• prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    8 hours ago

    I wonder if anyone could analyze education about war (and fascism) and how it correlates with the downfall of the History Channel.

    It used to be wall to wall WW2 documentaries. And prior to streaming, sometimes there was nothing else on. So the channel was on A LOT while I was growing up.

    Then they started with the Ancient Aliens and Ice Road Truckers shit and eventually phased the actual history out entirely.

    Now it seems like the people who grew up during that period know nothing about this shit.

    • JackbyDev@programming.dev
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      2 hours ago

      At least with Pawn Stars they would loop the items back to history a lot of times. (Don’t actually remember if Pawn Stars was a history channel show.) But yeah, reality TV slop just filled so many channels.

  • Toneswirly@lemmy.world
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    8 hours ago

    what if you think being in to wars and history (The dry, battle of X kind of history, not cool shit like slave rebellions and famines) is kinda lame? Am I like a conscientious objector?

  • BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today
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    6 hours ago

    The French & Indian War was a good one. Fun fact: George Washington started it as a young British officer. He was assigned to partner with a contingent of Indians to take back a remote fort that the French had occupied.

    After a fierce battle, the British/Indian side prevailed, and entered the fort. They spotted the French commander, sitting on the ground, slumped against a wall, gravely wounded. They approached him, Washington preparing to speak to him, when the Indian leader, walked right up to the French commander, split his skull with a tomahawk, and washed his hands with commander’s brains, while a shocked Washington tried to control his nausea.

    And that was the beginning of the French & Indian War.

    • Dicska@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      As a kid, being indoctrinated early on by fairy tales with knights, then watching action films later on, I kind of understand, since you only know about the romanticised side.

      As an adult, by the time you’re supposed to understand the endless pain, suffering, atrocities, needless death of millions (even one single person), the barbarity of trying to resolve conflicts with violence, the immense sadness and sacrifice that comes with war… putting it lightly, I don’t get war lovers.

      But fuck me, I fucking LOVE to learn about the technological advancements, smart solutions, brilliant engineering (hey, even strategies) that came with those, from the first stone tools to holographic sights and radar camouflaging. On one hand, it’s rather sad that we could only develop technologies due to threatening violence or trying to crush others. On the other hand, without wars, we would probably still be amputating limbs due to infections we can either prevent or treat now (thanks to field medicine development), and a civilisation that doesn’t develop its own weapons (since why would they, they are peaceful) won’t have fun when running into one that isn’t as friendly.

      (And for that reason, YT already thinks I’m a WW2 nerd)

      • SkyeStarfall@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        23 hours ago

        Mm, I’d dispute that we developed technology only as a result of war. Humans are naturally curious. We would develop technology no matter what

        But it is true that the trajectory would be different, and there’s be differences in investment levels as well, but that’s more of a symptom of what our societies value

        • andz@lemmy.world
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          1 hour ago

          Not because, but it does help things progress faster. In many cases several different firms or even individual inventors worked on the same problem and came up with several different solutions. They were able to do this because of governmental contracts asking for that solution and tended to get materials, ammunition etc.

          Not only firearms or related stuff either. The groups who worked on things like breaking the enigma or the Manhattan project were large with many small but important breakthroughs from many different people.

          The thing they all have in common is that they worked under immense pressure due to the war effort.

    • chatokun@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      1 day ago

      I think there are some ways that are defendable (like those obsessed with WW2 only because they don’t want it to happen here, like Robert Evans of Cool Zone Media), but I can’t think of a war I was obsessed with… maybe if you include Star Wars? I was a huge fan as a child and I do consider myself still a fan now, though I’ve grown to know what I like about it is just a standard hero saves the day against stronger enemy fantasy. The people who like and defend the empire has always worried me. Felt pretty fascist apologetic.

      • Vespair@lemmy.zip
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        16 hours ago

        Allow me to say upfront that my upcoming example is gross extreme hyperbole, but I sort of feel like that’s saying sex is wonderful and feels good and that’s why people are drawn to rape. I do understand your point, but like, there are other ways to bond than institutionalized bloodshedding?

        Y’all ever heard of fishing?

        • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          8 hours ago

          Wouldn’t it be more like “… And that’s why people are drawn to bdsm pornography”?

          We’re talking about watching documentaries and reading books and shit, not actually going to war. Well most people at least.