Then and Now
We have just returned from a vacation to Greece and the Greek Isles. For me, the most anticipated portion of the trip was going to be the port stop at Piraeus, the port for the City of Athens, and the chance to visit the Acropolis. Athens has always held a special place in the heart of U.S. historians, as this was the birthplace of democracy, and the Acropolis has long been celebrated as the great symbol of Athens, and by extension, a symbol of Athenian ideals.
Having the opportunity to view the Acropolis was all that I had anticipated it would be in terms of its brilliance in architectural design and its sheer splendor. Having taught a class in Ancient World Civilizations, I probably had a greater familiarity with Grecian history than most of the members of our tour group. Our guide was a Professor from Washington State University who is in charge of that University’s local facility leading archaeological digs. Not being shy, once I made aware of my background, it led to a lengthy discussion regarding Athens. As a person of Greek descent and now a resident of Athens, our guide was effusive in his praise of Athens and the symbolism of the Acropolis. I differed from him, particularly as I was face to face with the magnitude of what had been built.
The Acropolis was built by the great leader and military general, Pericles. He died before it was completed. It was built with funds appropriated, some would say stolen, from the Delian League. Even though Persia had been defeated at sea by the Athenian Navy at the battle of Salamis, and on land, mostly by the Spartan Army at Marathon, Athens argued that the Persian threat was still real and that the other city-states (polis) should join a league for self defense against a possible resurgence of a Persian threat. This was the origin of the Delian League. In reality, there was no threat, but Athens not only maintained the League, but compelled other city-states to join the League. Sparta and other city-states more closely allied with Sparta refused, and this led to great bitterness between these two powerful city-states.
Pericles was the great leader who commenced building the Acropolis, and according to our guide, evidently without thought as to how it would be completed. Pericles also began the war against Sparta, known as the Peloponnesian War without any back up plans as to how it might end. When during the war, Pericles died of the plague, Athens was bereft of his leadership and any plan as to how to end the war. Sparta and her allies won.
Therefore, to me, the Acropolis stands less as a monument to Athenian ideals and its spirituality, as our guide suggested, and more as a monument to the hubris of one city state and its leader. Re-thinking my views on Athens and Sparta, I have come to the conclusion that Athens defeat in the war, and the collapse of the Athenian ideal of democracy was due less to the armies of Sparta and more to the hubris of Athens as reflected in its historically revered leader. Hubris in the overbearing and boastful manner in which it built not only the Acropolis but in other monuments, and hubris in the manner in which it conducted itself vis-a-vis the other city-states. Athens felt it did not have to justify its actions that whatever Athens decided to do were right and proper, even to the point of invading the island city-state of Melos and slaughtering its inhabitants as Melos had the temerity to want to remain neutral in the Peloponnesian War. And, thus for me, while viewing the beauty and magnificence of the Acropolis, I was struck with the thought that it was a symbol not of Greek democracy, but of Athenian hubris.
It is not so much that history repeats itself, but that history can and does serve as a reminder that in the relatively short history of our common humanity, we have done well and done poorly, made good and bad decisions, and can see the consequences of both. Nations and leaders have too often have become too full of themselves, have developed a sense of hubris in believing that only they are right and what they seek to do cannot be challenged.
President Bush (41) invaded Panama because he did not like Noriega. The American public was told that it was because Noriega was a villain and Panama a haven for drug dealing. More drugs went through Panama after our invasion and overthrow of Noriega than before our intervention. President Bush (43) invaded Iraq because he did not like Saddam Hussein. The American public was told that it was because Hussein was a villain and had weapons of mass destruction. We had a moral obligation to rid the world of Hussein and destroy the weapons of mass destruction. There were no weapons of mass destruction, Hussein was toppled, and after the loss of more than 5,000 American lives and tens of thousands of men and women wounded in combat, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi’s wounded or killed, the expenditure of billions of dollars, perhaps reaching trillions, Iraq is now a fractured society, rent by jealousies and rivalries between the three major groups that the British pieced together to create Iraq. We know better, so our leaders declared, Iraq needs our style of democracy. Hubris.
We created an increased level of terrorism through our own actions and behaviors in Iraq and, as seen by many, an attack on Islam and people of Middle Eastern descent. Ask anyone whose name sounds Middle Eastern or Islamic, and they will tell you they are singled out at airports and other public venues as a suspected terrorist. The lessons learned by the Japanese in China during WW II and our own experiences in Vietnam are conveniently forgotten, but remain valid. For every one civilian who is collateral damage, accidentally killed in military operations because they were suspected of being a terrorist, or a bomb that can never be a precise as our leaders proclaim, three insurgents are created for every one life lost. Our hubris has only led to an increased level of terrorist threats and damage to our reputation and ideals.
That which made Athens so special – its ideals, were lost during the Peloponnesian War and never recaptured. In the name of needing more intelligence information, our leaders engaged in various enhanced interrogation techniques that were contrary to the international standards which we had previously championed. Using lawyers to defend and justify the very actions that are contrary to our core beliefs and values is nothing more, and nothing less than hubris. Others have to follow the rules, not us. We are so noble, so proud, and so good of heart and soul that we alone can determine what is right and wrong and what is justifiable. Hubris.
We need to be on guard. Hubris was at the core of the collapse of Athenian democracy and ideals. Let it not happen here – let us learn from history and save our own democracy and our own ideals.
So VERY true, Dr. Kupper! I remember seeing the sights and being amazed at the architectural and structural skill of these people from thousands of years ago because there flaws have been limited throughout the time they have been standing. I love that YOU saw a philosophical/public policy viewpoint by looking at the monuments. I was just busy snapping photos.
Keep ‘em coming – these are thought-provoking and well appreciated.
You are the guru for sure .
Take care.
I agree with you about the Acropolis. We we visited in 2002. We flew to Athens after spending a week in Italy. I didn’t plan it, but I visited the Coliseum on one day and was standing atop the Acropolis the next. What a juxtaposition. I found just standing on the Acropolis mesmerizing, and somehow healing. I didn’t want to leave. Planned to go back before flying home, however, got stuck on Santorini due to strike of some sort and barely made it back to catch our plane home.
great post
competitive intelligence
I somehow dont agree with a few things, but its great anyways.
I am very impressed with the article I have just read. I wish the writer of chinaresourcesgroup.com can continue to provide so much productive information and unforgettable experience to chinaresourcesgroup.com readers. There is not much to say except the following universal truth: Everything takes longer than it takes. I will be back.
Wassup thanks for your post.I actually adore your web site.Its incredibly informative.Nevertheless I truly want you to post how you put social bookmarking below your post.I like it due to the fact it’s a really thoroughly clean awesome blogger mod.
thank you very much
Hello many thanks pertaining to your post.I really adore your web page.Its quite informative.Even so I definitely want you to post how you put social bookmarking below your post.I like it simply because it’s a really clear neat blogger hack.
thank you very much
Hiya many thanks pertaining to your post.I definitely love your web page.Its extremely informative.However I actually want you to post how you put social bookmarking below your post.I like it simply because its a quite clean great blogger mod.
thank you extremely much
i very much love your writing type, very helpful.
don’t give up as well as keep creating due to the fact it just very well worth to look through it.
looking forward to browse through a whole lot more of your current writing, regards
Your web page is definitely full of outstanding guidance and also is actually extremely exciting to read.
Properly done:)
Your blog is definitely full of remarkable info and is actually extremely fun to look at.
Properly done.
___________________________
P90x Workout
Your site is actually full of terrific knowledge and is actually extremely great to look into.
Properly done:)
___________________________
Insanity Workout
The webpage is full of wonderful details and is rather exciting to check out.
Properly done.
___________________________
P90x Workout
Great, thanks for posting!
You really make good articles I would say. This is the first time I visited your site and so far I am impressed with the research you made to make this article awesome. Good Job!
My name is Piter Jankovich. oOnly want to tell, that your blog is really cool
And want to ask you: is this blog your hobby?
P.S. Sorry for my bad english
im constantly wandering all around the internet nearly all of the week which means that I have a propensity to browse quite a bit, which isn’t always a good matter as most of the web pages I look at are made up of useless rubbish copied from different internet websites a million times, however I’ll hand it to ya this page is actually decent and even possesses some genuine content, for that reason thanks for helping to stop the phenomena of just simply copying other peoples’ sites.
hello, great website
really appreciate YOU — thanks a lot!
very good information you write it very clean. I’m very lucky to get
this info from you.
I’ve been reading your article for quite a while. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I wish i had time and patience to make a informative publish like yours. Bookmarked your blogger.
I’m looking forward to getting more information about this topic, don’t worry about negative opinions.
I can see a great improvement in your Posts, I’ll love to get in touch. Keep up the good work! Your Posts are very inspirational for someone who is new to this type of stuff.
I can see a huge improvement in your Posts, I’ll love to get in touch. Keep up the good work! Your Posts are very inspirational for someone who is new to this type of stuff.
Considerably, the post is honestly the finest on this notable topic area. I harmonize with your ideas and will thirstily look forward to your forthcoming updates. Just saying thank you won’t just be enough, for the brilliant clarity in your writing. I will right now grab your feeds to stay abreast of any updates. Pleasant work and much success in your business efforts.. God bless, …
I’ll stick a link to this blog on my website. I am certain my visitors will think of this post very useful.
Thank you for writing valuable post about the subject. I’m a fan of your website. Keep up the great work.
I enjoy reading this post. I need to learn more on this topic.. Thanks for sharing this amazing info.. Anyway, I’m going to subscribe to your feed and I hope you post again soon.
Thank you for having the time to write about this issue. I really appreciate it. I’ll post a link of this entry in my blog.
I will stick a link to this blog on my blog. I’m sure my readers will find this post very great.
I enjoyed reading your interesting yet very informative insights. I am looking forward to reading more of your most recent articles and blogs.