As a young man in the late nineteenth century, Jody’s grandfather led his people westward to California. But now in the twilight of his life, in the 1930s, he is considered a doddering old fool because he lives in the past. Grandfather is speaking. “It wasn’t the Indians that were important, nor adventure, nor even getting out here. It was a whole bunch of people made into one crawling beast. And I was the head. It was westering and westering…
Alexander the Great is another famous example. Supposedly he wept when there were no more worlds to conquer. Although I have been reading a book about him. It seems that after conquering the vast Persian Empire, taking an army across the Hindu Kush -- an amazing feat in itself -- conquering Afghanistan and much of India, his Macedonians stopped and refused to go any further. They just wanted to go home.
That's exactly right. After a decade of expansion, they had had enough. He brooded over it. From what little I know, his military exploits were extraordinary. Bohemund of Tara.... something, made a name for himself as a leader of the first Crusade; his success was so intoxicating that he became addicted to crusades, and kept retuning to it.. I think there are maybe two types of nostalgia: desiring to recreate personal past glories, and recreating the feeling of exhilarating purpose. Thanks for your comment, Michael.
You're certainly on to something there. People really need goals. You mentioned the Viet Nam era. You had those you mentioned swept up in the anti war movement. You had Americans gaining the same feelings from fighting in Viet Nam and opposing an incipient malevolent totalitarian force. You had Communists similarly engaged in fighting the evils of capitalism, and others getting satisfaction in totally other ways.
Thanks for your comment, David. The negative of this kind of transcendent purpose, is that once you have categorized the other side as "an incipient, malevolent, totalitarian force," then "any means necessary" becomes justified.
Alexander the Great is another famous example. Supposedly he wept when there were no more worlds to conquer. Although I have been reading a book about him. It seems that after conquering the vast Persian Empire, taking an army across the Hindu Kush -- an amazing feat in itself -- conquering Afghanistan and much of India, his Macedonians stopped and refused to go any further. They just wanted to go home.
Maybe there is a lesson that too.
That's exactly right. After a decade of expansion, they had had enough. He brooded over it. From what little I know, his military exploits were extraordinary. Bohemund of Tara.... something, made a name for himself as a leader of the first Crusade; his success was so intoxicating that he became addicted to crusades, and kept retuning to it.. I think there are maybe two types of nostalgia: desiring to recreate personal past glories, and recreating the feeling of exhilarating purpose. Thanks for your comment, Michael.
You're certainly on to something there. People really need goals. You mentioned the Viet Nam era. You had those you mentioned swept up in the anti war movement. You had Americans gaining the same feelings from fighting in Viet Nam and opposing an incipient malevolent totalitarian force. You had Communists similarly engaged in fighting the evils of capitalism, and others getting satisfaction in totally other ways.
Thanks for your comment, David. The negative of this kind of transcendent purpose, is that once you have categorized the other side as "an incipient, malevolent, totalitarian force," then "any means necessary" becomes justified.
There’s a lot of that going around.