15-01-2015, 10:33 AM
Drew Phipps Wrote:If you compare Western civilization today, to say, Rome, with its murderous conditions and entertainments, I'd say we're better off, by virtue of the Commandments spreading through Europe. By miles. But we still have a long way to go.
I'd like to agree, Drew, because for me, a civilising influence is a vital necessity.
It's true we don't do bloody and cruel Coliseum entertainments these days, to keep the citizens of Rome amused. But we do regular war on a grand scale - live on television. Shock and Awe. The use of hideous air fuel bombs off stage, because even the citizenry couldn't stomach watching that even now, after we've all been desensitized so much. Wd have scientifically designed infantry weapons that may not always kill, but will almost always cause horrific and lasting wounds. Cluster bombs, White Phosphorous artillery shells. There are so many evil ways to kill large numbers of people that it's makes one dizzy.
There were hundreds of thousands of innocents killed in Gulf war 1. God knows how many in Gulf war 2. Or any of the other regular wars that take place --- all the time. Today it's perpetual war with brief periods of rest to rearm - rather than peace with brief periods of war.
And whichever way you count it, we're in the multiple ten of millions dead since the end of WWII.
Rome couldn't pretend to keep pace with our bloodthirstiness these days. We've industrialized war and made it the international art form. The last century is known by some as the "Century of War" - this new century is on course to be even worse.
And for cruelty, well we mimic the middle ages cruelty with our today's legally permissable "enhanced interrogations" - which most of us work hard to ignore and pretend don;t really happen. Because of we all faced torture squarely in the face, we'd have to admit what cruel bastards we really are. And we won't do that. Instead we pretend and project.
Truth be known, the Romans would tremble in fear and awe in our presence.
The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real. This act is the essential condition for any kind of self-knowledge.
Carl Jung - Aion (1951). CW 9, Part II: P.14