
How the Ancients can help the Moderns - wellokthen
http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/7335/full
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augustnagro
The argument that classics are "unfit for the 21st century" because ancient
Greeks and Romans were "white men" and "slave owning patriarchs" holds zero
water.

First, the premise is false. Greeks and Romans were not at all "white" by
modern standards. Not only was skin color not a social construct at the time,
but most Mediterranean peoples had darker, bronzed tones. And yes, slavery &
patriarchy have existed in every single society since the dawn of time, until
_very_ recently. Just because the affordable care act didn't exist in 1991
doesn't mean I will refuse to use Linux because it was created in a time
without basic healthcare rights.

The real reason for the decline of classical studies (and more generally
history) is because corporations are offering graduates with STEM degrees
higher salaries.

I don't think this is a good trend either. I've personally gained more from
self-studying the classics than anything from my CS degree.

~~~
watwut
For me, the most off-puting thing about classics is almost the religious
veneration with witch some people treat it. It must be talked about as bestest
thing by saint perfect person uncriticisable. It is boring, but also does not
check out. Often it says something boring and simple, but is still somehow
celebrated as words of wisdom. Bad parts are euphemized away with flowery
language. Like with slavery (you mentioned it), it is not just that it existed
in around independently, it is that the very old ancient text we are talking
about is written with purpose to convince contemporaries to be harder on
slaves. Same with patriarchy or Sparta militarism or whatever.

I did enjoyed new Odyssey translation lately, but for the love of god cant
comprehend all the basic of civilization, immortal wisdom and other similar
commentary around it. Why cant I say that parts of it are boring that flowery
text of some translations kills even interesting parts? Why do I have to
pretend that sirens or meduza part were fun? (They are not, through they are
short so no big deal.)

As big as those texts had influence, some of that influence was negative, but
that somehow is still presented as good thing, just because old. A bit
exaggerated comparison is that if some writing of Gobbels or Hitler remained,
people thousands years after might celebrate it as great old writing, chalk
militarism and racism and sexism on "culture around". But that is not how it
was, those guys texts were dominant because they were active in creating that
culture and had awful lot victims.

It is not that I would have moral issue with the above or did not wanted to
study it for the above reason. But the way it is mandatory celebrated (at
least in teaching I obtained) did not squared to me, did not made sense.

------
dstrohmaier
"Few questioned the institution of slavery, and none the patriarchy"

Plato's _Republic_ questioned both slavery and patriarchy. Since this is
arguably the most influential philosophical work of the classics, the above
statement doesn't hold up to scrutiny. It is true that slavery and patriarchy
were the deeply engrained status quo at that point of history and that Plato's
vision had authoritarian features, but there was more questionening than the
linked text suggests.

Epicurus allowing women into his school as a matter of rule rather than
exception, thousands of years before our universities would do so, also
deserves our respect.

~~~
dr_dshiv
Also look to the foundations of Greek science and philosophy with Pythagorean
female philosophers, 550bc - themistoclea, theano, myia...

