Baked bries‚ cheesy cocktails‚ the cacio e pepe-fication of everything‚ and more! READ MORE...

Be the host's hero. READ MORE...

  Ancient Greece is believed to be the basis of Western civilization. The narrative goes that Greece’s cultural legacy was passed on to Rome and then to the rest of Europe through the Roman Empire. The reality is more complex. The idea of ancient Greece as a shared cultural basis of the European Civilization is relatively recent‚ dating its origins to early modernity. The same is true for the concept of the West‚ which itself is a cultural construct created under specific historical circumstances.   Ancient Greece and Western Civilization  Erechtheion‚ Karyatid‚ Kore A‚ 5th century BCE‚ via The Acropolis Museum‚ Athens   Philosophers such as Socrates‚ Plato‚ and Aristotle provided an intellectual foundation for many European philosophers. Greek art and architecture have been immensely influential in shaping European artistic tastes‚ particularly since the 18th century. The scientific contributions of Ancient Greece also helped develop new scientific insights in the early modern period. Regarding political organization‚ Ancient Greece is credited as the birthplace of democracy. For these reasons‚ it is often said that Ancient Greece provided a cultural model and basis for Western civilization‚ which carried on Greece’s legacy of democracy‚ philosophy‚ art‚ and science.   However‚ this view is based on the concept of a shared “Western” or “European civilization.” In reality‚ this concept is not universal nor value-neutral. Ideas such as “West” and “Europe” are constructs shaped by specific historical circumstances.   “The West” as a Concept Ruins of the Parthenon by Sanford Robinson Gifford‚ 1880‚ via National Gallery of Art‚ Washington‚ D.C.   The idea of a “Western civilization” or simply “West” was constructed in specific and somewhat recent circumstances. The term “West” (typically understood as the opposite of the “East”) has numerous meanings. It refers to Europe‚ primarily Western Europe‚ as well as North America‚ Australia‚ and New Zealand‚ or what is today commonly referred to as “the Global North”. Also‚ the West is often equated with the North Atlantic‚ which reflects the history of European colonialization. However‚ the West as a concept is not solely based on geography. In reality‚ there is no full consensus over which places and countries belong to the West or what criteria can determine this. For example‚ is Eastern Europe part of the West or not?   Instead of geography‚ the West is often defined based on the idea of a shared culture. However‚ this is also a vague criterion. Countries belonging to the West have significantly different cultures‚ languages‚ and histories. In this context‚ the shared cultural legacy of ancient Greece is often proposed as the basis of Western civilization. But how did this idea come about?   How Did the Ancient Greeks View the World? The world according to Herodotus (image created based on his writings)‚ original image by Bibi Saint-Pol‚ via Livius.org How did Ancient Greeks view the world and their place in it? There were various Ancient Greek cultures‚ and their understanding of the world changed through time. Speaking about a universal “Ancient Greek heritage” is not easy. It is also not easy to summarize what different regions and city-states in Greece believed about the world. However‚ there was a shared Ancient Greek worldview — a worldview very different from our own.   In his Histories‚ Herodotus mentions that the world is divided into three parts: Lybia in the south‚ Asia to the east‚ and Europe as the rest. In this worldview‚ the Balkans and Anatolia‚ where the Greek civilization was located‚ make the center. This center separates the West from the East and the South. However‚ these areas are not seen as the center today but rather as the periphery of Europe or not even Europe at all. Also‚ the Ancient Greeks did not believe in the unity of “people living in Europe”‚ nor did they have a concept of modern racial categories.   The Ancient Greeks separated themselves from others based on language and cultural traits. Those who did not speak Greek were labeled barbarians (bárbaroi). The term referred to foreign enemies and allies alike. It referred to the great cultures such as ancient Egypt or Persia as well as small tribes scattered to the north of Greece.   Another thing that complicates the Greek legacy is the existence of rich trade and cultural networks with the other cultures around the Mediterranean and‚ sometimes‚ further to the east. Greeks did not form extensive networks with the barbarians to their north in the rest of Europe. While these contacts existed‚ Greece was primarily focused on the Mediterranean. This is not surprising: cultures like ancient Egypt were flourishing and significantly more influential compared to the small tribal societies of Europe.   The Legacy of Ancient Greece in Europe The Death of Socrates by Jacques-Louis David‚ 1787‚ via The Metropolitan Museum of Art‚ New York   Greek culture spread to new territories during the Hellenistic Period‚ the period that followed Alexander the Great’s conquests. However‚ the Hellenistic states of Alexander’s successors were mostly outside of Europe. Greek culture also significantly influenced Rome as the latter conquered the Greek world. Interestingly‚ after the fall of the Western Roman Empire‚ the Roman Empire did not cease to exist. The Eastern Roman Empire (often referred to as Byzantine Empire) kept on until the fall of Constantinople in 1453 CE. However‚ the Byzantine Empire is typically not regarded as part of the West’s history‚ even though it had a direct cultural link to both Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.   During the Middle Ages‚ the area today known as Western Europe was divided into numerous kingdoms and feudal territories. It was the time of Christianization‚ and religion greatly influenced the relations between states as well as with the Islamic world. The relationship between Christians and Muslims was tense and antagonistic throughout the Middle Ages. However‚ the Islamic world provided invaluable translations of numerous key ancient Greek texts. Thanks to this activity‚ many of the Ancient Greek texts were preserved and managed to become known throughout Europe in the centuries that followed. In contrast‚ Western Europe in the Middle Ages focused little on Greece. It was only in the Renaissance and Early Modernity that ideas about the importance of the Ancient Greek legacy flourished. It is possible to say that Western Europe got (re)introduced to antiquity during this period. This is when the idea of Ancient Greece as the basis for European culture was born.   The School of Athens by Raphael‚ 1509-1511‚ via Musei Vaticani   An important figure who contributed to Europeans embracing Ancient Greece (and Rome) was Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1717-1768)‚ an early archaeologist and art historian. He dedicated his work to Greek and Roman art and contributed greatly to the rise of the Neoclassical movement. The popularity of Ancient Greece and growing ideas about the importance of its legacy prompted numerous travelers‚ writers‚ and adventurers in the late 18th and 19th centuries to visit Greece.   However‚ there was a problem. Since the fall of Constantinople in 1453‚ the territories of Greece had been under the control of the Ottoman Empire. This made Europeans of the 18th and 19th centuries view Greece as “the East”‚ and not part of their cultural sphere. While some Western Europeans‚ such as Byron‚ supported the Greek war for independence (1821-1832) from the Ottomans‚ the Europeans were mostly interested in Greek antiquity but not in modern Greeks. In other words‚ Western Europe saw itself‚ and not modern Greeks‚ as the cultural descendants of “glorious antiquity.”   These ideas continued through the 19th century when the Industrial Revolution and Colonialization ensured Western Europe’s power. At the same time‚ ideas about race — first formulated in the 18th century — intensified. The European elites claimed that their power and success around the world were a direct result of their racial superiority‚ which translated into superior intelligence‚ superior biological characteristics‚ and superior culture. These assumptions embraced the Greek cultural legacy as the basis for Europe’s “superior culture.” The practice of obtaining pieces of art and monuments from Greece and transporting them to western capitals became common‚ with the Parthenon marbles being the most well-known example.   Ancient Greece: The Cradle of Western Civilization? Marble relief from the North frieze of the Parthenon‚ 5th century BCE‚ via British Museum‚ London   The importance of Ancient Greece in the European imagination is immense. The belief that modern Europe’s roots can be traced back to Ancient Greece is a powerful one. On one side‚ it emphasizes the role that Greek culture played over the centuries. However‚ the concept of Greece as the cradle of Western civilization is often used uncritically or for nefarious goals (such as among white supremacists and racist organizations).   It is important to recognize and remember the intellectual achievements of Ancient Greece as well as their legacy and enduring‚ long-lasting influence. However‚ it is also important to understand that the idea that ancient Greece is the cradle of western civilization has its own history.  The main fallacy in considering Ancient Greece the cradle of Western civilization is not the lack of Greek cultural heritage but the idea of a shared and essentialist “Western Civilization.”

One of the more peculiar‚ but ultimately enduring‚ adages in history involves the concept of "less is more" or "addition by subtraction." Sure‚ on its surface‚ it doesn't seem to make a ton of sense‚ but in practice‚ it's rather obvious why this oxymoron has lasted as long as it...

Many countries are unhappy with the U.S. dollar. They see the debt taken on by the U.S. government and the trillions of dollars printed by the Fed — and wonder how long it can last. The growing BRICS alliance (Brazil‚ Russia‚ India‚ China‚ South Africa‚ Iran‚ Saudi Arabia‚ Egypt‚ UAE‚ Ethiopia‚ Argentina) has been quietly stockpiling gold – and has accelerated purchases in the last year. Here is chart of their gold reserves – note the steep rise recently: It isn’t just foreign countries who are moving to hold more gold — many Americans with retirement accounts are doing the same thing. In fact‚ so many Americans are moving retirement accounts to precious metals that some companies have had a hard time keeping up with demand. Genesis Gold Group a faith-driven precious metals company‚ has been able to keep up with demand because their executives anticipated the surge and have leveraged their relationships to seamlessly keep the flow of wealth going into their customers’ depositories. Plus‚ by rolling over any of the various types of retirement accounts their customers currently have‚ Genesis Gold Group has simplified the process of securing the life’s savings of countless Americans. This isn’t “paper” or “virtual” gold or silver; Genesis Gold Group customers can physically see their precious metals at their convenience. And when it comes time to take a disbursement‚ they can convert to cash or have their precious metals shipped directly to their homes. Click here to reach out today through genesisfedup.com. Genesis Gold Group was given 5 stars by reviewers on the Better Business Bureau website. Here is what some of them say: “With the downward turn in the market‚ I have been wanting to transfer my IRA to gold/precious metals. I am so happy that I came across Genesis Gold Group. They made the process seamless . . . They have knowledge‚ care‚ and patience with newbies‚ like me. They kept me informed along the way and reached out several times to see if I had any questions or concerns. I highly recommend them to anyone interested in investing in precious metals.” “They made it so easy to transfer part of the funds out of my company 401K to set up a precious metals IRA. Everyone I’ve dealt with there is friendly and knowledgeable.” “The people at Genesis Gold Group have been very helpful to get my 401k from stocks and bonds to silver coins on deposit. They are patient and explained each step and answered my numerous questions along the way.” If you have wealth or retirement that you want to protect with physical precious metals backing a self-directed IRA: Visit genesisfedup.com today. Note: Thank you for supporting American businesses like the one presenting a sponsored message below and purchasing through the links which benefits 100PercentFedup. We appreciate your support!  The information provided by 100PercentFedup or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. 100PercentFedup does not provide personalized investment‚ financial‚ or legal advice.

'Why aren't voters lapping this up?'

Cashing in

More than 200 parents in New York City have signed a petition asking the city Department of Education to investigate a pre-K teacher who has apparently launched a hateful campaign against Jewish people. The school is located in the Upper East Side. The petition at PS 59 suggested that the teacher‚ Siriana Abboud‚ has leveraged her Instagram account to "promote hate and intolerance‚" expressing pro-Palestinian sentiment while condemning Israel‚ according to the New York Post. The petition reads‚ "Hate speech and discrimination have no place in our schools. Our teachers are the front line of defense in promoting a safe and welcoming environment for our children‚ and‚ regrettably‚ we have reservations about Ms. Siriana Abboud’s ability to fulfill this role.”While the petition was initially posted to Change.org‚ it was soon taken down after a mother's phone number got passed around‚ which led to several "disturbing" messages from strangers. Additionally‚ the school's principal‚ Nekia Wise‚ has refused to condemn Abboud's behavior. One mother reached out to Wise about the issue‚ saying: "Is she [Abboud] able to teach Jewish children without her internal biases coming forth? Does she bring this up in the classroom? What is she telling them? What does she teach them about this‚ if anything?”“She has very strong opinions. So how does that not bleed into her perception of the Jewish kids in the class?”However‚ this is not the first time people have raised alarms about Abboud. Earlier this year‚ she posted drawings of different noses outside her classroom‚ asking students why people have different noses. Many students replied‚ saying that it could be your ancestors‚ where you are from‚ and family members.Abboud posted her own thoughts about where the shape of noses come from‚ saying‚ "I think it's based on your ethnic identity. In art‚ we learn that you can often tell ethnicity from the bridge of your nose."As a result‚ Jewish staff members suggested that the display gave rise to anti-Semitic stereotypes. Though the school held a "restorative justice" session after faculty members brought up the issue‚ Abboud did not attend the session and "nothing came of it‚" according to one staffer.There has been a dramatic increase in anti-Semitism in colleges and universities across the U.S. since Hamas' terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7. While many pro-Palestine groups have expressed their disapproval of Israel's response to Hamas' attacks‚ these groups have failed to condemn Hamas. Hamas killed between 1‚200 and 1‚400 Jews on October 7‚ the vast majority of which were non-combatants.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!