Late-Antiquity Pause: I’m not an expert, just an interested observer, but in looking at art from this period — primarily painting and sculpture — I have the sense that, at some point, changes in taste — compare Imperial statues in the early to mid-Principate (Augustus of Prima Porta) to those in the Dominate (giant Constantine) — evolved into a definite de-skilling. The disappearance of an appreciation for and artistic understanding of three-dimensional perspective was part of it.
I'm not sure why Oren Cass says the GOP needs [fewer tax cuts and more labor unions]; they can adopt any policies or stances they want, at this extremely fraught time, so long as they embrace and empower the authoritarian overlords and pro-Confederacy masses. This combo, they calculate, will keep them in power AND trample on the people they hate, so it's a win-win. Why adopt popular policies when all you have to do is: support anti-democratic state-level legislation, and the people who put it into practice?? Confession: I am "allergic" to podcasts so I am going by the title of the piece, not the content. So I may have gotten everything wrong!
I have often suspected that feudal governments, based on personal loyalty deals, are the default form of government which humans revert to when other, more fragile forms of government collapse. Traditional agricultural households are certainly very feudal.
Worth noting: it isn't always the bullies who become feudal lords. It's often the people with the most charisma, who can attract the loyalty of people willing to fight for them. Sometimes the people with the most money, who can pay people to fight for them. The charisma in particular is exceptionally important; everyone in late-Roman politics understood this.
The difference in infection rates between England and New York is entirely due to vaccination rates. That in turn is due to a cultural difference - Brits tend to be much more supportive of authority while Americans much less so. It hasn't helped that vaccination rates in the US has been politicized as it has not in the UK, although both have anti-vaxx activists.
The US just seems to periodically do crazy things, from prohibition, anti-communist purges, anti-drugs wars...with a good dose of venerating know-nothings.
An amusing illustration of Brits following authority. As an ex-Brit myself, having lived in the US since 1988, I was going to a restaurant with my American girlfriend to listen to a singer. Our small table was located behind a pillar and would give a very poor view of the stage. I was somewhat taken aback when she just moved the table and chairs to a better location so we could watch the show. I had assumed that tables were fixed locations set by the owner. She considered that the tables were movable for the benefit of customers and saw no reason to accept the current location. These are ingrained habits and I still find it hard to ignore exhortations to "Keep off the Grass", and similarly annoyed when solicitors ignore my "No soliciting" signs at my front door.
Late-Antiquity Pause: I’m not an expert, just an interested observer, but in looking at art from this period — primarily painting and sculpture — I have the sense that, at some point, changes in taste — compare Imperial statues in the early to mid-Principate (Augustus of Prima Porta) to those in the Dominate (giant Constantine) — evolved into a definite de-skilling. The disappearance of an appreciation for and artistic understanding of three-dimensional perspective was part of it.
Yes...
Bret Devereaux began a series of posts today on this issue. See https://acoup.blog/2022/01/14/collections-rome-decline-and-fall-part-i-words/
Thanks much!
I'm not sure why Oren Cass says the GOP needs [fewer tax cuts and more labor unions]; they can adopt any policies or stances they want, at this extremely fraught time, so long as they embrace and empower the authoritarian overlords and pro-Confederacy masses. This combo, they calculate, will keep them in power AND trample on the people they hate, so it's a win-win. Why adopt popular policies when all you have to do is: support anti-democratic state-level legislation, and the people who put it into practice?? Confession: I am "allergic" to podcasts so I am going by the title of the piece, not the content. So I may have gotten everything wrong!
I have often suspected that feudal governments, based on personal loyalty deals, are the default form of government which humans revert to when other, more fragile forms of government collapse. Traditional agricultural households are certainly very feudal.
Worth noting: it isn't always the bullies who become feudal lords. It's often the people with the most charisma, who can attract the loyalty of people willing to fight for them. Sometimes the people with the most money, who can pay people to fight for them. The charisma in particular is exceptionally important; everyone in late-Roman politics understood this.
This definitely seems to be correct. See John Holbo: https://crookedtimber.org/2010/04/15/libertarianism-property-rights-and-self-ownership/
The difference in infection rates between England and New York is entirely due to vaccination rates. That in turn is due to a cultural difference - Brits tend to be much more supportive of authority while Americans much less so. It hasn't helped that vaccination rates in the US has been politicized as it has not in the UK, although both have anti-vaxx activists.
The US just seems to periodically do crazy things, from prohibition, anti-communist purges, anti-drugs wars...with a good dose of venerating know-nothings.
Interesting...
An amusing illustration of Brits following authority. As an ex-Brit myself, having lived in the US since 1988, I was going to a restaurant with my American girlfriend to listen to a singer. Our small table was located behind a pillar and would give a very poor view of the stage. I was somewhat taken aback when she just moved the table and chairs to a better location so we could watch the show. I had assumed that tables were fixed locations set by the owner. She considered that the tables were movable for the benefit of customers and saw no reason to accept the current location. These are ingrained habits and I still find it hard to ignore exhortations to "Keep off the Grass", and similarly annoyed when solicitors ignore my "No soliciting" signs at my front door.
Glad to see you’re reading Prof. Richardson.