One commenter seems to have missed the point, however. The point, as I read it, was not so much that the Greeks retaliated, but that their retaliation was entirely misdirected. Helen was in Egypt, not Troy.
In the case of the US, the war in Afghanistan was originally a half-hearted enterprise, starved for resources that were expended in Iraq, a country that had nothing to do with the Sept. 11 attack.
An excellent view of a sordid landscape of behavioral anomalies.
The amygdala, working with the reptilian brain, is not prone to rational, calculated, measured responses in such premises.
We are entering a new phase of science that may give us answers we are still not able to fathom or accept with rational, calculated, measured responses.
I suspect that Helen was an excuse not the reason and her being in Egypt an inconvenience. The Greeks, generally, were a bunch of thugs. They were constantly stealing from each other, thus the continual warfare. The Spartans were the least admirable of the lot.
Posted by: James F Traynor | Sep 26, 2011 4:30:15 PM
Thank you for another excellent article. All about overkill that the United States has specialized in for a long time, as the country gobbles up the world's resources for its corporate overlords.
Posted by: Louise Gordon | Sep 26, 2011 11:12:22 PM
“Common sense is not so common.”
― Voltaire
Reading this I just remember that Herodotus was called even when he was alive " the Father of Lies". The long description of Herodotus description of the causes of the Trojan war (based by Ionian story-tellers and oral tradition) was compared by the author with 9/11 act of terror and the Afghanistan war. I don't see any base to this comparison (Al-Qaeda was and is in Afghanistan) and on the same Herodotus (hi)story, the WWI or II or the Third crusade or the Punic wars may replace easily 9/11 in this article. Why not?
(BTW the real causes of Trojan war were probably the control of Dardanelles,the narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara by Troy and the high taxes demanded for passing. More logical.)
However the article has to be remember as being an excellent example of how someone may take no matter what subject and to compare with other very different subject and, as a circus magician, to produce an illusion. Applause. Bravo.
But maybe this strange comparison has a sense and a purpose. "Ceterum autem censeo, Carthaginem esse delendam" ("Furthermore, I think Carthage must be destroyed") said Cato the elder ending his speeches with this expression even if he had not been discussing Carthage in the speech. And here United States of America...
Louise...My magic is art, Namit magic is illusion and léger de main. I want to produce smiles and pleasure; to tell benign stories by my sculptures; he has another purpose.
If it hadn't been for WWI, the US entanglement begun by peace candidate Woodrow Wilson, there might have not been WWII.
But war seems not to disturb you, the million or so deaths in Iraq, an invasion whose purpose was to find nonexistent WMD. How about the Viet Nam War? Still think the United States was serving a noble purpose, spreading democracy and freedom?
Posted by: Louise Gordon | Sep 28, 2011 1:19:20 AM
Louise, this is pure demagogy and a personal attack (twice, speaking once about my sculptures and then my wrongly presumed opinion about the war). I said only that comparison between Troy and 9/11 is illogical and unfounded and I believe (and here it was my comparison!)that the author, Namit Arora, has a political agenda as Cato the elder.
Logic in his article I didn't find, neither in your intervention. Even if your opinion coincide with those of the author, I still do not see any similitude between Herodotus version, Paris, Priam, Menelaus,Helena and...9/11 and the Afghanistan war.
I will end this by quoting Shakespeare that wrote about the Trojan war :
"The common curse of mankind,-folly and ignorance."
Troilus and Cressida, 2. 3
No, Mirel, I think you have now attacked both me and Namit. Just read what you have written. You define your magic sculptures as benign, but insinuate that Namit's purpose is malevolent.
It is good, however, that you end your sermonettes with quotations from Shakespeare and Eric Hoffer.
What greater folly than war?
Posted by: Louise Gordon | Sep 28, 2011 11:44:02 AM
Comments
Perhaps this author could point to a civilization that suffered such an attack and did not retaliate?
Posted by: AM | Sep 26, 2011 9:10:57 AM
______________________________________________The example of Japan not even considering a retaliation for Hiroshima and Nagasaki comes to mind. They fell into line with the despised West.
Posted by: kirk | Sep 26, 2011 12:01:56 PM
______________________________________________Thank you for the great essay.
One commenter seems to have missed the point, however. The point, as I read it, was not so much that the Greeks retaliated, but that their retaliation was entirely misdirected. Helen was in Egypt, not Troy.
In the case of the US, the war in Afghanistan was originally a half-hearted enterprise, starved for resources that were expended in Iraq, a country that had nothing to do with the Sept. 11 attack.
Ian
Posted by: Ian Kaplan | Sep 26, 2011 1:26:12 PM
______________________________________________A very perceptive analogy, Namit.
Posted by: M73 | Sep 26, 2011 1:28:07 PM
______________________________________________An excellent view of a sordid landscape of behavioral anomalies.
The amygdala, working with the reptilian brain, is not prone to rational, calculated, measured responses in such premises.
We are entering a new phase of science that may give us answers we are still not able to fathom or accept with rational, calculated, measured responses.
Posted by: Dredd | Sep 26, 2011 2:25:03 PM
______________________________________________I suspect that Helen was an excuse not the reason and her being in Egypt an inconvenience. The Greeks, generally, were a bunch of thugs. They were constantly stealing from each other, thus the continual warfare. The Spartans were the least admirable of the lot.
Posted by: James F Traynor | Sep 26, 2011 4:30:15 PM
______________________________________________Namit,
Thank you for another excellent article. All about overkill that the United States has specialized in for a long time, as the country gobbles up the world's resources for its corporate overlords.
Posted by: Louise Gordon | Sep 26, 2011 11:12:22 PM
______________________________________________“Common sense is not so common.”
― Voltaire
Reading this I just remember that Herodotus was called even when he was alive " the Father of Lies". The long description of Herodotus description of the causes of the Trojan war (based by Ionian story-tellers and oral tradition) was compared by the author with 9/11 act of terror and the Afghanistan war. I don't see any base to this comparison (Al-Qaeda was and is in Afghanistan) and on the same Herodotus (hi)story, the WWI or II or the Third crusade or the Punic wars may replace easily 9/11 in this article. Why not?
(BTW the real causes of Trojan war were probably the control of Dardanelles,the narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara by Troy and the high taxes demanded for passing. More logical.)
However the article has to be remember as being an excellent example of how someone may take no matter what subject and to compare with other very different subject and, as a circus magician, to produce an illusion. Applause. Bravo.
But maybe this strange comparison has a sense and a purpose. "Ceterum autem censeo, Carthaginem esse delendam" ("Furthermore, I think Carthage must be destroyed") said Cato the elder ending his speeches with this expression even if he had not been discussing Carthage in the speech. And here United States of America...
Posted by: Mirel | Sep 27, 2011 8:44:32 AM
______________________________________________Mirel,
I think you may be confusing Namit's article with your magic colored sculptures.
Posted by: Louise Gordon | Sep 27, 2011 11:37:32 AM
______________________________________________Louise...My magic is art, Namit magic is illusion and léger de main. I want to produce smiles and pleasure; to tell benign stories by my sculptures; he has another purpose.
Posted by: Mirel | Sep 28, 2011 12:59:35 AM
______________________________________________Namit's article is not illusion. It is accurate.
If it hadn't been for WWI, the US entanglement begun by peace candidate Woodrow Wilson, there might have not been WWII.
But war seems not to disturb you, the million or so deaths in Iraq, an invasion whose purpose was to find nonexistent WMD. How about the Viet Nam War? Still think the United States was serving a noble purpose, spreading democracy and freedom?
Posted by: Louise Gordon | Sep 28, 2011 1:19:20 AM
______________________________________________Louise, this is pure demagogy and a personal attack (twice, speaking once about my sculptures and then my wrongly presumed opinion about the war). I said only that comparison between Troy and 9/11 is illogical and unfounded and I believe (and here it was my comparison!)that the author, Namit Arora, has a political agenda as Cato the elder.
Logic in his article I didn't find, neither in your intervention. Even if your opinion coincide with those of the author, I still do not see any similitude between Herodotus version, Paris, Priam, Menelaus,Helena and...9/11 and the Afghanistan war.
I will end this by quoting Shakespeare that wrote about the Trojan war :
"The common curse of mankind,-folly and ignorance."
Troilus and Cressida, 2. 3
Posted by: Mirel | Sep 28, 2011 3:55:38 AM
______________________________________________No, Mirel, I think you have now attacked both me and Namit. Just read what you have written. You define your magic sculptures as benign, but insinuate that Namit's purpose is malevolent.
It is good, however, that you end your sermonettes with quotations from Shakespeare and Eric Hoffer.
What greater folly than war?
Posted by: Louise Gordon | Sep 28, 2011 11:44:02 AM