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Throw in Alexander, who committed genocide in Thebes and I believe mass "pacifications" in Afghanistan.
Throw in Caesar who sold entire Gallic tribes into slavery.
Throw in Shaka who not only destroyed entire other tribes, but reduced the population of his own by something like a quarter through mass murder.
And on, and on, and on. I don't even think I have to mention the atrocities of Genghis Khan, Timur, Richard I, Attila, etc.
These are not heroic, chivalrous liberators as often they are portrayed. They are misanthropic killers and should not be spoken of as anything but.
Frederick "the Great" particularly and explicitly hated everyone. He probably summed it up for all of them when he said: "the more I know people, the better I like dogs."
Throw in Alexander, who committed genocide in Thebes and I believe mass "pacifications" in Afghanistan.
Throw in Caesar who sold entire Gallic tribes into slavery.
Throw in Shaka who not only destroyed entire other tribes, but reduced the population of his own by something like a quarter through mass murder.
And on, and on, and on. I don't even think I have to mention the atrocities of Genghis Khan, Timur, Richard I, Attila, etc.
These are not heroic, chivalrous liberators as often they are portrayed. They are misanthropic killers and should not be spoken of as anything but.
Frederick "the Great" particularly and explicitly hated everyone. He probably summed it up for all of them when he said: "the more I know people, the better I like dogs."
So would you say its a waste of money to buy books on these figures? I am eyeing a 180 dollar book on napoleon. But can't make my mind up.
And shouldn't Clinton, Bush, Obama et all should also be considered misanthropic killers?
So would you say its a waste of money to buy books on these figures? I am eyeing a 180 dollar book on napoleon. But can't make my mind up.
And shouldn't Clinton, Bush, Obama et all should also be considered misanthropic killers?
Let's not get carried away. The article accuses Napoleon of crimes against humanity:
1.) Ethnic cleansing in his treatment of Slaves, and
2.) Execution of POWs in his Egyptian misadventures.
Both are historically accurate...but, and this is not to dismiss these crimes, but it was not unheard of during those times. Napolean was a product of his time, which had a certain contradictory approach. Slavery still existed and the view that certain men were not equal to others was still for the most part a world-wide concept. Also, the execution of prisoners of war was accepted when mandated for strategic reasons (although it was not common). At the same time, and in reference to the contradictions, war was viewed as a certain civilized event that was not supposed to involve civilians (at least in theory, that certainly wasn't the case in the Peninsula Campaigns).
But I see no comparison with Hitler in either depth or breath...or purpose. We are talking about 1,000s here, compared to Hitler's millions that died in the gas chambers. Also, Napolean had no illusion of French master-race superiority (he wasn't French, for one thing). I can't even say his purpose for aggression and war was due to some incentive to expand the values of the French Revolution, I doubt he cared, particularly when he made himself emperor, although I am sure he waived that flag to inspire his own countrymen. Hitler on the contrary had almost a religious goal in place in terms of impact and his motivation - expansion of the German master race. In that goal, he would not only conquer, but destroy the regions and the peoples he conquered.
Now, the article is one thing, but I blame Napoleon for other aspects that are not mentioned in the article. Namely these two items:
1.) Creating the concept of the modern police state, as France turned into once he came to power. His lessons were not unnoticed by later tyrants and became stepping stones to the German Nazi Gestapo and SS...and also to Soviet Russian internal KGB control.
2.) His rule (and the French Revolution before it) brought on two decades of almost continuous warfare to the European continent. I think I read somewhere that it effectively killed 5% of the European population from direct battle deaths, famine, and desiese.
All this being said, he and this period is still a fascinating area of historical study. You can still buy a book on Napoleon, doesn't mean you have to worship the guy.
There is a real problem out there:
So many books have been written on almost any subject. What can anyone add to the history of famous figures? Not much. At least not as much to convince millions to purchase their new book (which is all that counts). The only remaining way is to make it more sensational, more out of ordinary. It has to compete with tabloids, internet, blogs, TV reality shows. Don't forget the many "historical reality" programs with people searching for a lost giant human race in America, or the ark of the covenant hidden under the left paw of the Sphinx...
Some other things we HAVE TO KNOW: Lincoln was a vampire slayer, Alexander the Great was gay and FDR kept multiple mistresses...Welcome to the new history!
There is a real problem out there:
So many books have been written on almost any subject. What can anyone add to the history of famous figures? Not much. At least not as much to convince millions to purchase their new book (which is all that counts). The only remaining way is to make it more sensational, more out of ordinary. It has to compete with tabloids, internet, blogs, TV reality shows. Don't forget the many "historical reality" programs with people searching for a lost giant human race in America, or the ark of the covenant hidden under the left paw of the Sphinx...
Some other things we HAVE TO KNOW: Lincoln was a vampire slasher, Alexander the Great was gay and FDR kept multiple mistresses...Welcome to the new history!
So true. So true.
I sometimes feel this fast pace of life is destroying our artistic integrity. Today we must compete with so many other factors. I fear the day the Mona Lisa or Blade Runner would be just a footnote in history.
But what the new books have is the insight from all the older books on a subject. For example the new napoleon book is published after 11,000(yes that many) personal letters of napoleon were opened to the author. So it is obvious he has the last and final say.
So true. So true.
I fear the day the Mona Lisa or Blade Runner would be just a footnote in history.
What do you see as the consequence that causes you to be afraid?
My feeling is that there is no such thing as a particular piece of art which is vital to the survival of civilization or even necessary to its happiness.
Consider all of the ancient art which has crumbled, been lost, stolen or destroyed over the centuries. Are you personally suffering as a result?
What do you see as the consequence that causes you to be afraid?
My feeling is that there is no such thing as a particular piece of art which is vital to the survival of civilization or even necessary to its happiness.
Consider all of the ancient art which has crumbled, been lost, stolen or destroyed over the centuries. Are you personally suffering as a result?
Apologies for the late reply. I had seen your comment a few hours after you posted and it totally skipped my mind to reply back, even though I find it a fascinating question.
My opinion:
No piece of art is vital for survival of a civilization, society or even an individual(even the creator of the art), or even a contributory to happiness(although wouldn't you say temporarily they do bring joy; many works of cinema have, Disney placed its foundation on this ideology)
You are also correct in that so many art work of ancient history has been lost to time and I am personally not suffering. But perhaps I would have if I had overseen them, owned them or understood their worth to me.
I am sounding like a broken record lately but I genuinely feel that great art, which comes out of the soul is in danger of extinction. The internet, the me me me attitude, the fast paced society will perhaps ensure that great films like 2001 ASO or Dali and Gaughin's work are forgotten. That will make me sad. I have a bluray of 2001 and when no one wants to watch it because it's too long and boring, I won't lie it does bother me.
Have you fact-checked the many assertions in the article? That should be fairly easy to do, and that's where I would begin if this was something in which I was interested.
Some of the assertions seem, to me at least, to be a good bit more fantasy than fact. But hey, that's just me.
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