Does history repeat, or does it rhyme? (split from Trump)

[Phi for All]

I read an interesting article yesterday. Forget about Godwining your discussions by equating Trump with Hitler. The better analogy is George Wallace. Which suddenly spotlights how history is rhyming, not repeating itself, and the 2016 election is rhyming with the 1968 election.

 

Trump is George Wallace, with all his hateful racist rhetoric, and ability to grab free press coverage based solely on sensationalism rather than merit. Clinton is Hubert Humphrey, burdened with the Johnson/Vietnam legacy and party lines he wanted to deviate from, but didn't want to enough to fight the party. Bernie Sanders (white-haired liberal anti-war candidate beloved by college students) is Eugene McCarthy (ditto on the description).

 

Now we just need a deceitful, subtly caustic, dirty-tricks lawyer, not well liked by many in his party, who claims to be trying to unify that party, to be Nixon's counterpart. Oh, look right there! It's Ted Cruz!

 

Nixon focused on the votes going to Wallace. He stole enough of them with his strategy, and Wallace then left the Dems to run an independent effort. I can totally see Trump doing that if Cruz manages to be the "binding voice" of "the silent majority", a term Nixon successfully co-opted from the Wallace campaign.

 

With the Dem vote split, many of the Wallace fanatics realized Nixon sounded more reasonable, and had experience as Eisenhower's VP. They jumped ship and Nixon won not only the nomination, he won the election. And six years later he left the White House in disgrace, and is one of the most reviled US presidents in history.

 

History is rhyming, with horrible timing. Don't buy the ruse, never vote for Cruz.

[Phi for All]

That would almost make a great topic, does history repeat or rhyme?

 

The article suggests it might be attributable to Mark Twain. He stated history does NOT repeat itself, but often rhymes.

 

The sentiment relies on the definition of "repeat" being an identical iteration every time, which makes sense in our modern world. "Rhyming" is more like, "The 2016 election is not exactly like the 1968 election, but damn, it sure sounds a lot like it!"

[dimreepr]

 

The article suggests it might be attributable to Mark Twain. He stated history does NOT repeat itself, but often rhymes.

 

The sentiment relies on the definition of "repeat" being an identical iteration every time, which makes sense in our modern world. "Rhyming" is more like, "The 2016 election is not exactly like the 1968 election, but damn, it sure sounds a lot like it!"

 

 

I think it more relies on scale rather than detail given that every empire has failed.

[Willie71]

I think it more relies on scale rather than detail given that every empire has failed.

Empires fail when they can no longer support the populace. Lack of water is historically a major driver in this. Doesn't look good to me.

[dimreepr]

Empires fail when they can no longer support the populace. Lack of water is historically a major driver in this. Doesn't look good to me.

 

 

But that is exactly my point, on the scale of an empire history does repeat, whatever the reason.

 

 

Edit/ can we get this tangent split please, it has more potential than I first thought?

Edited March 16, 2016 by dimreepr

[Phi for All]

 

 

But that is exactly my point, on the scale of an empire history does repeat, whatever the reason.

 

 

Edit/ can we get this tangent split please, it has more potential than I first thought?

 

Why? History does NOT repeat exactly, and your example of scale only emphasizes the eventual outcome. And that's why rhyme, though whimsically Twainish, is a more apt description. But I'll report your post and let mods not involved decide about a split.

[dimreepr]

This seems to touch on a bell curve or, maybe, a Venn diagram in the description of rhyme or repeat, maybe this is more a poetic question?

 

 

Edit/ If more than one empire failed due to a water shortage then that detail IS exactly the same, so repeat; scale that down to why water was a problem then rhythm prevails.

Edited March 16, 2016 by dimreepr

[Willie71]

Here's some info on water in early civilizations.

 

http://webworld.unesco.org/water/wwap/pccp/cd/pdf/history_future_shared_water_resources/water_management_early.pdf

 

It's a bit dry of a read in places, but the info is good.