竹聲松影

The West: A New History of an Old Idea The assertion that "western civilization" is under threat has become a rallying cry for segments of the politically right, frequently intertwined with appeals to white nationalism. This rhetoric posits a distinct and valuable cultural entity, originating in a supposedly pure and glorious past, now endangered by internal and external forces deemed antithetical to its core values. However, a close examination of the concept of "the West," drawing upon histor...

This conversation between Aaron Bastani and historian Josephine Quinn delves into the central themes of Quinn's book, "How the World Made the West," primarily challenging the traditional view of Western Civilization as a distinct, self-made entity originating in ancient Greece. The Myth of a Self-Made West: Quinn argues against the idea that Western Civilization developed in isolation, passing a "baton" from ancient Greece to Rome, through the Middle Ages and Christendom, to the present...