my thoughts on the civil war.
actionbastard: [talking about alt hist where the south wins civil war]
me: heres the problem
I hate the goddamned civil war
It's less interesting to me than the Franco-Prussian War of 1871
i try to not say this, because it's not really fair, but it's why I always dont care when it comes up
actionbastard: it makes sense I suppose
though that's not even what they're about
the first book has a prologue in 1862, but the rest of it takes place in the 1880s
me: yes
but the history is rooted in the civil war, as that is what changed
basically the problem is this, I hate civil war era American history, and reconstruction era American history
actionbastard: gotcha
can't so much say I agree, but I guess I understand
me: yeah, I wish I was more interested, but it is just so completely uninteresting to me
actionbastard: I get the feeling you just haven't gotten the right angle on it to spark interest, there have been a few eras in european history that I haven't been able to learn because of lack of perspective
napoleon ara is the main one that comes to mind
era even
me: I think, to an extent you are right. The problem, as I see it, is this.
We get massive amounts of our scholarship, and intellectual programming from the US
the same US that has not gotten over anything in it's entire history. Except the French help during the revolutionary war. You guys are extraordinarily focused on shit that happened to you previously.
Of those, the civil war is the most understandable by far
and the fixation is the most, by far
actionbastard: yep
me: so we get a lot of programming, and a lot of content from the US re: civil war. The problem is I don't see british or french programming re: civil war, we get Americans.
Who are biased. Who aren't over it yet
and who therefore think it was some kind of seminal moment in the history of the fucking world
sorry, apparently I'm ranty today
will put this on LJ momentarily to encourage discussion
actionbastard: I'll mildly disagree with you there, there's a difference between being "not over it" and having an interest in it
as in, I have no genuine beef with people living north of mason-dixon today, even if I do call them damnyankees, I'll still drink beer with them
me: Yes
[I proceed to present another argument and then it spirals like whoa]
me: heres the problem
I hate the goddamned civil war
It's less interesting to me than the Franco-Prussian War of 1871
i try to not say this, because it's not really fair, but it's why I always dont care when it comes up
actionbastard: it makes sense I suppose
though that's not even what they're about
the first book has a prologue in 1862, but the rest of it takes place in the 1880s
me: yes
but the history is rooted in the civil war, as that is what changed
basically the problem is this, I hate civil war era American history, and reconstruction era American history
actionbastard: gotcha
can't so much say I agree, but I guess I understand
me: yeah, I wish I was more interested, but it is just so completely uninteresting to me
actionbastard: I get the feeling you just haven't gotten the right angle on it to spark interest, there have been a few eras in european history that I haven't been able to learn because of lack of perspective
napoleon ara is the main one that comes to mind
era even
me: I think, to an extent you are right. The problem, as I see it, is this.
We get massive amounts of our scholarship, and intellectual programming from the US
the same US that has not gotten over anything in it's entire history. Except the French help during the revolutionary war. You guys are extraordinarily focused on shit that happened to you previously.
Of those, the civil war is the most understandable by far
and the fixation is the most, by far
actionbastard: yep
me: so we get a lot of programming, and a lot of content from the US re: civil war. The problem is I don't see british or french programming re: civil war, we get Americans.
Who are biased. Who aren't over it yet
and who therefore think it was some kind of seminal moment in the history of the fucking world
sorry, apparently I'm ranty today
will put this on LJ momentarily to encourage discussion
actionbastard: I'll mildly disagree with you there, there's a difference between being "not over it" and having an interest in it
as in, I have no genuine beef with people living north of mason-dixon today, even if I do call them damnyankees, I'll still drink beer with them
me: Yes
[I proceed to present another argument and then it spirals like whoa]