Poppies! I’ve had a vague feeling that something was going wrong in our civilisation since the late 90s. Looking back over history there were many phases of civilisational shifts and decline. One of the features of every revival was a back-to-basics approach when it came to foundational texts. Famously in the Renaissance, but also during the Carolingian renaissance, the American revolution, the early imperial phase in Rome and plenty of others. Incidentally, the only reason we know so much about the Sumerian civilisation is because thousands of their cuneiform texts were preserved in Babylon 2000 years later.
Rambling on, I have been building a library of classics, in good, sturdy editions and in original language and translation. Whenever I feel a bit down I look at the shelves and think “we can rebuild. It’s all there and Google can do jack to alter or remove it.”
As a side note, moving all over the world with 6k books in tow isn’t something I’d recommend.
I appreciate your positive outlook, but I don’t think the world has ever been subjected to the technology of today that will allow the bad guys to control us like never before. Hundreds of years of democracy will be exchanged for massive surveillance and control. Even over our own bodily autonomy such as “you must take the jab or else….. It may be that we can only rebuild as much as “those in control will allow”. Please tell me why you think it could go differently? I need another view that gives me hope.
Poppies! I’ve had a vague feeling that something was going wrong in our civilisation since the late 90s. Looking back over history there were many phases of civilisational shifts and decline. One of the features of every revival was a back-to-basics approach when it came to foundational texts. Famously in the Renaissance, but also during the Carolingian renaissance, the American revolution, the early imperial phase in Rome and plenty of others. Incidentally, the only reason we know so much about the Sumerian civilisation is because thousands of their cuneiform texts were preserved in Babylon 2000 years later.
Rambling on, I have been building a library of classics, in good, sturdy editions and in original language and translation. Whenever I feel a bit down I look at the shelves and think “we can rebuild. It’s all there and Google can do jack to alter or remove it.”
As a side note, moving all over the world with 6k books in tow isn’t something I’d recommend.
A wonderful Sunday to you and yours!
Thank you for sharing and I would like to visit your library one day... I would probably never leave though... 📚
I was going to post a photo but that’s not possible it appears.
One really needs some kind of plan, otherwise one does indeed get lost, never to return.
I appreciate your positive outlook, but I don’t think the world has ever been subjected to the technology of today that will allow the bad guys to control us like never before. Hundreds of years of democracy will be exchanged for massive surveillance and control. Even over our own bodily autonomy such as “you must take the jab or else….. It may be that we can only rebuild as much as “those in control will allow”. Please tell me why you think it could go differently? I need another view that gives me hope.
Perhaps this helps a little… I know it is often easier said than done but definitely time to take a stand https://twitter.com/hojoundo/status/1530685666350313472?s=21&t=PrG03G7iYferLbx8Ve19wg