Prisco (the one with the white beard), Byzantine diplomat who visited the court of Attila in the fifth century. Mór Than's painting (from Wikipedia)
Prisco, Byzantine diplomat, has left us a very interesting report of the court of Attila in the fifth century. One of the details of his account when it happens to meet a greek - like himself - who had left the imperial territory to settle among the Huns.
It follows a brief discussion in which the fugitive, greek exposes the benefits of freedom among the barbarians away from the injustice of the empire and greed of its rulers. Prisco's answers will display the benefits of orderly and safe life of the Roman Empire to the east, and the benefits of the law that governs the lives of all.
Eventually, Priscus tells us that his party has started crying at the memory of his life in the empire. Maybe he a bit 'stretched this conclusion, but - overall - we have the impression that the story is true. That is, that Prisco has highlighted the two sides of the issue and their relative merits although, of course, he was on the side of the empire.
of us who live "on the side of the Empire" we can understand the position of Prisco. The sheer horror to contemplate a world without laws, a world where you did not secure protection, you do not have a clearly defined role, you do not have the rules, you do not have a future that does not depend on the circumstances or the wishes of those who are more powerful than you .
It follows a brief discussion in which the fugitive, greek exposes the benefits of freedom among the barbarians away from the injustice of the empire and greed of its rulers. Prisco's answers will display the benefits of orderly and safe life of the Roman Empire to the east, and the benefits of the law that governs the lives of all.
Eventually, Priscus tells us that his party has started crying at the memory of his life in the empire. Maybe he a bit 'stretched this conclusion, but - overall - we have the impression that the story is true. That is, that Prisco has highlighted the two sides of the issue and their relative merits although, of course, he was on the side of the empire.
of us who live "on the side of the Empire" we can understand the position of Prisco. The sheer horror to contemplate a world without laws, a world where you did not secure protection, you do not have a clearly defined role, you do not have the rules, you do not have a future that does not depend on the circumstances or the wishes of those who are more powerful than you .
This same feeling of sheer horror we read the "Emergency" by Neil Strauss. It 's a book that describes the author's experience with the various groups of " survivalist" (I do not know how best to translate "survivalist," except as sopravvivenzisti, which is too bad)
Strauss himself, American journalist Born in Chicago, is attracted to these groups, he feels insecure in a country, the United States, which become increasingly oppressive and dictatorial. So, you buy a passport from a remote island, joining a group of quirky, where he learned to shoot, to live in the forest, kill a goat, skinned and butchered, and other little things like that.
Worthy of note in the book, is the experience of Strauss with the "B-people" where "B" stands for "Billionaire", or billionaires. These all have the same problems, but more varied methods of solution. For example, Strauss shows us that many of them have got the certificate of flight and take a plane ready to leave to leave a country that could fall prey to the chaos at any time.
Strauss's book is interesting and well written, although eventually enter into excessive detail and is a bit 'boring. Even the "instructions for use in emergencies" that appear in the form of cartoons interspersed with the text, frankly, is not that they are the best. Know, for example, as it turns a credit card in a blade to cut the throat of your neighbor does not seem particularly useful.
Apart from this, the overall impression it leaves you with the book is a descent into barbarism. These people who is trained to shoot to cut up animals, and live in the woods takes a commitment that stems from a "world model" which - frankly - it's hard to share.
It may be that our fate, but on this I feel much closer to the Byzantine Prisco out to him that he had chosen life in the reign of Attila.
Strauss himself, American journalist Born in Chicago, is attracted to these groups, he feels insecure in a country, the United States, which become increasingly oppressive and dictatorial. So, you buy a passport from a remote island, joining a group of quirky, where he learned to shoot, to live in the forest, kill a goat, skinned and butchered, and other little things like that.
Worthy of note in the book, is the experience of Strauss with the "B-people" where "B" stands for "Billionaire", or billionaires. These all have the same problems, but more varied methods of solution. For example, Strauss shows us that many of them have got the certificate of flight and take a plane ready to leave to leave a country that could fall prey to the chaos at any time.
Strauss's book is interesting and well written, although eventually enter into excessive detail and is a bit 'boring. Even the "instructions for use in emergencies" that appear in the form of cartoons interspersed with the text, frankly, is not that they are the best. Know, for example, as it turns a credit card in a blade to cut the throat of your neighbor does not seem particularly useful.
Apart from this, the overall impression it leaves you with the book is a descent into barbarism. These people who is trained to shoot to cut up animals, and live in the woods takes a commitment that stems from a "world model" which - frankly - it's hard to share.
It may be that our fate, but on this I feel much closer to the Byzantine Prisco out to him that he had chosen life in the reign of Attila.
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