Wow, you’ve been gone since 1976? That’s extreme prescience. I’ve been following AFD since the Syrian mass migration. I’m so conflicted about migration; it’s a natural human response to so many crises, but it’s also very destabilizing to the receiving society. I recall reading a detailed math/population analysis that, because of the significant differences in birth rates between native Germans and arriving Syrians (mostly males, admittedly), the fears of a cultural takeover were well founded, and would occur in a short period of time. Germany was making more of an effort than most host countries at assimilation, so it seemed they might escape the more dire predictions. I also felt there was some hypocrisy on the left regarding cultural protectionism in general; more “primitive” cultures seemed legitimately in need of “protection”, but when advanced cultures felt threatened by a foreign influx, that was proclaimed “racist". It’s a conundrum that still intrigues me. You should write a Substack; you’re in a fascinating perch for observation.
Attempting to stop migration has been a loser's game since forever.
Attempting to stop cultural change has been a loser's game since forever.
Modern civilization, our modern nations have been built on the corpses of past civilizations and populations. With rare exceptions, people are where they are because people migrated there in response to environmental, economic, or political pressure.
Yup, I totally agree. I just embrace being an observer in real time, with more sentience than prior societies. I enjoy reading layman’s archeological stories in the media, now more fascinating with DNA revealing elements of migration that were previously unavailable. What a window into the past! Yesterday’s archeologists could only dream of such a view. It gives me a euphoria that feels almost transcendent.
Amidst the fecal fiesta of day-to -day life, there is a magnificent and aw[e]ful (using awful in its original sense) story that has been unfolding since... forever. We are surounded by unfathomable things and great beauty, even in dire circumstances--indeed, often because of dire circumstances.
Wow, you’ve been gone since 1976? That’s extreme prescience. I’ve been following AFD since the Syrian mass migration. I’m so conflicted about migration; it’s a natural human response to so many crises, but it’s also very destabilizing to the receiving society. I recall reading a detailed math/population analysis that, because of the significant differences in birth rates between native Germans and arriving Syrians (mostly males, admittedly), the fears of a cultural takeover were well founded, and would occur in a short period of time. Germany was making more of an effort than most host countries at assimilation, so it seemed they might escape the more dire predictions. I also felt there was some hypocrisy on the left regarding cultural protectionism in general; more “primitive” cultures seemed legitimately in need of “protection”, but when advanced cultures felt threatened by a foreign influx, that was proclaimed “racist". It’s a conundrum that still intrigues me. You should write a Substack; you’re in a fascinating perch for observation.
Attempting to stop migration has been a loser's game since forever.
Attempting to stop cultural change has been a loser's game since forever.
Modern civilization, our modern nations have been built on the corpses of past civilizations and populations. With rare exceptions, people are where they are because people migrated there in response to environmental, economic, or political pressure.
Yup, I totally agree. I just embrace being an observer in real time, with more sentience than prior societies. I enjoy reading layman’s archeological stories in the media, now more fascinating with DNA revealing elements of migration that were previously unavailable. What a window into the past! Yesterday’s archeologists could only dream of such a view. It gives me a euphoria that feels almost transcendent.
Amidst the fecal fiesta of day-to -day life, there is a magnificent and aw[e]ful (using awful in its original sense) story that has been unfolding since... forever. We are surounded by unfathomable things and great beauty, even in dire circumstances--indeed, often because of dire circumstances.
When you apprehend it, it IS transcendent.