I thought this was slightly funny.

Mark Zuckerberg is known these days for wearing t-shirts with Latin phrases on them, especially ones where he compares himself to Julius Caesar.

Bluesky made a shirt in the same style, but theirs says "a world without Caesars" in Latin.

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[–] 196 points 2 years ago (43 children)

Zuckerberg wears t-shirts comparing himself to Julius Caesar? Why is that every time I think I’m up-to-date on the latest weirdness there’s more of it?

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  • [–] 94 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    If you think thats weird you haven't even scratched the surface on Zuck. He actually idolizes Emperor Augustus Caesar so much that he copied the guys haircut for most of his career. Behind the Bastards does a good job of highlighting it. If you want a quick readable version, here's the first non paywalled article I could find. https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-fascinated-by-augustus-future-of-facebook-2018-9

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  • [–] 72 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    Here you go:

    At Meta’s annual Connect event in Menlo Park, Calif., Zuckerberg wore a custom T-shirt with the Latin phrase “aut Zuck aut nihil,” or “all Zuck or all nothing,” as he revealed the first working prototype of Meta’s augmented-reality glasses.

    The phrase was a play on “aut Caesar aut nihil,” which means “either a Caesar or nothing,” or more simply “all or nothing.”

    Zuckerberg has long been interested in the Roman Empire. He spent his honeymoon in Rome and two of his children, August and Aurelia, are named after emperors Augustus and Marcus Aurelius.

    Incidentally, fascists tend to have a hard-on for ancient Rome, but I'm sure that's just a coincidence.

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  • [–] 23 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Zuck puts out this weird “pick me” or “me too” energy lately, trying to fashion himself as one compatible with Trump’s world. His interest in Rome may precede Trump’s ascension to power, but his coming out is not a coincidence in my view. And yes, a fascination with Rome started as so many other things as an “innocent” meme and became a fascist dog-whistle.

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  • [–] 38 points 2 years ago (24 children)

    Roman empire, like the nordic pagan BS is also a (extreme) right-wing fetish.
    So glad to see our new PM celebrating his election win like this:

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  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago (8 children)

    Sorry but which country is this? Can you elaborate on that photo?

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  • [–] 10 points 2 years ago (6 children)

    Reverse image search brings up articles for belgium referencing a nationalist party, apparently younger dude is his son?

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  • [+] 6 points 2 years ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (5 children)
  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    You can avoid the whole of Europe, most countries are getting closer to the 4th reich.
    Almost time to send the kids to the eastern front again.

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  • [+] 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (3 children)
  • [–] -1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

    Oh I definitely will, always have since the other side of their uniparty is not much better for the rest of the world.
    Besides those 2 factions there isn't a significant alternative. The vast majority belongs to 1 of those 2.
    The dems will eventually fall in line and collaborate, like much of the European parties did before and during WW2.
    "embracing patriotism" and " banning left wing elements" as the new proposed plan for the dems is already a good step.
    They have no culture of resistance, generally apathetic and pacified.
    If a European country would suddenly live under the same conditions Americans do now and loong before, regardless of which side was in charge it would be in flames. I can name a few things: no social benefits, mass homelesness, authoritarian police that kill plenty people, largest percentage of people put in jail.... No country would take that.
    And now they want to 'save their democracy'?
    And how? By not shopping at chain X for one day or maybe change their avatar.
    True warriors.

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  • [–] 9 points 2 years ago

    Belgium.
    As I said, after winning the national election.
    While we have an even more extreme party (VB)he is the leader of the NVA, basically a nationalist separatist party that wants to split the country and indepence for the Flemish speaking part.
    Historically they were the party that collaborated with the nazis.
    While they are careful to not be associated with extremism sometimes their true nature shows.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago (9 children)

    To be fair, Roman history is really cool.

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  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago (7 children)

    All history is cool. Roman history just has a lot to study.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago (6 children)

    Agreed. But if you're going to fixate on one era, you could do a lot worse than Roman history.

    Other cool eras to fixate on:

    • Joseon Dynasty and Sejong the Great in Korea
    • Chola Empire - naval empire before navies were really a thing
    • Ethiopian Empire - somehow survived with strong empire neighbors

    There's a lot of really cool history, Roman history is extra cool though since you can see so much of it in Europe.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    You can also hear it every day if you’re an English speaker. The Roman conquest of England greatly affected the English language.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Yes but I can't let this chance go by to piss off the English and say they're a German colony, the country they love to hate.
    Speak a germanic language.
    England, literally land of the Angle. Where are the Angle from? And who's the other part of the Anglo-Saxons?
    Ruled by....The Windsors? Doesn't sound right.
    Or did they change their Von Saxen-Gotha name for some mysterious reason in 1914?

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago

    Ask them why they let their little island be conquered so many times. Romans, Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, Normans. That we know of. Did they need an infusion of culture because they have none of their own? Was it a DEI thing? We may never know.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Yeah, I can picture much of roman history in my mind and put into context. Asian history is almost like fantasy lore and no matter how much I learn about it I cannot wrap my mind around how recent tieping rebellion is even though christanity played a huge role in it.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    Lol his face... It's like he knows this is a bad idea and he has no idea how he ended up there.

    That or he's just an idiot and his face always looks like that.

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  • [–] 8 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Poor thing is his son, molded by daddy.
    You should see the video, he just looks scary in it. The empty look, no thoughts, just following orders.
    His sister already had mental problems at a young age and got help, this one doesn't know it yet.

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  • [–] 19 points 2 years ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

    He's not doing those roman salutes in public yet, though.

    But it's kinda funny that the oligarchs are so obsessed with Rome, famous for being a fallen empire, while enabling the fall of the US.

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