Philosophical Question of the Day . . .

[ulthar]

If I got stuck in a time in the past, I'd like it to be in 1950s America...

If I got stuck in the past, I think I'd like it to be the Middle Ages...and someplace remote enough I could be left the hell alone.

But, it would have to be with no memory of modern times...I would not want to remember that better dental care exists, for example.  That's the single biggest problem I have with romanticizing past eras...I think it would be very, very difficult to give up modern medicine and dental science.  Modern tech (cars, computers, refrigerators, etc) I could do without.  Good, relatively pain free dental care?  Much less so.

But, if I did remember modern technology, I'd know a whole heap of chemistry that might turn out useful (some of it medicinal), so that's a trade-off.  Hmmm.  

[indianasmith]

I've always thought it would be fun to take a crateful of vaccines and antibiotics back to England in the 1530's and see how Henry VIII would have rewarded the physician who cured that nasty, ulcerating sore on his leg!!!

[Jack]

If I got stuck in a time in the past, I'd like it to be in 1950s America...

Yeah same here.  Post-WWII America seemed pretty awesome, at least from the way it's portrayed in movies.

[Flangepart]

I'm certainly not excusing Stalin's crimes, but I think Trotsky may have actually been worse. Trotsky vs Stalin is a common argument in commie circles and I think Trotsky was more neferious in some ways. he was an internationalist and not in a good way, whereas Stalin at least mainly killed his own people

Ah..." Mainly killed his own people" = Lesser of two evils...kinda.

[Rev. Powell]

If I got stuck in a time in the past, I'd like it to be in 1950s America...

Yeah same here.  Post-WWII America seemed pretty awesome, at least from the way it's portrayed in movies.

For a time to live in U.S. history I would say the Roaring 20s, except for Prohibition. I guess the my favorite period would be between the end of Reconstruction and before the beginning of Prohibition, 1880s to 1910s.

The 50s... I'd hang out with beatniks.

[Jack]

If I got stuck in a time in the past, I'd like it to be in 1950s America...

Yeah same here.  Post-WWII America seemed pretty awesome, at least from the way it's portrayed in movies.

For a time to live in U.S. history I would say the Roaring 20s, except for Prohibition. I guess the my favorite period would be between the end of Reconstruction and before the beginning of Prohibition, 1880s to 1910s.

The 50s... I'd hang out with beatniks.

Actually those speakeasies looked almost more fun than bars.  Some great jazz to listen to as well.

[lester1/2jr]

you could speak easily there which is good

[JaseSF]

I still want to hang out with beatniks...

[ER]

Good grief, L.B. Smith, I turn my back for thirty seconds and you choose that second to pose a philosophical question like this? Sheesh, man.  But then again I think you could've guessed my answer anyway. 

[indianasmith]

Nice to see you back here, me dear!!!

[ER]

New question.

I knew a Russian a few years ago* who said in Soviet schools they used to counter western criticisms by teaching kids that blaming Karl Marx for the wrongs done under Communism was like blaming Jesus for the slaughter of the Crusades.

Did the Communists have a valid point?


* Total perv, BTW.

[Flangepart]

New question.

I knew a Russian a few years ago* who said in Soviet schools they used to counter western criticisms by teaching kids that blaming Karl Marx for the wrongs done under Communism was like blaming Jesus for the slaughter of the Crusades.

Did the Communists have a valid point?
* Total perv, BTW.

Don't think so. Mass slaughter for Communist purposes fits the ideas behind Marxisim. Jesus never gave his followers permission to do that.

And my Favorite Marx is Groucho!

[indianasmith]

Apples to oranges.  Jesus preached kindness and love throughout his career; Marx was perfectly open about the
necessity of adopting brutal techniques and destroying family relationships to bring about the dictatorship of the
proletariat.  This reminds me of that quote I emailed you the other day, ER. 

Do you still have it?

[lester1/2jr]

Marxism as a political system is so strange. He was mainly an economist and his ideas are generally within the realm of classical economics. it does at it's base give a strong role to the state for central economic planning. At one point in the Soviet union they were slaughtering humpback whales on an absurd scale because...someone in some high post decided that number had to be killed.

Also, were the Crusades so awful? How unreasonable is it for Christians in that time to want access to their holy places? what else are they gonna do besides get the plague and have dirty puppet shows

[indianasmith]

I will say that the Crusades have been misrepresented.  The fact is that the Holy Land was under Muslim rule for 300 years without any mass Christian assaults - because the early caliphs allowed Christians continued access to all the shrines and holy places, albeit for a fee.  It was when the Seljuks took over and barred all access to the Holy Sites that the Pope Urban II called for a military expedition to "liberate" the Holy Land.  However, the massacre of Jews in Europe that preceded many of the Crusades was utterly uncalled for.  To be honest, taking up the sword was pretty much against everything Jesus actually taught in the Gospels.  Of course, most people did not know that because most people back then could not read.