[bUqLfXRI]

Just cousin.

I'm not sure what I would have done.

[seawolferr]

He had it coming.

[bromgeksan]

Years of experience on Poly should show that people get the most angry when you clearly point out how stupid whatever they are saying is.

[Xewksghy]

I wonder if the ancient Romans blamed modernity for decadence too.

[Sheefeadalfuh]

It all depends on how you said it and phrased it, and the tone.
Perhaps these things were really worrying for him back then.
Everybody is inconsistence in many ways. No need to always rub that in people's faces by using very personal and emotional examples. And that's why I can't answer your question without knowing how you exactly phrased it.

But since you said:
He was talking about the world cup, and hot it was just a modern replacement for war, all about nationalism and not about enjoying a sport.

I can only conclude that you are apparently a very cynical person, so my prejustice says that you made a very cynical comment about his grandchildren, which explains his response.

Then the answer would be: apologize and say that you got carried a bit too far away in the conversation.

[avdddcxnelkaxz]

I was particularly thinking of them, yes.

I think Socrates has a good rant about the youth of today in The Republic too...

[downtowndude]

+1

You just pointed out his inconsistency. You didn't suggest the world would somehow be improved if his relatives had died, he did, he just didn't realize it. If he was rational he wouldn't be offended.

I'm extremely consistent and believe the world would be improved if everyone's relatives died. Especially you.

[Fertionbratte]

I mentioned that his son's wife, my cousin, had all their babies in preterm births, and 200 years ago all those babies would have died and he would have no grandchildren.

He got very offende and called me son of a *****.

What would you have done in that situation?

Tell him he's a decadent whiner who shouldn't have lived beyond the age of 5 only to moan how the past was oh so great when people died young.

[Ervntewc]

Sig material.

ACK!

[wpFWNoIt]

Punch him in the face and keep screaming "What did you say?!! What did you say?!!!" until he rescinds. That way he can save face.

[sciectotacype17]

There are some nice quotes from Aristotles about that

And did the polis Aristotle's ideal last much after his death? Or was he right in his rants and Greeks became passive subjects with fewer rights in vast empires like most other peoples?

[jurhoonee]

Well they kind of had a point since bothc civs became decadent and stagnated.

Esp. Rome is a bad example to this argument since they where overrun by:

a) A puritanically Middle Eastern Cult whose followers breed like forest bunnies and then opressed native beliefs once they gained the majority

and

b) Barbarian contractors who where used to fill vacant positions in the state (esp military needs).

I don't think Greece's decline had much to do with decadence, esp. not if we talk about the classical polis world. Their decline was mainly due to never-ending inter-polis conflict culminating in the Peloponnesian War.

Depending what we regard as 'decadent' we could say major Greek polis like Athens or Thebes had a good deal of 'decadence' long before their decline. Sparta stagnated because of silly elitism leading to a situation where military losses could have devastating consequences because there simply weren't enough Spartiates to replace these losses, and they were unwilling and/or unable to open up their society to get more full citizens.

Later Hellenistic states simply couldn't compete in the long run with Rome as the new emerging ancient 'superpower'.

As for Rome, "decadence" is a common, but in the end only one possible explanation amongst many others for Rome's decline.

[hoarrimilsora]

a) A puritanically Middle Eastern Cult whose followers breed like forest bunnies and then opressed native beliefs once they gained the majority

Well I'm certainly glad that's not happening in Europe!