I'm reading "The History of the Peloponnesian War" By Thucydides and I find it funny when they compare and contrast Athens with Sparta. Sparta is militant and rigid, slow and steady, yet organized in a way that is structured and functions as a society. Athens is innovative and growing, building an expanding empire and continually taking risks.
Athens claims that innovation and manipulation is part of evolution and they can not be blamed for taking advantage of weaker states because every being wishes to maximize their interests. This is funny, because that claims one can not be held accountable for injustices because it is a natural human compulsion. That seems incorrect.
There are very happy/healthy countries that conduct themselves in a neutral way and focus on public welfare and communal elevation instead of defense and expansion. For safety's sake, it is understandable that nations need to invest in defense because others pose a threat to them. Wouldn't it make sense if we focused on our own well-being and living good lives instead of power acquisition?
Isn't the desire for power and material wealth a lowly human aspiration? I feel like we should have mentally evolved beyond this by now.
Obviously that's a stretch, but every notion that is idealistic looks as asinine. Does that mean we should disregard them or hold them in the highest regard and always work towards such goals? I seem to think the ladder.
Athens claims that innovation and manipulation is part of evolution and they can not be blamed for taking advantage of weaker states because every being wishes to maximize their interests. This is funny, because that claims one can not be held accountable for injustices because it is a natural human compulsion. That seems incorrect.
There are very happy/healthy countries that conduct themselves in a neutral way and focus on public welfare and communal elevation instead of defense and expansion. For safety's sake, it is understandable that nations need to invest in defense because others pose a threat to them. Wouldn't it make sense if we focused on our own well-being and living good lives instead of power acquisition?
Isn't the desire for power and material wealth a lowly human aspiration? I feel like we should have mentally evolved beyond this by now.
Obviously that's a stretch, but every notion that is idealistic looks as asinine. Does that mean we should disregard them or hold them in the highest regard and always work towards such goals? I seem to think the ladder.
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