Joined: 30 Mar 2005 {Posts: 1082 } Location: New Jersey
Posted: Mon 27 Feb 2006 16:10 Post subject:
You are right...civilization arose in the melting pot of the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Greece got some of the aspects of their civilization from the Egyptians (who themselves had help from Ethiopians and Nubians), and from the Fertile Crescent region. The mingling of different cultures and peoples contributed a host of ideas and talent.
When you think about it, it makes sense. Did you ever notice that the true world-class greatest cities, like New York, London, Vienna, Paris, etc., are melting pots par excellence? The vastly different cultures and peoples converging in such areas contribute to and enhance the greatness.
The Romans certainly didn't invent everything they are given credit for, but adopted things from different cultures, and adapted and improved them, and made them widespread. The classic Roman arch was in existence in Egypt already, and certainly the Romans adopted it from here. This is what made the Romans so great. They were able to recognize the greatest technology, inventions, ideas, etc., in the peoples they conquered and came into contact with, and use and improve these things.
Joined: 04 May 2005 {Posts: 2021 } Location: santiago, chile
Posted: Tue 28 Feb 2006 01:34 Post subject: Melting pots.
William wrote:
..
When you think about it, it makes sense. Did you ever notice that the true world-class greatest cities, like New York, London, Vienna, Paris, etc., are melting pots par excellence? The vastly different cultures and peoples converging in such areas contribute to and enhance the greatness.
...
Of course it make sense Williams. Even in places that people believe are uniform. I would like to give you more examples.
(1) The influences of Greeks in India after Alexander were important, specially in the development of the Guptas and the Budist art. Yes, Greeks were the ones that brough, for example, the math that some centuries later made famous the Indian astronomer and mathematician Aryabatta. There, in the Pubjab, there was a melting pot.
(2) The most glorious period of China were the dinasties Tang, Sung and early Ming. That cover about the Middle Ages. Well, in that period China was very open to the outside world. In China there were lots of foreigners at those times, in special Arab sailors and Merchants. So, it is no surprise that Chen Ho, the Admiral that travel to Africa, was actually a Muslim.
(3) In the case of Latin America I have always wondered why there are countries relavitely rich like Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Southern Brazil, and regions so poor like Guatemala or Haiti.
Well, I just came to the conclusion that the difference was made by the immigrants. In the first set of countries immigration of skilled workers and business people was encouraged. Countries with nothing tempted the arrival of people who knew how to produce things: from beer to spaguettis and from minning to science. And that produced a huge difference in the long term.
Today the difference in income per capita in Latin America between the poorer and the richer country is 10 TIMES.
Diversity, particularly with the immigration of skilled workers, pay itself in the long term.
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