Suggested Reading for AZGF...

[Wedgebuster]

Got a funny James Michener story:
So when I was living in Baltimore the house we lived in had a small Study / Library that my dad used to sit in an read on weekends and after work... so for like 3 years a hard back copy of James Michener's epic tomb "Chesapeake" sat on a small reading table in the library...

years go by

One day:
Me:Hey Dad, why is that book always sitting there
Dad: Because I'm reading it
Me: It's been sitting there for three years
Dad: It's a long book


Later he admitted to A) Never finishing that book B) Hating James Michener

Hey now, Michener is a UNC alumn.

Hey, Dick server, you ain't helping his cause. He would have spit on your point of view.

Not trying to be mean here, just pointing out the facts.

[Grizo406]

Hey now, Michener is a UNC alumn.

Hey, Dick server, you ain't helping his cause. He would have spit on your point of view.

Not trying to be mean here, just pointing out the facts.

[CID1990]

Chizz, IMO I would add Gibbon to your suggested reading list. He provides some very interesting parallels to our own predicament right now. One central theme is the loss of homogeneity. Whether it be racial, religious, moral, whatever... it is the destroyer of nations. That's not very politically correct, but democracies tend to break down when there are too many differing interests.

[Skjellyfetti]

Chizz, IMO I would add Gibbon to your suggested reading list. He provides some very interesting parallels to our own predicament right now. One central theme is the loss of homogeneity. Whether it be racial, religious, moral, whatever... it is the destroyer of nations. That's not very politically correct, but democracies tend to break down when there are too many differing interests.

Holy crap that is a simplistic view of Gibbon. That book is freaking huge and covers a shit ton of reasons. Anyone with any ideology can pick out arguments to match their own beliefs. And I really don't believe the loss of homogeneity is a "central theme" of his work by any stretch of the imagination.

Someone with a liberal bent could cite Gibbon's ideas on the rise of Christianity in Rome, ease at which the wealthy evaded taxes and shifted the burden to the poor, hiring of mercenaries to fight wars, etc.

But, seriously... you blatantly cherrypicked "loss of homogeneity" to try to fit your ideology. Really weak.

[D1B]

Chizz, IMO I would add Gibbon to your suggested reading list. He provides some very interesting parallels to our own predicament right now. One central theme is the loss of homogeneity. Whether it be racial, religious, moral, whatever... it is the destroyer of nations. That's not very politically correct, but democracies tend to break down when there are too many differing interests.

Holy crap that is a simplistic view of Gibbon. That book is freaking huge and covers a shit ton of reasons. Anyone with any ideology can pick out arguments to match their own beliefs. And I really don't believe the loss of homogeneity is a "central theme" of his work by any stretch of the imagination.

Someone with a liberal bent could cite Gibbon's ideas on the rise of Christianity in Rome, ease at which the wealthy evaded taxes and shifted the burden to the poor, hiring of mercenaries to fight wars, etc.

But, seriously... you blatantly cherrypicked "loss of homogeneity" to try to fit your ideology. Really weak.

Nice beat down.

[houndawg]

Chizz, IMO I would add Gibbon to your suggested reading list. He provides some very interesting parallels to our own predicament right now. One central theme is the loss of homogeneity. Whether it be racial, religious, moral, whatever... it is the destroyer of nations. That's not very politically correct, but democracies tend to break down when there are too many differing interests.

Mormons, our secret weapon in China.

[CID1990]

Chizz, IMO I would add Gibbon to your suggested reading list. He provides some very interesting parallels to our own predicament right now. One central theme is the loss of homogeneity. Whether it be racial, religious, moral, whatever... it is the destroyer of nations. That's not very politically correct, but democracies tend to break down when there are too many differing interests.

Holy crap that is a simplistic view of Gibbon. That book is freaking huge and covers a **** ton of reasons. Anyone with any ideology can pick out arguments to match their own beliefs. And I really don't believe the loss of homogeneity is a "central theme" of his work by any stretch of the imagination.

Someone with a liberal bent could cite Gibbon's ideas on the rise of Christianity in Rome, ease at which the wealthy evaded taxes and shifted the burden to the poor, hiring of mercenaries to fight wars, etc.

But, seriously... you blatantly cherrypicked "loss of homogeneity" to try to fit your ideology. Really weak.

That's why I said ONE of the central themes. Gibbon is comprehensive. He was also the first to outline social homogeneity, but MANY social scientists since then have echoed the theory, some for ill and some for good. I suggested Gibbon because he is a good starting place, because he was the first to publish the downfall of Rome in a cause-effect manner. If you think I base my political and social belief system on one portion of one author's work, then you are either an idiot or just trying to be intentionally insulting.

For that matter, all the things you listed, particularly the rise of Christianity, tax evasion by the rich, and the use of mercenary forces to maintain the Empire wer symptoms of the loss of social homogeneity. So in effect you are just bolstering my argument. I am sure you think I am just talking about immigration and brown people in America, but then that's what I would expect you to think.

[Chizzang]

This was the last thread we were debating when I checked out... (I think)
Can we pick this fascinating discussion back up where we left off - okay let me see - AZGF is poorly read but somehow thinks he knows everything and assumes if he has an opinion that it's automatically correct because it's his opinion - all further discussion null and void

Okay, so where were we hit me somebody...

[AZGrizFan]

This was the last thread we were debating when I checked out... (I think)
Can we pick this fascinating discussion back up where we left off - okay let me see - AZGF is poorly read but somehow thinks he knows everything and assumes if he has an opinion that it's automatically correct because it's his opinion - all further discussion null and void

Okay, so where were we hit me somebody...

No, you've about got it.

/thread.

[native]

**** that, he needs to read A People's History of the United States before he even thinks about tackling world history.

[Grizalltheway]

**** that, he needs to read A People's History of the United States before he even thinks about tackling world history.

[travelinman67]

Did one of those spammers hack Hippie's name/password?

WTF prompted him to jump in over here after disappearing for so long?

[kalm]

Did one of those spammers hack Hippie's name/password?

WTF prompted him to jump in over here after disappearing for so long?

Should we break it to him that since he left, we've debated the same old things but actually were able to come up with some solutions?

[AZGrizFan]

Did one of those spammers hack Hippie's name/password?

WTF prompted him to jump in over here after disappearing for so long?

Should we break it to him that since he left, we've debated the same old things but actually were able to come up with some solutions?

That would break his little Harvard heart...

[Ivytalk]

Should we break it to him that since he left, we've debated the same old things but actually were able to come up with some solutions?

That would break his little Harvard heart...

Say what?

[JoltinJoe]

That would break his little Harvard heart...

Say what?

Not to fear. You have a big Harvard heart.

[Ibanez]

I just picked up a new book called The End by Ian Kershaw. It details the Third Reich from after the July 1944 assassination attempt on Hitler to a few weeks after thier surrender in 1945. He says in the preface that he researched how a gov't and a people, who knew the end was near, could continue to hold on and fight for dear life. Up until the end, the Nazis continued and increased thier horrific atrocities against Jews, Catholics, foreigners, etc... He uses examples and lessons from the civilian population, as well as the military and government. So far, it is a great read into those last months, from the eyes of the German.

After this, I have a book on the Civil War from the British perspective. This one should be good as well.

[Ivytalk]

Say what?

Not to fear. You have a big Harvard heart.

Thanks, JJ! And a Merry Christmas to you and yours!