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[burntblood]

I think there is some sign or insight into human behavior to be gained from the study of the romans. Were their gladitorial "games" symbolic? I think human nature is revealed in it's ugliest, truest form. The people are faced with an inefective government and society. Class systems abused them, and the majority of people lived in flimsy wood

Comments

[zimdanen]

"If you give people luxuries, they will do without the necessities."

People did what they could to forget their own lives. Seeing others in that situation made them feel that they were, at least, better than someone. I don't believe this is humanity's truest form, just a facet of it. Who knows what any of us would do in their situation?

[burntblood]

Yes that is why. perhaps not the only true form, but I see it as a very boiled down form of us. A clear representation of our tendency to do this; to enjoy the misery of others. But of course it is only a Part of us. It's true that we can't Know what any of us would do. But most of our decisions represent nature and/or nurture. If we were raised there in those circumstances, nurture would tell us it was ok, and I believe our nature would erge us to do the same, thus my own little theory is that we would do just the same. We can't test it, so it remains an opinion.

[anonymous]

theres a little more to it than that - roman life may have sucked, but in comparison to everyone around them they were the shit. plus, being a roman citizen gave one extreme priveleges in terms of the law. Being a roman brought a sense of pride to the people because of the military might and the many, many conquered peoples. and yes, the entertainment was pretty brutal and savage and all that, but can u really say anything's changed?
and [the part u wont like] there actually was a sizable group of people who refused to witness or take part in the games.
can u guess who they were? :-P

if u really wanna gain insight from rome, take them as insights into the male mind, because rome is really about masculinity more than human nature in general. and that may be sexist, but A) its true and B) women actually look better for it

:-D <3
-a

[burntblood]

can u really say anything's changed? This was the point I wanted to make/make you draw. No I don't think anything's changed. And yes It was a sexist society, perhaps I am generalizing to broadly, a look at humanity or a look at masculinity, I'm not sure. I do think that both males and females like to watch others in worse situations than themselves. Watching other peopel be fucked over while they are safe in their little seats makes people feel good. This is the same today. Morally, I'm not sure we can justify this, it just does make us feel good. Now we watch movies for the same thing, peopel don't die. Most of the time. But there are still the hate crimes and various other fucked up psychos who kill for entertainment... are they really so different form the rest of us though? And if the group which refused to see/take part were the christians, I'm not surprised, at the time they were a minority. Should I be surprised that a disliked minority avoided a game in which other disliked/disrespected people such as slaves, were

heh

[anonymous]

a lot of the gladiators [the best ones, as it were] were volunteers. not slaves or prisoners, but people who chose to do that. and they were really rewarded for their victories too. i mean, im not sure u can say the attraction of the game was watching ppl in a worse position than urself, because several gladiators rose to social ranks higher than the audience could hope to.
i think the appeal was more like the complete lack of rules. a total return to the state of nature in a nation otherwise famous for its legislation. when ur a gladiator, the limits of the law are precisely the limits of your own abilities. whatever you are capable of, you can do. in a way, rome maintained its laws by controlling and channelling lawlessness. glorifying it, in fact, because it served their purpose to do so.
i think theres more to it beyond this as well but i cant type well cuz my fingers are taped together
<3

Re: heh

[anonymous]

edit - i think today a lot of the attraction of some forms of entertainment is the watchpplwhoareworseoffthenyou appeal, but im not convinced thats whay the Games flourished