"Bread and Circuses"

[hank moon]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline...e_Roman_Empire
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"What is not new are attempts to diagnose Rome's particular problems, with Satire X, written by Juvenal in the early 2nd century at the height of Roman power, criticizing the peoples' obsession with "bread and circuses" and rulers seeking only to gratify these obsessions."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_and_circuses
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"Bread and circuses" has come to be a derogatory phrase that can criticize either government policies to pacify the citizenry, or the shallow, decadent desires of that same citizenry. In both cases, it refers to low-cost, low-quality, high-availability food and entertainment that have become the sole concern of the People, to the exclusion of matters that the speaker considers more important: e.g. the Arts, public works projects, human rights, or democracy itself. The phrase is commonly used to refer to short-term government palliatives offered in place of a solution for significant, long-term problems."


Does this sound familiar?

[nefarious]

As familiar as never-ending comparisons of decadent Rome with (fill in the blank). Jehovah's Witnesses seem particularly addicted to them.

[hank moon]

As familiar as never-ending comparisons of decadent Rome with (fill in the blank). Jehovah's Witness' seem addicted to them.

Dunno about JW, but would you care to refute the comparison with logic and reason?

I think the signs of its validity are so ubiquitous as to be nearly invisible w/o antennae. yep, i got me some. just like my favorite martian.

[nefarious]

My point is the comparison is old, having been made many times after the fall of Rome. It sounds clever, hence its endless popularity, but I don't think it tells us much.

[hank moon]

My point is the comparison is old, having been made many times after the fall of Rome. It sounds clever, hence its endless popularity, but I don't think it tells us much.

Yes, it is an old comparison. The Bible's old, too.

So, do you think 'Bread and Circuses' has any meaning today? Yes/No/Maybe?

[nefarious]

My point is the comparison is old, having been made many times after the fall of Rome. It sounds clever, hence its endless popularity, but I don't think it tells us much.

Yes, it is an old comparison. The Bible's old, too.

So, do you think 'Bread and Circuses' has any meaning today? Yes/No/Maybe?

The Bible is really the ultimate source of meaningless babble. But to be fair, its age has a lot to do with that.

The B&C has meaning today, just as it would have had meaning in pretty much every time and place man has existed. It is as useful as any other obvious statement about human nature, I suppose.

[Rev. Coyote]

The New Testament has its moments, and whether you believe in Gawd is almost unimportant -- the teachings of that damn hippie Jesus make good sense. The Sermon on the Mount is a prime example.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the distillers,
for Bourbon is the nectar of heaven.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."