I never thought of it this way.

[coriolis]

I read the following passage from Will Durant's Story of Civilization.

"The rise of agriculture and the inequality of men led to the employment of the socially weak by the socially strong; not till then did it occur to the victor in war that the only good prisoner is a live one. Butchery and cannibalism lessened, slavery grew. It was a great moral improvement when men ceased to kill or eat their fellowmen, and merely made them slaves."

Is anyone here familiar with that 12-volume set? I'm starting to get the impression that Durant is not bashful about injecting his own interpretations rather than just reporting the facts. The passage above is a bit provocative. I never thought of it that way.

Comments anyone?

[Janice]

Sounds interesting and makes sense..... I have not read them.

"It was a great moral improvement when men ceased to kill or eat their fellowmen, and merely made them slaves."

[Audrey2Katrina]

I've never read the book(s); but before I'd pass judgment (although this clearly seems to have his moral perspective strongly indicated) I would have to see what he had to say about how the evils of slavery were later recognized and the great advancement of society in putting away that horrible system. Putting them into servile bondage might have been better than butchery--but many have died rather horrible deaths than be placed into that sort of servitude. Like I said...I'd have to see what he said about slavery once it was recognized for the evil/wrong that it was.


A2K

[Janice]

I want to stress I do not believe in slavery of any kind, but it beats the alternative.

[NBCintern]

I want to stress I do not believe in slavery of any kind, but it beats the alternative.

Oh really. There were many slaves that wished they'd rather be dead than be a slave. Have you no clue how life was to be a slave? Than your remarks were silly. JMHO. I'd pick death over slavery any day...

[Janice]

As a slave, at least you have some sort of chance for survival. I am not talking about black slavery, I am talking about the children and people who get kidnapped and taken into homes as slaves. Many have lived thru that just praying for the chance to be free. Many lived.

[coriolis]

Hey, just a thought: where else could a person in Germany be having a casual conversation with a person in Puerto Rico, Louisana, and a lonely place in Pennsylvania. Isn't the internet great!

Lets just all be nice, ok.


Yes A2K, I'll get to that point of the books in a couple months.

[NBCintern]

As a slave, at least you have some sort of chance for survival. I am not talking about black slavery, I am talking about the children and people who get kidnapped and taken into homes as slaves. Many have lived thru that just praying for the chance to be free. Many lived.

[Janice]

I may be off on what this topic is really about. I am not familiar with these books at all.

I am thinking this is a subject different than what I was thinking, sorry.

[NBCintern]

Hey, just a thought: where else could a person in Germany be having a casual conversation with a person in Puerto Rico, Louisana, and a lonely place in Pennsylvania. Isn't the internet great!

Lets just all be nice, ok.


Yes A2K, I'll get to that point of the books in a couple months.

Coriolis, I am not in Germany, dude. I am vacationing in Florida. I visited many times Germany and absolutely love it, that is why I placed it in my locations. Anyways, the net is great..

[coriolis]

That's ok, I read somehting that is significant to me, and make cryptic remarks trying to share it. I guess some things are best left in the first person.