United States of America-the Modern Rome?

[Guest ParatrooperLirelou]

I know most people who are from Europe and would find this topic remotely absurd-I do too.I'll explain it.

 

In my country, the United States of America, we Americans tend to (arrogantly) believe we are the Rome of the modern age.I'm not kidding when I say this-from English class discussions on William Shakespear's Caesar, to Civics and Government to even World History, almost every time Rome is being discussed, we American students are often told that America is the "New Rome".I'm serious,teachers I had from my English teacher(when we were reading Caesar) to even my P.E. Teacher, have stated that America is the "Modern Rome".General History books(even Roman books do so occasionally) and even books not related to history such as business books make reference to America as the Rome of recent times.

 

In fact right now within my country, conservatards and Patriotards are all criticizing the American people, saying that U.S.A. will fall for the same reasons the Romans did-we Americans are spoiled,selfish,undisciplined,lazy, and unpatriotic and unwilling to sacrifice for the "State"

 

I too used to believe this BS. In fact several years ago,when I only knew Rome based on School Library Books and documentaries, I wrote this highly inaccurate post on Yahoo Answers!.I literally thought it was so true I published it multiple times.

 

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiSHIAOyLgBa9hw_tfNkHeMjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20090813103911AAU8uV0

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AvFwtltEh1V3kIPqw.qhsNsjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20090813104020AAbajBr

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApNdnKeBCBFeXtrKF0LWTbsjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20090813103801AAbZBgN

 

After joining UNRV and getting deep into Roman history(thanks to the experts of this forum),looking back I can't believe I ever wrote this stuff and LITERALLY believed this BS

 

Whats your thoughts?BS that America is the modern Rome?While I would have been blinded to accept this years ago,I now know better and can say that the notion America is the Modern Rome is absolute BS!

[Ludovicus]

This is a topic that's been discussed here frequently. That said, it's always one that can gain from further disussion. Perhaps if you clean up your language and omit the disparaging terms you've invented for your opponents the give and take can begin. What do you think about that?

[GhostOfClayton]

It's the sort of argument that can do nothing other than go on and on. It's too easy to point to bits of each culture and say the US is the modern Rome because they both did such and such, or were arranged thus-wise. Contrarywise, it's too easy to say they aren't alike because Rome did this thing and the US does that thing.

 

There's one thing for absolute certain, though. If modern western civilisation thinks it's immune to a Rome-esque downfall because it has access to Ninendo Wii Consoles and the like, I'm sure it can think again!

[Guest ParatrooperLirelou]

This is a topic that's been discussed here frequently. That said, it's always one that can gain from further disussion. Perhaps if you clean up your language and omit the disparaging terms you've invented for your opponents the give and take can begin. What do you think about that?

Fine I'll take out the vulgar language.

[Primus Pilus]

Discussion, whatever the topic, is obviously encouraged, but the use of baiting language is not. For now I'll move it to the arena, but let's refrain from the use of ad hominem (eg patriotards, conservatards).