Nitpick: Feeling that way would prevent you from conquering the world.
As in, hunter-gatherers don’t feel the way towards their cousins that citizens of the developed world are encouraged to feel towards their fellow citizens? Or that if I personally feel that way, I personally will not become the ruler of the world? Or something else?
If you really feel about strangers the way you feel about your cousins, you’re not going to want to conquer them. That, or you have difficult family reunions.
I thought it was pretty obvious that I was talking about nationalism- i.e. the feeling of relatedness to all people who share a nationality with you, regardless of genetics- and not unity with all of mankind. I apologize for being unclear.
Alexander, as he existed before the rise of nationalism, is not the sort of conqueror I’m talking about. Are you telling me that British shopkeepers should have gone around preemptively executing each other?
Are you telling me that British shopkeepers should have gone around preemptively executing each other?
No, I was talking about conquering the world. I don’t recommend being a British shopkeeper at all if world conquest is your goal. Although Rupert Giles might like to test that theory. Maybe it even worked for him after all!
As in, hunter-gatherers don’t feel the way towards their cousins that citizens of the developed world are encouraged to feel towards their fellow citizens? Or that if I personally feel that way, I personally will not become the ruler of the world? Or something else?
If you really feel about strangers the way you feel about your cousins, you’re not going to want to conquer them. That, or you have difficult family reunions.
I thought it was pretty obvious that I was talking about nationalism- i.e. the feeling of relatedness to all people who share a nationality with you, regardless of genetics- and not unity with all of mankind. I apologize for being unclear.
You don’t conquer the world by doing what you are encouraged to do by society. You do the encouraging. Adamantly.
If the history of conquerers can be taken as a guide you trust your cousins about as far as you can preemptively execute them.
Alexander, as he existed before the rise of nationalism, is not the sort of conqueror I’m talking about. Are you telling me that British shopkeepers should have gone around preemptively executing each other?
No, I was talking about conquering the world. I don’t recommend being a British shopkeeper at all if world conquest is your goal. Although Rupert Giles might like to test that theory. Maybe it even worked for him after all!
Are you referring to, instead, ‘success’?