His career peak was when labour took over. Giving him MORE power instead of decreasing it would mean the left is self aware and instead of instituting welfare birocracy and high taxes and pushing equality, it is actually reactionary, proto religious and ethnocentrist. Not really possible.
I am listening to this in January 2023. At 20 minutes and 35 seconds John Glubb says "Europe's oil lifeline has been abandoned to chance or to the Russians." I burst out laughing.
I wonder what he would make of Britain today? The Brexit process has shown that it is no longer "strong united and free" but it has indeed become a nation of "underlings and mendicants." Perhaps it was inevitable after empire. But it is still sad to observe.
If Britain had held onto her navy and her and America patrolling the seas. Could you imagine? The West rushed into decolonization with no thought of what would come after and a strong navy isn’t just an imperial thing as mentioned. “To reduce our armed forces in order to spend the money saved on social improvements is thus dangerously shortsighted.” This man was prophetic, or he just thought about history longer than any of us. This was a warning not just for Britain, but all of Europe.
On the topic of endless discussions and debates that lead to nothing but more turmolt and destruction, I must say I loved Plato's Republic, but Socrates sure went on my nerves at the beginning, lol.
Lots to think about in this series of Glubb readings. Of course, technology, globalism, and social change are all combining to move us beyond traditional patterns of culture, social organization and standards of behavior & mainstream conservative values. Even if it were not so, climate change alone would necessitate major societal changes in order to adapt to a rapidly degrading period of temperate global climate that is giving way to potentially disastrous tipping points. And that patriarchal pat on the head to women who stay in their place would now get him a swift kick in the nuts from a modern, 21st century, college educated woman with more goals than a couple of kids & a clean house. He seems a bit fossilized on this front. I suspect that we need to avoid the temptation of conflating his thoughtful perspectives on empires with his condescending "Father Knows Best" patriarchal certainty of the rightness of his male authority. Exactly what one might expect from a military man, but then one takes a good look at the children of military men, especially their sons, and often one sees a basket of developmental flaws passed along under the label of "character development". "This will make a man out of him!" Yes, but what sort of man? We've arrived at the 21st century. We're about to return to Moon to stay, and then press on towards Mars. Women astronauts will be key crew members, and some will be mission commanders. And some of them will be women of color. Get over it already...
He doesn't say those are bad things, he makes that point that women in power are something which happens to every civilisation before they start collapsing. You didn't understand much.....
You completely missed the point. You focused in on your pet issue and cut off everything else for consideration because of your discomfort. He actually said what kind of man is generated. Specifically taking about honesty as a virtue as well as ruggedness.
Your in total denial Alan. Your liberal programming is too strong. He is not saying woman are less intelligent he is saying they have a more important societal role as mother and home makers.
Interesting listening as was Fate of the Empires; however, Glubb was not an anthropologist. Though I agree with many of the things Glubb discusses I don't buy his take on women and homosexuals. There are many homosexual species in nature. Additionally, looking back further than 3000 years men and women lived in egalitarian societies. Women became diminished over time by men and with the rise of specialty work. In recent history, in Native American cultures, men and women shared in duties and the society as a whole was more collaborative and less competitive. There were also many cultures that were matriarchal and some exist today. Clearly, Glubb was an intelligent man but still influenced by his gender and the time in which he lived. And, if history has repeated itself over the course of 3000 years, so to show the rise and fall of empires, then clearly it's time to try something new because what men have been doing isn't working. Furthermore, I don't recall Glubb citing anything about diminishing resources or global warming which is odd since he lived well into the mid 80's and it would certainly have an impact on America's declining empire and burgeoning empires. This only applies to America since any empire prior to America's wouldn't have had little ability to analyze the world's dwindling resources. Greed seems to be the prevailing theme.
Not that I disagree, but I think you're not seeing the forest from the trees. There is a much larger problem at the stake, and it's not necessarily perpetuated by these two subjects. There may be a different way of looking at it. If one keeps in mind that power was chiefly held by the male archetype (strong, heterosexual, dominant, etc.) then these particular patriarchs had their routine pushed out of rhythm by the rise in feminism and open social acceptance of homosexuality. You've said it yourself: Alexander "supposedly" had sex with Bagoas. There is no quantified evidence. Perhaps he did, but history leaves it out because it may skew opinion of him within his contemporary culture or the assumed plateau of future thought. So, taking it from that context, if the patriarchs see an infringement on their pattern of rule, I believe it triggers a fight-or-flight response, which in most if not all cases is only "fight," and most likely in an ideological sense rather than a physical one. Politics are squeezed to the last drop in attempts at curbing this new threat. Rules are implemented, edicts are issued, social influencers are implanted to change the ideologies and those inherently opposed to the uprise are exploited to amplify the message. It is a response of the Id that aims to prop the Ego and, as a result, the whole structure collapses upon itself because of the cracks elsewhere that are facing the same pattern of rhythmic disruption.
The fact that you still cannot see it despite him laying it all out, and the fact that so many others are just like you, shows that we are doomed to follow the same course.
Thank you for recording these two essays. Glubb's ideas are very relevant.
Beautiful voice. Thank you so much for providing this for free.
Such a good voice! Waiting for the next audiobook
I thought this was John Oliver doing his best to be serious and scholarly when I first heard him.
Edifying & Frustrating, that we had great a man such as this who saw so clearly but was kept from higher position of influence is tragic.
His career peak was when labour took over. Giving him MORE power instead of decreasing it would mean the left is self aware and instead of instituting welfare birocracy and high taxes and pushing equality, it is actually reactionary, proto religious and ethnocentrist. Not really possible.
I wonder what he would think of the police state that is today's Britain.
What a great and man wise too....
Very interesting, lots of talking points there! Thanks for your unselfosh reading
Great work. Thank you for posting this.
35:00 the Troon question.
I am listening to this in January 2023. At 20 minutes and 35 seconds John Glubb says "Europe's oil lifeline has been abandoned to chance or to the Russians." I burst out laughing.
Excellent content, nice narration.
Thank you for this
I wonder what he would make of Britain today? The Brexit process has shown that it is no longer "strong united and free" but it has indeed become a nation of "underlings and mendicants." Perhaps it was inevitable after empire. But it is still sad to observe.
If Britain had held onto her navy and her and America patrolling the seas. Could you imagine? The West rushed into decolonization with no thought of what would come after and a strong navy isn’t just an imperial thing as mentioned.
“To reduce our armed forces in order to spend the money saved on social improvements is thus dangerously shortsighted.” This man was prophetic, or he just thought about history longer than any of us. This was a warning not just for Britain, but all of Europe.
"Organization destroys initiative." - that's what I heard. I'll have to listen to it again for the next major point.
No one heard this guy.
27:47 starts leadership
On the topic of endless discussions and debates that lead to nothing but more turmolt and destruction, I must say I loved Plato's Republic, but Socrates sure went on my nerves at the beginning, lol.
@13:00 squadrons flying aircraft of peculiar designs...
Isen't the role of the society that we all shall work together towards a common goal? Otherwise it become right is might and a fractured society.
Working link to this article, not the original?
Have you considered a reading of the work of J D UNWIN?
Lots to think about in this series of Glubb readings.
Of course, technology, globalism, and social change are all combining to move us beyond traditional patterns of culture, social organization and standards of behavior & mainstream conservative values.
Even if it were not so, climate change alone would necessitate major societal changes in order to adapt to a rapidly degrading period of temperate global climate that is giving way to potentially disastrous tipping points.
And that patriarchal pat on the head to women who stay in their place would now get him a swift kick in the nuts from a modern, 21st century, college educated woman with more goals than a couple of kids & a clean house. He seems a bit fossilized on this front.
I suspect that we need to avoid the temptation of conflating his thoughtful perspectives on empires with his condescending "Father Knows Best" patriarchal certainty of the rightness of his male authority. Exactly what one might expect from a military man, but then one takes a good look at the children of military men, especially their sons, and often one sees a basket of developmental flaws passed along under the label of "character development". "This will make a man out of him!" Yes, but what sort of man?
We've arrived at the 21st century. We're about to return to Moon to stay, and then press on towards Mars. Women astronauts will be key crew members, and some will be mission commanders. And some of them will be women of color. Get over it already...
He doesn't say those are bad things, he makes that point that women in power are something which happens to every civilisation before they start collapsing. You didn't understand much.....
You completely missed the point. You focused in on your pet issue and cut off everything else for consideration because of your discomfort.
He actually said what kind of man is generated. Specifically taking about honesty as a virtue as well as ruggedness.
Your in total denial Alan. Your liberal programming is too strong. He is not saying woman are less intelligent he is saying they have a more important societal role as mother and home makers.
Interesting listening as was Fate of the Empires; however, Glubb was not an anthropologist. Though I agree with many of the things Glubb discusses I don't buy his take on women and homosexuals. There are many homosexual species in nature. Additionally, looking back further than 3000 years men and women lived in egalitarian societies. Women became diminished over time by men and with the rise of specialty work. In recent history, in Native American cultures, men and women shared in duties and the society as a whole was more collaborative and less competitive. There were also many cultures that were matriarchal and some exist today. Clearly, Glubb was an intelligent man but still influenced by his gender and the time in which he lived. And, if history has repeated itself over the course of 3000 years, so to show the rise and fall of empires, then clearly it's time to try something new because what men have been doing isn't working. Furthermore, I don't recall Glubb citing anything about diminishing resources or global warming which is odd since he lived well into the mid 80's and it would certainly have an impact on America's declining empire and burgeoning empires. This only applies to America since any empire prior to America's wouldn't have had little ability to analyze the world's dwindling resources. Greed seems to be the prevailing theme.
And is I'm not mistaken, one of the greatest soldiers in history was rumored to swing both ways; Alexander the Great supposedly had sex with Bagoas.
Not that I disagree, but I think you're not seeing the forest from the trees. There is a much larger problem at the stake, and it's not necessarily perpetuated by these two subjects. There may be a different way of looking at it. If one keeps in mind that power was chiefly held by the male archetype (strong, heterosexual, dominant, etc.) then these particular patriarchs had their routine pushed out of rhythm by the rise in feminism and open social acceptance of homosexuality. You've said it yourself: Alexander "supposedly" had sex with Bagoas. There is no quantified evidence. Perhaps he did, but history leaves it out because it may skew opinion of him within his contemporary culture or the assumed plateau of future thought.
So, taking it from that context, if the patriarchs see an infringement on their pattern of rule, I believe it triggers a fight-or-flight response, which in most if not all cases is only "fight," and most likely in an ideological sense rather than a physical one. Politics are squeezed to the last drop in attempts at curbing this new threat. Rules are implemented, edicts are issued, social influencers are implanted to change the ideologies and those inherently opposed to the uprise are exploited to amplify the message. It is a response of the Id that aims to prop the Ego and, as a result, the whole structure collapses upon itself because of the cracks elsewhere that are facing the same pattern of rhythmic disruption.
Also, if a stay-home parent is necessary, there's no reason it should be the woman.
The fact that you still cannot see it despite him laying it all out, and the fact that so many others are just like you, shows that we are doomed to follow the same course.
Shut up, woman.