chat

8242 readers

231 users here now

Chat is a text only community for casual conversation, please keep shitposting to the absolute minimum. This is intended to be a separate space from c/chapotraphouse or the daily megathread. Chat does this by being a long-form community where topics will remain from day to day unlike the megathread, and it is distinct from c/chapotraphouse in that we ask you to engage in this community in a genuine way. Please keep shitposting, bits, and irony to a minimum.

As with all communities posts need to abide by the code of conduct, additionally moderators will remove any posts or comments deemed to be inappropriate.

Thank you and happy chatting!

founded 3 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

If you could change a single part of pre 18th century history what would you change? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

68 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I'm looking for specific and non obvious answers. Give me something visceral, rid the world of a figure or nation you hate. Preserve a culture you adore. It doesn't have to make sense either, you are basically god here.

What I mean is don't just say you'd get rid of imperialism or colonialism bc no shit

Personally I would make it so that the Americas are never discovered by the old world and every "would be" conquistador (especially cortez and pizarro) explodes.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The exploding people part?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Preventing contact between Eurasia and the Americas would significantly hamper human development, leading to a world without socialism or communism. Also, assuming that you'd do the wall to prevent the genocide of native Americans, there's the underlying assumption that any kind of contact would necessarily lead to genocide, which is an inherently right wing assumption (genocide and conquest = human nature).

I know I'm overthinking a joke answer, but it's what it is.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

I know I'm overthinking a joke answer, but it's what it is.

This is fair lol, I do it all the time no worries. Obviously I wouldn't actually do this if I had the power to but I am really mad about the spanish rn. Regardless, while I don't believe conquest is inherent to human nature, I find it hard to believe any other outcome was likely given the difference in power and systems in place. However despite that my biggest issue is disease. I don't want them meeting because it would be devastating for one group or the other no matter what. I am also very curious to see how society would have developed in the isolated Americas. I wonder how different and how similar they would have been to us.

Also I am not sure how this would prevent communism long term. Sure it would slow things down but its shouldn't be impossible no?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago

Fair enough I guesss

Also I am not sure how this would prevent communism long term. Sure it would slow things down but its shouldn't be impossible no?

You need a global economy, interconnected with lots of people spreading technology and ways of organizing and capital, et cetera.

In fact, at a bare minimum, you probably need the potato to spread throughout the world. I don't think the economic and technological development for capitalism, and later to socialism, is possible without potatoes.