tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19833734.post2691450945335598137..comments2024-02-22T19:21:40.330-05:00Comments on Muhlberger's World History: Is the past another country?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19833734.post-27245097827794756712010-03-08T14:46:36.378-05:002010-03-08T14:46:36.378-05:00Firmly agreed. "Oh, those wacky ancients! No ...Firmly agreed. "Oh, those wacky ancients! No one today would behave like that!"... Until you look around the world. Stoning women for being raped. In-laws banishing widows to the streets. Jealous lovers shooting up workplaces. There's nothing anachronistic about wanton violence, unfortunately.<br /><br />Additionally, his article paints a fairly friendly picture of the suitors of X. To reduce the crimes of his wife's suitors to "having dropped in for a visit and deciding to stay for several years..." is, well, understated. Here in the US, we felt so strongly about unwelcome armed houseguests, we even dedicated the 3rd Amendment to the issue.<br /><br />And the servant-women? They didn't just sleep around a bit; they actively conspired with the hostile houseguests against the lady of the house.Emrys Eustace, hygt Broomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01242091309304183692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19833734.post-35070924474362989772010-02-26T11:39:07.419-05:002010-02-26T11:39:07.419-05:00The past is still here - it is just unevenly distr...The past is still here - it is just unevenly distributedWill McLeanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14685409952186547597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19833734.post-3780977000522785122010-02-25T22:21:41.568-05:002010-02-25T22:21:41.568-05:00I expect it also depends on how you wee the other ...I expect it also depends on how you wee the other country. I have always thought of the quote in terms of the past being as alien and as familiar as another country in the here and now. Often people expect *their* past (i.e., the past of their country or people) to be more connected to their own values and ideas of heritage than they are, and have such a hard time separating it from their own experiences in comparison to the past of a culture that is already foreign. Conversely, the familiarity can help a person understand better, and seeing a familiarity in the past might also open up the possibility of seeing the familiarities in other cultures.Another Damned Medievalisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05231085915472400163noreply@blogger.com