What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[Norgy]

From Reddit, a book store in Oslo.

I visit that store every damned time I have to go to that cesspool of filth that is Oslo.

One of the few non-chain bookstores.

Run by communists and anarchists. Every day is a day in the Catalunian free community.

[The Brain]

From Reddit, a book store in Oslo.

I visit that store every damned time I have to go to that cesspool of filth that is Oslo.

One of the few non-chain bookstores.

Run by communists and anarchists. Every day is a day in the Catalunian free community.

Can you just take books and go?

[Norgy]

If you return them, yes. 

[The Brain]

If you return them, yes. 

 

[Norgy]

We're not great readers anymore in Norway. Mostly, Norwegians read Clungia O'Mahpussy's "Dry Months, Wet Nights" rather than something informative.

Spoiler for O'Mahpussy's latest: If you can't find the clit, say you are a Christian and ban abortions.

[mongers]

Is he aware both Athens and Rome did, in fact, decline?

Don't tell him about Gibbon's thesis. His head might explode.

Rome fell because of the enemy within, the Christians. No wait, Christianity is a force for good, the empire didn't fall but merely evolved, taking ideas and influences from illegal immigrants.  No wait, that's not it either. It fell because of economic reasons, yes. The huge gap between rich and poor, the fabulously wealthy people in power enriching themselves no no wait...

 

Very good.

[Norgy]

In Peter Heather's view, and assorted rightists, Rome fell because of those pesky immigrants.

Which, I suppose, is correct to some degree. If you discount those immigrants being essential to defeating immigrants like Attila.

[Razgovory]

In Peter Heather's view, and assorted rightists, Rome fell because of those pesky immigrants.

Which, I suppose, is correct to some degree. If you discount those immigrants being essential to defeating immigrants like Attila.

I have seen fairly similar claims online claiming that the Republic fell because of the influx of foreign workers put Roman citizens out of a job.  While this was certainly a factor, it is an odd way to describe slavery.  Also I saw some people claiming it was caused by public debt, which surprised me.

[crazy canuck]

Foreign workers putting Romans out of work was certainly a factor?

What has happened to the American educational system?

The lack of further conquests and so the lack of additional slaves and the spoils of war enriching Romans is a bit better of an explanation.

[Valmy]

In Peter Heather's view, and assorted rightists, Rome fell because of those pesky immigrants.

Which, I suppose, is correct to some degree. If you discount those immigrants being essential to defeating immigrants like Attila.

I have seen fairly similar claims online claiming that the Republic fell because of the influx of foreign workers put Roman citizens out of a job.  While this was certainly a factor, it is an odd way to describe slavery.  Also I saw some people claiming it was caused by public debt, which surprised me.

Public debt? Well I guess debasement of the currency was essentially the same thing. And that did happen.

Population decline caused by infectious diseases was another factor.

[The Minsky Moment]

The decline of Rome in the western regions was overdetermined I think.  Perhaps a better question is why it didn't collapse in the 3rd century.  I think a lot of what passes for explanations for the "fall" may be mistaking symptoms for causes, or confusing cause with effect.

[The Minsky Moment]

Back to the sort of point . . . if one is going to place Christianity at the heart of "Western Civilization" it means placing the broader Levant - a crescent from Asia minor through Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, the Hedjaz, Yemen, and Egypt - into a central position in that civilization.  And if you do that, you have to accept that Islam is a core aspect of "Western Civilization" so conceived.  Which defeats the whole point these people have for using the concept.

[The Brain]

The end of the Republic started with the Gnocchi.

[Valmy]

The end of the Republic started with the Gnocchi.

[crazy canuck]

Back to the sort of point . . . if one is going to place Christianity at the heart of "Western Civilization" it means placing the broader Levant - a crescent from Asia minor through Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, the Hedjaz, Yemen, and Egypt - into a central position in that civilization.  And if you do that, you have to accept that Islam is a core aspect of "Western Civilization" so conceived.  Which defeats the whole point these people have for using the concept.

Also, if one is going to link "Western Civilization" directly to ancient Greece and Rome then all the Islamic scholars responsible for transmitting that knowledge to the "West" are owed a debt of gratitude.