For only $135,000.00 and its not real !!

Two thousand years later.....................not much has changed.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Very good points! And, yes, I agree. Personally, I feel the Republic died with the Gracchii...

 

Agreed. We just live similar sagas over and over... The Story of Man...

 

Truth! I worry for my sons and my grandson. What kind of world will they have to live in? What kind of government might they have to endure? But, at times of some clarity, I remember my folks saying very much the same about my generation. And I remember the even older folks sitting on the front porch clicking their tongues saying the world and our government has gone to hell in a hand basket. Yep, over and over again.

 

I've read some short articles about Brutus that indicate he might have been too much of an idealist who truly believed in a republic, and was too quick to assume that his contemporaries, especially Marc Antony, were equally disposed toward this type of government. That was his failing.

While I don't agree with this 100%, I do think that fundamental personal motivations -- power, domination, money, et al. -- are the same today as for the Romans, and result in many of the same problems that existed millennia ago.

This reminds me of my all-time favorite non-risque joke:

During the cold war, an American spy and a Russian spy who have grown to know each other well, are having a drink together in a bar. The Russian, having had a little too much vodka, looks at the American and asks "My comrade, do you know what the difference between capitalism and communism is?"

The American, also a bit four-sheets-to-the-wind, decides to hear the Russian's propaganda and innocently replies "No, dear comrade, why don't you tell me?"

To which the Russian mischievously replies: "In capitalism, man exploits his fellow man. In communism, it's the other way around."

 

I was referring to the illusion of democracies, republics, and other such egalitarian systems. They deceive the common citizen into thinking they have a say and that their needs are the needs of the state. When in truth, the wealthiest and most powerful control all decisions and their needs are the needs of the state.

Of this I have no illusions. I was just musing that this has not changed over the last two thousand years..

BTW Funny joke.

 

I believe many of us have the same feelings as you are expressing. No illusions. However, the aspiration of the Republican Ideal is good, and we settle for what we really get. I will say from my personal experience: I lived overseas prior to 9-11. I moved back to the States post 9-11. Virtually 2 different governments over a short time-span.


Brutus-Ahala
54 BCE
Sear 398 Crawford 433/2

This Denarius tells a BIG story...

 

All generations believe they are the last with any amount of sense. They read into history what is necessary to prove that fact. Brutus was a fanatic Republican convinced the last good in the state was when his ancestors killed tyrants. He even issued a coin showing them. Of course mine is a fourree. Was there any doubt it would be?


I like the quote by George Santayana, "Fanaticism consists in redoubling your efforts when you have forgotten your aim." He was the same guy more famous for, "Those who can not remember the past are condemned to repeat it." He also said, "the old man who will not laugh is a fool."

Yes, I took a class in Philosophy in college. Most of what I learned in Science classes no longer holds up to current thought but Philosophy has done better. One more: "Theory helps us bear our ignorance of fact."