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Why do we glorify horrible people from the distant past? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 3 months ago by Konis@sh.itjust.works to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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Julius Ceasar, Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and many more...

These people had beliefs and worldviews that were so horribly, by today's standards, that calling them fascist would be huge understatement. And they followed through by committing a lot of evil.

Aren't we basically glorifying the Hitlers of centuries past?

I know, historians always say that one should not judge historical figures by contemporary moral standards. But there's a difference between objectively studying history and actually glorifying these figures.

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[–] Blursty@lemmygrad.ml 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

Julius Ceasar wasn't so bad. Parenti's book The Assassination of Julius Caesar: A People's History of Ancient Rome is an interesting read, looking at his assassination as a reaction from the ruling class who felt threatened by his reformist policies that benefited the lower classes.

In general though we do seem to value the lives and experiences of people in even recent history as lesser. I don't know why, it's a good question.

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[–] gandalf_der_12te@lemmy.blahaj.zone 0 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

same feeling as when people talk fondly of "the great roman empire".

[–] sunzu2@thebrainbin.org 0 points 3 months ago

Bootlickers have a need for daddy worship.

[–] xiao@sh.itjust.works -1 points 3 months ago

Probably for the same reasons Benjamin Netanyahu was glorified in U.S.A. Congress a few weeks ago.

[–] blaue_Fledermaus@mstdn.io -4 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I posted this question on Mastodon some time ago:

Is there any modern geopolitical issue that can't be blamed on Alexander "the great"?

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[–] imaginepayingforred@lemm.ee -4 points 3 months ago

Are you seriously this naive? Or is this your first time reading about human history?

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