Category Archives: History

How to get along with Iraqis: Circa 1943

Posted on by
1

The following text comes from an American Army guidebook that was distributed during the second World War to soldiers stationed in Iraq.

(Emphasis added to some lines.)

SOME IMPORTANT DO’S AND DON’TS

Keep away from mosques.

Smoke or spit somewhere else””never in front of a mosque.

If you come near a mosque, keep moving (away) and don’t loiter.

Keep silent when the Moslems are praying (which they do five times a day) and don’t stare.

Discuss something else””NEVER religion or politics or women””with Moslems.

Remember the fear of the “evil eye.” Don’t stare at anyone. Don’t point your camera in anyone’s face.

Avoid offering opinions on internal politics.

Shake hands with the Iraqi; otherwise don’t touch them or slap them on the back.

Remember that the Iraqi are a very modest people and avoid any exposure of the body in their presence.

Keep out of the sun whenever you can. When you can’t, keep your head and neck covered.

Start eating only after your host has begun.

Continue reading. »

Was La Rochefoucauld a Pessimist?

Posted on by
Reply

Because of his writings, especially his maxims, La Rochefoucauld is historically seen as overly pessimistic; however, one should consider first if this is really a “bad” thing and if the maxims were written in a pessimistic style to encourage debate?

If he had written “people are nice” I doubt anyone would have read them, let alone remember then for hundreds of years. More specifically, I doubt anybody would have even taken him seriously because unfortunately, people are not “nice”. Likewise, if he had written “people are nice sometimes” he would have just written the obvious, and would have been equally ignored. However, by writing statements that boil down to “people are self-serving egotists with no regards for anybody else unless they need something” he immediately catches your attention and forces you to stop and think—even if it is only to prove he is wrong.

Continue reading. »

The Economist on Turkey’s Political History.

Posted on by
1

Simplifying mightily, its bumpy path to democratization goes roughly as follows: set up an empire; inherit a caliphate; fight on the losing side in a world war; in desperation dissolve the caliphate and submit to the autocratic rule of a modernizer who pushes Islam ruthlessly to the margins; the wait the better half of a century for the emergence of an Islamist party that looks mild and moderate enough to be trusted with the reins of government. In short, squeeze Islam out of political life for decades before gingerly allowing a tamed version back in. — The Economist

Equiano’s “Narrative” and Jacobs’ “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl”

Posted on by
3

Jacobs lead a very easy life for a slave. Being born into a kind family and having a grandmother to watch out for her allowed her to have a childhood that was almost enviable, although she was mistreated after her original mistress died she never had to experience the brutal torture many slaves faced at the hands of their masters. Many would wonder why she ran away from her home and family when her life was not all that bad and could get a lot worse, however even though her life was not in constant danger of physical abuse she was still a slave and subject to her master’s every whim. This situation alone is enough to make a person risk life and limb to be able to reach freedom.

Unlike Jacobs, Equiano was not born a slave and instead was captured at the age of 11 by slave traders, however he did not immediately get shipped to the Americas as slaves but instead his first master was from another tribe.

Continue reading. »

“The Metamorphosis” representing the Serbians in World War 2

Posted on by
1

I would like to propose a new meaning of “The Metamorphosis” quite different from those already stated. “The Metamorphosis” can interpreted to show the effect of the dying on a family but also interpreted to show the effect that an outcast from society can feel. Gregor’s turning into a bug could be construed as a groups sudden repulsiveness to the world as a whole. With each member of the family displaying a different part of the world at large.

“The Metamorphosis” was published in 1915 and written during Europe’s slide to World War 2, during this time Austria-Hungry began persecuting the Serbs who they feared because of growing nationalism movements in Bosnia: newspapers were closed, student leaders arrested and the military was given a large amount of control in the country. After the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in 1913 Serbs were suddenly the pariahs of Austria-Hungry.

Continue reading. »