Gladiator ⚔️

    I watched Gladiator last night.

    Well, I watched the first 15 minutes anyways. Let me tell you, those 15 minutes did not disappoint. Maximus, the Roman General, lead the army of Rome against the Germanic tribes which were uprising in the North. The men all lined up, prepared for battle, and executed anybody that stood in their way. 15 minutes, opening scene. Blood and death, everywhere. Literal chaos, reigning from all corners, to destroy those who opposed the will of Marcus Aurelius. One of the most famous Caesars to even rule over Rome. 

    What stood out to me the most, out of this entire war scene, was the will of men at their peak. Individuals from all backgrounds, united and fighting as one. Despite being a huge fan of the Roman Army, and fairly knowledgable in all of their conquests- I could not help but relate to the Germanic tribes which were trying to defend themselves. These Germanic soldiers, who were simply locals, living in the North, forming together to stand up against one of the greatest forces the world has ever seen. A group of men, both young and old, united on the battle field, fighting a war that they believed was worthy of dying for. One of the lines which a soldier from the Roman Army uses, says “These people should realize when they’ve been conquered.” I believe that we as humans today, often look back into history as nothing more than a story. Nothing more than a fictional tale, made up of fictional characters, who we have never even seen or heard of. Much like watching a television show, where the characters exist in a certain context, but outside they are nothing more than a story to entertain. We as humans have completely lost touch with the reality of the world, and its entire history. We’ve become desensitized to the truth and reality of the world which surrounds us. Because of television and video games, we no longer view these events and stories as history, but rather simply fairy tales. What struck me the most about that scene, was that the Germanic tribe of men were willing to die for the country, believing they were fighting a noble and just cause. In fact, they probably were fighting a noble and just cause- preventing Rome from conquering them. Yet, as any individual who studies history would know, Rome always wins. Minus a couple battles here and there, Rome had one of the most deadly and efficient armies the world had ever seen. So as we sit there, cheering on Maximus and the conquerers, we watching men of all ages being murdered for their beliefs. Completely and utterly destroyed and dominated on the battle field. Men, who, much like me, spent their lives eating and fighting, training, to become the greatest version of themselves. Men, who had wives and mothers, perhaps even children, waiting for them at home. Men, who above all else, accepted the duty and responsibility of protecting and providing for their families. Men who were completely slaughtered for their efforts. 

    Now, I’m obviously not trying to paint a sob story, and try to spin this into a think piece where I declare the Roman Empire to be evil etc. History is written by the victors, there is absolutely no doubt about it. Since the beginning of time, everything which we know has been inked thru the sands of time by the men who conquered. Everything we know from the past, was brought to us by those who were willing to risk it all, and succeeded. Such is the way of life in the world of men. Regardless, it still makes me wonder how much has been lost, with the defeat of lesser nations. How much knowledge and history has been erased, simply because those who possessed it lacked the strength to defend their ways? I often think about the library of Alexandria, for example. A pillar of knowledge, a collection of unfathomable power, burnt to the ground. How much history have we lost, due to weak forces? How much of our past has been erased, simply because men lacked the courage and strength to protect it? The reality is, we have probably lost over 95% of our actual human history, throughout the ages. It blows my mind completely. We as humans could have access to some of the richest, most profound materials. We could have formed a society that is 1,000 times more advanced than we currently are. And yet, here we stand (or sit). Nothing more, nothing less. Not to take away from our tremendous progress and innovation. We have done quite well, as a species, to say the least. Yet I cannot help but think of how much further we could have been. How much more power and strength we would be able to possess. How we simply have been cut off from the knowledge of our fore-fathers, who sacrificed their lies to protect their hard-earned knowledge. Knowledge, which billions, if not trillions, of men had to die in order to discover. Men, with wives and families, much like the Germanic tribes, who did not hesitate to sacrifice themselves in order to build a better future for their families. 

    In modern times, the same sentiment no longer remains. In today’s world, men have been neutered and their testicles removed. The men of the world, have become lazy and submissive. They have all taken the way of comfort over discomfort. They have sacrificed their own free will, in exchange for security. It’s truly a wild concept, when we sit down and think about it. Men, who used to leave their homes and families, to take up swords and arms, to leave to battle for years at a time. Men, who would leave behind their loved ones, unsure if they were ever to return. Yet regardless, these men did so anyways. Regardless of the odds stacked against them, they all did it over and over again. Some of the oldest men, who had fight countless wars, constantly answering the war bells. Today, we barely answer the phone. Today, we barely answer an alarm clock. Today, the men of the past are gone. It truly saddens me, and blows my mind all at once. The psychological warfare has successfully turned today’s men into nothing more than lap dogs. Much like actual dogs, truly. Dogs, who were once wolves, softened up into mutts who now rely on their owners for their own well-being. Men, who now rely on their employers for their own provisions. If you went back in time and told the men of the past, what we would become, they would have laughed. Better yet, they would have killed you. Today? Men share a blank stare, completely and utterly brainwashed. We as a society have completely lost our ways. 

    I’ll probably finish the rest of Gladiator later today. At some point, I’ll buckle down, grab my coffee, grab a snack, get comfy on my sofa, and chip away at the rest of it. I’ll watch the story of great men from the past, sacrifice all that there is, in order to protect and provide for their nation. I’ll watch men die for their ideas. Men die for their loved ones. I’ll watch men die simply because they say the wrong words. Endless blood and death, visualized over and over again. And then, once it’s finally finished- I’ll turn off the television, and go about my day. I’ll go back to thinking whatever it is that occupies my brain for the rest of the evening. I’ll look back and smile at a great movie, and remember what a great story it was. Nothing more, as I sit in the warmth of my house, with a roof over my head, and food in my belly. I’ll reflect upon a story, once upon a time ago. 

May God have mercy on us all,

Amen.