Great stuff congratulations. I will follow this project with interest. I also have a book in the works, though, as always, writing it has proven far easier than editing it.
Happy Birthday and many more to you, Daniel! 🇬🇧 🇮🇱 🥳 🎂 🎉 This was a fantastic introduction to your book! It’s subject couldn’t be more timely! Grand Narratives if done wrong definitely can be extremely dangerous! If one sets an end goal that is to be achieved as Nazi Germany, the USSR, Fascist Italy, Imperial Japan, Al-Qaeda, The Taliban, ISIS, Hamas, etc. have, the results have always been horrific! Same with those that have harmful, evil or supremacist grand narratives. Nazi Germany’s grand narrative was that Jews, Gypsies, Slavs, Communists, gays and lesbians, political dissidents, labor unions, black people, mixed-race people, Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Freemasons, and many others stood in the way of the creation of a prefect world where the German people would be the master race and would achieve global domination. Another example, Islamic armies ran roughshod over Europe and the Middle East in order to spread the “one true faith” of Islam and enslave or rule over those who disagreed. It is today forgotten that the Middle East and North Africa was predominantly Christian before Muslim armies brought down the Eastern Roman Empire. They invaded Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Palestine, Libya, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Sicily, and Armenia ruthlessly and without mercy. This is why the Crusades we’re not only a defensive conflict that was very much necessary but justified. Christendom needed to fight back and defend itself from the constant onslaught of the Muslim horde. As an aside, this is NOT meant as an attack on Muslims or to be derogatory. This is only to point out they were prolific conquerors who intended to spread Islam around the globe. They are no different from any other people or religion in that regard and it’s time we stop whitewashing this in the name of political correctness. None of this is to say, that the Crusades were prefect. There were atrocities against civilians, pogroms against Jews, there were individual Crusaders who were treasure hunters and thrill seekers rather than genuinely fighting for God, and some of the Crusades failed miserably. But the Crusades were overall I believe a very positive thing that halted Islamic aggression and brought the holy city of Jerusalem into Christian hands. Also, the majority of the Knights from all over Europe who fought in the Crusades were driven by religious fervor not ulterior motives. But returning to the article, the last point was also great. Expecting a powerful leader or elected officials to bring about change for you is NOT a successful strategy nor a good idea! We must be the authors of our own story of revolution! Just ask our founding fathers, the Haitian rebels who fought Napoleonic France or the FLN in Algeria. One could also point to the people led revolution that took place in countries behind the Iron Curtain in the 1980s and 1990s. You think the Berlin Wall came down because the East German people chose one messiah-like figure to lead the movement who through sheer will and the power of persuasion convinced Erich Honecker to step down and the East German government to open the wall? Nope! The people of East Germany did this themselves through mass protests and demonstrations and by going to the wall and pushing the guards to open the barriers up and taking axes and chopping it up themselves, dismantling it piece by piece! Ultimately, you are right Daniel! We first need meaning than obligation than freedom than striving. It is these four ingredients that come together to make the delicious tasting stew with harmonious ingredients that is meaningful change and reform!
IMHO, a wonderful introduction!
papa j
Thanks papa j. Much appreciated as always.
Great stuff congratulations. I will follow this project with interest. I also have a book in the works, though, as always, writing it has proven far easier than editing it.
Thank-you for your support Nachum. I look forward to seeing your work!
Great work and happy birthday!
Thank-you for your support and the birthday wishes. Also thanks for the paid subscribership.
Every word counts. If only governments of the world read your observations and react!!!
Thank-you so much Vigyan.
Happy Birthday and many more to you, Daniel! 🇬🇧 🇮🇱 🥳 🎂 🎉 This was a fantastic introduction to your book! It’s subject couldn’t be more timely! Grand Narratives if done wrong definitely can be extremely dangerous! If one sets an end goal that is to be achieved as Nazi Germany, the USSR, Fascist Italy, Imperial Japan, Al-Qaeda, The Taliban, ISIS, Hamas, etc. have, the results have always been horrific! Same with those that have harmful, evil or supremacist grand narratives. Nazi Germany’s grand narrative was that Jews, Gypsies, Slavs, Communists, gays and lesbians, political dissidents, labor unions, black people, mixed-race people, Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Freemasons, and many others stood in the way of the creation of a prefect world where the German people would be the master race and would achieve global domination. Another example, Islamic armies ran roughshod over Europe and the Middle East in order to spread the “one true faith” of Islam and enslave or rule over those who disagreed. It is today forgotten that the Middle East and North Africa was predominantly Christian before Muslim armies brought down the Eastern Roman Empire. They invaded Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Palestine, Libya, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Sicily, and Armenia ruthlessly and without mercy. This is why the Crusades we’re not only a defensive conflict that was very much necessary but justified. Christendom needed to fight back and defend itself from the constant onslaught of the Muslim horde. As an aside, this is NOT meant as an attack on Muslims or to be derogatory. This is only to point out they were prolific conquerors who intended to spread Islam around the globe. They are no different from any other people or religion in that regard and it’s time we stop whitewashing this in the name of political correctness. None of this is to say, that the Crusades were prefect. There were atrocities against civilians, pogroms against Jews, there were individual Crusaders who were treasure hunters and thrill seekers rather than genuinely fighting for God, and some of the Crusades failed miserably. But the Crusades were overall I believe a very positive thing that halted Islamic aggression and brought the holy city of Jerusalem into Christian hands. Also, the majority of the Knights from all over Europe who fought in the Crusades were driven by religious fervor not ulterior motives. But returning to the article, the last point was also great. Expecting a powerful leader or elected officials to bring about change for you is NOT a successful strategy nor a good idea! We must be the authors of our own story of revolution! Just ask our founding fathers, the Haitian rebels who fought Napoleonic France or the FLN in Algeria. One could also point to the people led revolution that took place in countries behind the Iron Curtain in the 1980s and 1990s. You think the Berlin Wall came down because the East German people chose one messiah-like figure to lead the movement who through sheer will and the power of persuasion convinced Erich Honecker to step down and the East German government to open the wall? Nope! The people of East Germany did this themselves through mass protests and demonstrations and by going to the wall and pushing the guards to open the barriers up and taking axes and chopping it up themselves, dismantling it piece by piece! Ultimately, you are right Daniel! We first need meaning than obligation than freedom than striving. It is these four ingredients that come together to make the delicious tasting stew with harmonious ingredients that is meaningful change and reform!
A fascinating perspective Noah. Thank-you as ever for your much appreciated support.