"The Ancient Greeks and Global Warming"

[Viggen]

Greek culture, as Seaford sees it, insisted on the culture of limit. And that has implications for environmental issues too. The modern disregard for the signs of global warming is reminiscent of Greek stories of those who allow their limitless desires to bring about their own destruction (sometimes even when they know what the consequences of their desires wlll be). One of these is the myth of Erisichthon, who first of all destroys a tree in the grove of the nymphs, in such a way that it brings down most of the grove -- and then, in punishment, is afflicted with insatiable desire for food in the midst of a famine and ends up consuming his own body.

 

more at the Times Online

 

p.s. and who recognizes the lady at the end of the article

[caldrail]

It's not that simple in my view. There have always been human beings who make sure they don't disturb the enviroment and those who frankly wouldn't care until it's time to save their own necks. Some native american tribes used to place animal skulls on trees, to show the area had been hunted and as a mark of respect to the animal spirit - so there would be food there again later, and not simply hunted and eaten.

 

Then again, their ancestors have often been accused of killing off the mammoth by overhunting (and to be fair, by indirect means too). It is known that some plains tribes had a habit of stampeding herds off a cliff rather than hunt as such. I imagine they found out how quickly they killed off the local food supply.

 

Just because one greek had this idea to preserve enough food stocks for the future doesn't mean greek culture was all about limits. That seems an artificial concept to me and one I doubt the greeks were concerned with, given how unrestrained they were in competitions and such.

 

After all, the Romans inherited much of greek culture and they hardly understood what limits meant. So.. was it culture? Or the mindset of few within it?

[Antiochus III]

I think this is just perpetuating the idea that the ancient Greeks were better than their contemporaries and, in some ways, modern society. I simply do not believe that this was really the case, and I certainly think their culture is given too much credit--as our democracy in the United States today is given too much credit. I see few examples of how much greater the Greek institutions and overall efficiency as a people was in comparison to the other civilizations.

 

ATG

 

Edit: As caldrail points out, there were several Greeks ( philosophers and such ) that had certain ideas and possibly expressed themselves in a way that was aggrandizing in the sense that what they wrote made them appear intellectually and spiritually superior to their peers. Obviously, the writings of a few educated elite means little in terms of the society's opinions in general.

 

Also, generalizing societies in this way is ridiculous, to be frank.

Edited July 8, 2009 by Antiochus III

[sylla]

Congratulations to UNRV member Flavia Gemina!!!

 

From Mary Beard's article at Viggen's link (SIC):

 

" The other highlight of the conference came at dinner after the Seaford lecture.

It was the presentation of the Classical Association prize (for enhancing the public understanding of Classics) to Caroline Lawrence, author of the brilliant series of Roman Mysteries for kids (Famous Five go to Pompeii, as she jokingly and far too self-deprecatingly put it)".

 

A nice pic is also there.

Edited July 10, 2009 by sylla

[Formosus Viriustus]

Maybe the Ancient Greeks can also teach us a thing or two about the dangers of secondary smoking ?

 

FV

[Northern Neil]

When this thread opened, it was merely suggested that an ancient Greek story could have relevance to us vis-a-vis our current culture of excess and waste. A reasonable opinion in my view. Similarly, people with strong religious views see all sorts of meaning in books written by other peoples in ancient times; I note that the phrase 'Judge not lest ye be judged' cropped up in a recent topic.

 

So, the Ancient Greeks may not have a direct message about secondary smoking, but I would guess that somewhere there might be a statement regarding effecting other people's health by satisfyng our own cravings. People are people in any age, and then - as now - there were some people who spoke a lot of sense.

[Formosus Viriustus]

When this thread opened, it was merely suggested that an ancient Greek story could have relevance to us vis-a-vis our current culture of excess and waste. A reasonable opinion in my view. Similarly, people with strong religious views see all sorts of meaning in books written by other peoples in ancient times; I note that the phrase 'Judge not lest ye be judged' cropped up in a recent topic.

 

So, the Ancient Greeks may not have a direct message about secondary smoking, but I would guess that somewhere there might be a statement regarding effecting other people's health by satisfyng our own cravings. People are people in any age, and then - as now - there were some people who spoke a lot of sense.

 

Probably then more than now.

 

FV

[Formosus Viriustus]

When this thread opened, it was merely suggested that an ancient Greek story could have relevance to us vis-a-vis our current culture of excess and waste. A reasonable opinion in my view. Similarly, people with strong religious views see all sorts of meaning in books written by other peoples in ancient times; I note that the phrase 'Judge not lest ye be judged' cropped up in a recent topic.

 

So, the Ancient Greeks may not have a direct message about secondary smoking, but I would guess that somewhere there might be a statement regarding effecting other people's health by satisfyng our own cravings. People are people in any age, and then - as now - there were some people who spoke a lot of sense.

We might learn from the Ancient Greeks to stop smoking and we might learn to go on foot like them instead of driving around in cars killing pedestrians and cyclists by running them over and poisoning them with exhaust fumes.

 

If all anti-tobacco fanatics would do away their cars instead of demonizing people who do no harm to anybody, they might really do something to safeguard other people's health and really do something to stop the complete destruction of the planet.

I think we do not need any wise Greek statements for that.

 

But maybe the Ancient Greeks have a wise statement on how to live ecologically in a world that has a population about 35 times that of their time ?

 

And maybe they could teach us not to be Bigotz & Bitchez & Haterz all the time ?

If it comes from a Greek instead of from a Jew, people here may take more notice ?

 

FV

[Nephele]

p.s. and who recognizes the lady at the end of the article

 

Congratulations to UNRV member Flavia Gemina!!!

 

From Mary Beard's article at Viggen's link (SIC):

 

" The other highlight of the conference came at dinner after the Seaford lecture.

It was the presentation of the Classical Association prize (for enhancing the public understanding of Classics) to Caroline Lawrence, author of the brilliant series of Roman Mysteries for kids (Famous Five go to Pompeii, as she jokingly and far too self-deprecatingly put it)".

 

A nice pic is also there.

 

Alas, our Flavia Gemina hasn't been around here for awhile, but I passed along UNRV's acknowledgement of her award and congratulations to her. Caroline says: "Thanks! It was wonderful to win my first and only award."

 

May she win many more awards, as the lady is truly deserving.

 

-- Nephele

[Northern Neil]

And maybe they could teach us not to be Bigotz & Bitchez & Haterz all the time ?

If it comes from a Greek instead of from a Jew, people here may take more notice ?

 

FV[/color]

Your own assumptions and prejudices against 'people here' in themselves suggest a degree of bigotry. I see no reason why a discussion on the relevance of ancient mythology to current issues should become a religious battleground. Please moderate your tone, lest ye be moderated...

[Nephele]

Formosus Viriustus, I have sent your last two postings in this thread to Tartarus.

 

Debate the topic, not the people discussing it. Don't highjack topics to air your personal grievances. If you have a problem with moderation, you are welcome to take it in private message to any of the Board Administrators. You know who they are.

 

-- Nephele

[sylla]

When I check out ancient sources, one of my goals is always the potential application of the ancient knowledge (being it Greek, Jewish, Roman or even Amazon) to nowadays life.

 

The

Edited July 13, 2009 by sylla