Time Travel Vacations
Every so often it occurs to me that had I only just read about Istanbul, I'd have a vague sense of what the place might be like, but absolutely no deep familiarity with the culture or insight into it at all. So much more true, I'm sure, of the Middle Ages, of which we haven't even a photograph.
This occurred to me as I was wondering what Aquinas was really getting at when he discussed angels dancing on points of needles. I'm sure that if I spent a year living in the 13th century, it would make so much more intuitive sense.
If you could spend a year abroad traveling in four dimensions, where would you go? What would you see? Why? Do you think you'd adjust to life in the 13th century much as one does life in a foreign country, after a while?
(I like to think I'm giving you some excellent conversation-starters for the dinner table, none of which should lead to a huge family fight--unless you insist upon being difficult. Try them out and report back.)
- Comment (37)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (1)
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
Comments :
Jul '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
If One of Us traveled back to the 13th century the moment We stepped out of the DeLorean We'd contract some disease and be dead before the year's up. No thank You.
I have a love and appreciation for modern conveniences because I've read of times past, and in some cases present. I don't care to live where/when I'd have to bust My rearend 20 hours a day simply eating and staying clean. Unless, of course, I could take a few things: washing machine, fridge, microwave, A/C, McDonalds, power plant......
Re: Time Travel Vacations
Fine, fine, you can bring a supply of Cipro. Now stop being such a killjoy.
Dec '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
I would like to know what life was really like for the Israelites as slaves to the Egyptians.
Thanks for asking, Claire.
May '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
The 13th century would be very interesting. Read A Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman and Live in a Midieval Village by Isaac Asimov for non-fictional treatments, and Doomsday Book by Connie Willis for a great (even set at Christmas time) science fiction rendition.
One of the things one'd probably notice right off is how dirty everything and everyone was, in Europe at least.
Pressed to decide right now, I'd take the period 1860-1865, the American Civil War (which BTW, can still lead to a huge fight around the dinner table even if the protagonists don't initially intend on being difficult, QED various comment strings here on Ricochet throughout the past year).
Sep '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
Late 16th century England. I'd have my copy of Macbeth autographed.
Sep '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
Oops, just noticed that Macbeth was written at the beginning of the 17th century. Hope I'll still get Shakespeare's autograph though.
Sep '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
I'd like to go back to around the year 50 and investigate the emerging Jesus cult, especially tensions between those of The Way and the People of the Book: the debates over what to eat and what not to eat and with whom and to see how those distinctions played out in the growing struggle against Rome. It would also be interesting to see if the apocalyptic fears of that age bear any similarity to those of today.
Sep '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
This occurred to me as I was wondering what Aquinas was really getting at when he discussed angels dancing on points of needles
Claire not only did Aquinas never discuss the topic, neither did any other scholastic thinker. You've been punked. 50 push ups please.
Sep '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
Bob Berghout and Garry Tee (volume 20, nos. 1 and 3) ask about the origin of the ridiculous libel that the medieval scholastics examined "such matters as how many angels could fit on the head of a pin". The earliest mention I know of is in Chillingworth's Religion of Protestants a Safe Way to Salvation (1638, reprinted 1972, 12th unnumbered page of the preface), where he accuses scholastics (unnamed, of course) of debating " Whether a Million of Angels may not fit upon a needles point?" As to the truth of the allegation itself, H.S. Lang, author of Aristotle's Physics and its Medieval Varieties (1992), and in a position to know if anyone does, writes (p. 284): "The question of how many angels can dance on the point of a needle, or the head of a pin, is often attributed to 'late medieval writers' ... In point of fact, the question has never been found in this form".
Link here
Sep '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
Christmas time at Mt. Vernon, 1784. The war is over, Washington is retired into private life. What was he really like? How did he treat his wife, family, servants? What does he believe the future holds for his counry? What tidbits of wisdom could he give one from not of his time.
Being LDS, I would also like to visit Nauvoo, Ill, around 1843 and meet Joseph Smith. He, of course, is held in high regard by the faithful members of my church. What was he like? How did he move, feel, think, and act? Would I be disappointed? I would be willing to take that risk.
Sep '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
Jimmy Carter: If One of Us traveled back to the 13th century the moment We stepped out of the DeLorean We'd contract some disease and be dead before the year's up. No thank You.
I have a love and appreciation for modern conveniences because I've read of times past, and in some cases present. I don't care to live where/when I'd have to bust My rearend 20 hours a day simply eating and staying clean. Unless, of course, I could take a few things: washing machine, fridge, microwave, A/C, McDonalds, power plant...... · Dec 25 at 6:51am
Silly boy. That's what the peasants were for.
May '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
@ Pseudo: " That's what the peasants were for."
Ever wonder why the "I was a princess in a former life" types never remember being the serf who cleaned out the castle privies.
May '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
I would visit the transition of power from George Washington to John Adams.
Can there be a more important or more beautiful moment than that which permanently established that the most powerful man in the country will give up power peacefully and gracefully?
It's also this moment that, for me, means no subsequent President can be greater than Washington.
Jul '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
Okay. I'd check out 1770-1775, on the brink of war. I'd read the newspapers and pamphlets, visit the taverns in order to get the real feel of The Revolution. Maybe meet some Founders. The downside? I suspect Their accents would totally ruin My mental image of Them.
Oh, and Nick, it's not the American Civil War. It's the War of Northern Aggression. Just sayin'.
Jul '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
I'd want to go forward a hundred years or so to see how things turn out in the United States.
If there is a United States a hundred years from now.
Jun '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
I have a rule; I don't travel to places where I can't have a preprandial cocktail. Period, no discussion no debate. Now scotch as we know it wasn't invented until the nineteenth century, so you can keep your DeLorean, I ain't gettin' in unless the destination is a distillery tour. Oh, and we can hire a hack when the festivities start.
Jul '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
Fine, fine, you can bring a supply of Glenlivet. Now stop being such a killjoy.
Nov '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
I'd also suggest Marriage and the Family in the Middle Ages.
As for where I would go, it would be sometime in the Dutch Golden Age. Probably in the 1640's. Relative to the rest of Europe, it was enormously free and pretty tolerant; the arts, sciences, education and trade flourished; and it was filled with people from all over.
A good book on the subject is Schama's Embarrassment of Riches.
Aug '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
Kenneth: I'd want to go forward a hundred years or so to see how things turn out in the United States.
If there is a United States a hundred years from now. · Dec 25 at 1:00pm
That's easily done, just watch Idiocracy. Mike Judge had a lot fun with that premise.
Aug '10
Re: Time Travel Vacations
I would have to go with the Age of Exploration. Especially Zeng He and the Conquistadors.
The idea of a voyage of discovery fills my heart with wonder.