the point is more that entire nations or peoples can’t be unilaterally good or bad. imperialism is bad. it is evil. it is a rot upon this world. the real empires that actually did it were largely ancient cultures that existed long before and continue to exist today. to say that Japan is evil for their ww2 era imperialism and that nothing else counts would be an incredibly reductive and cynical worldview.
real people are also complicated.
don’t forget that you only ever know any of these leaders public images. you don’t actualy know what they are like. I’m sure there are people in your life who you make excuses for because they are meaningful to you.
ceaser was incredibly beloved for plundering his neighbors and giving that wealth directly to his people. he did so much good and so much bad. to try and cast all of those things into a single word is madness.
ultimately, i just don’t agree with one word descriptions of things as broad as people and cultures. there’s always more to it. people can be selfish, greedy, caring, helpful, many many things, but “bad” and “good” are just too simple to actualy mean anything more than “i do/dont like them”
the point is more that entire nations or peoples can’t be unilaterally good or bad. imperialism is bad. it is evil. it is a rot upon this world. the real empires that actually did it were largely ancient cultures that existed long before and continue to exist today. to say that Japan is evil for their ww2 era imperialism and that nothing else counts would be an incredibly reductive and cynical worldview.
real people are also complicated.
don’t forget that you only ever know any of these leaders public images. you don’t actualy know what they are like. I’m sure there are people in your life who you make excuses for because they are meaningful to you.
ceaser was incredibly beloved for plundering his neighbors and giving that wealth directly to his people. he did so much good and so much bad. to try and cast all of those things into a single word is madness.
ultimately, i just don’t agree with one word descriptions of things as broad as people and cultures. there’s always more to it. people can be selfish, greedy, caring, helpful, many many things, but “bad” and “good” are just too simple to actualy mean anything more than “i do/dont like them”