal power.
I believe you are right.
This is not a new thing- White Christian Americans have been a threat to the nation's cultural progress for several decades now.
They've been playing the long game, though, and they're poised for victory. They already have a stranglehold on the Supreme Court.
I don’t do sports analogies at all but I did find myself writing today that theocrats have 3 players on base and a slugger at bat. I erased it because I didn’t want to imply that the Combover King has talent (he’s a slug, not a slugger) but it remains true that the hard right wing could take over our country practically in an instant because all of their decades of slow progress. The seats they hold in SCOTUS, the gerrymandering, the misinformation infrastructure, the support of Christian church leaders and the deep seated misogyny and racism in our society have positioned them to make the plays they are making now. Long game indeed.
Another great post. I'm a new subscriber, really impressed with your work. Thank you
Thank you for subscribing! I hope to meet your expectations.
Excellent post!
Thank you for the boo recommendations. A couple I'd heard of but others not. That's a great analogy,milk to yoghurt. The historian Tom Holland,a brave man,he published a book on the early history of Islam in the face of open death threats,has written a lot lately about how the "air we breathe in,the water we swim in" so basic we don't even notice,as you point out,we assume that's how it is,is actually formed from cultural turns humanity made centuries ago. I believe that marriage has always been about money and property and that's how it should be in my opinion. This wussy idea that it's all about your personal happiness is the road to personal misery and the collapsing society we've got today.
My marriage was never about money — neither of us has ever had any. But 18 years in we are very much in love and happy. Broke, but we have each other. I wouldn’t trade him for 10 billionaires!
That is lovely and yes,that is the foundation of both my sisters marriages and it's the best one. I used to believe in that unconditional love give freely and expect nothing back only I found out that if you expect nothing you are rewarded with plenty of it. That's why I'm a cynical sceptical old BitchFace.,who stops to admire with awe,yellow brave dandelions bursting from a crack in the kerbside and early spring blossom cascading from a suburban front garden transcending it's banal setting - and get smirked or giggled at by the sensible people ie Everyone Else! I do notice. And sadly,I do care. Because Im not a sociopathic psychopath. I'd be happier if I was!
Give love and expect love. We are all worthy of it!
Years ago I read how one Sultan put a stop to centuries of Islamic progress in science and math. A millennia later, the Arab world remains mired in an anti-rationalist sandpit, unable to break free of this edict.
A similar anti-rationalism is being propagated by zealous evangelicals who fear the truths being taught in public schools and universities. We will be doomed to the same fate as the Islamic world if this anti-rationalism takes hold.
You read it just now, too!
If you’re not already familiar, I think you should check out Alice Evans’ Substack, The Great Gender Divergence, here: https://www.ggd.world/
She has a lot of really interesting research on the cultural “water we swim in,” looking especially at gender equality. This recent piece on romantic love is a good place to start: https://www.ggd.world/p/romantic-love-is-an-under-rated-driver