GEN-MEDIEVAL-L Archives

From: rleutner <>
Subject: Re: "The Dark Ages" ---- A Misnomer
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 1997 07:25:20 -0500

Well then, let's also drop this "Enlightenment" business, too.
It's just a bit of boosterism, after all, for a particular
set of ideas, and might lead us to an inaccurately rosy
vison of the times.

Bob Leutner
Iowa City IA


D. Spencer Hines wrote:

> Curt Emanuel wrote:
> >
> > Louis Epstein wrote:
> > >
> > > Bill Kautt () wrote:
> > > : In <> (Louis Epstein) writes:
> > > : >
> > > : >The Dark Ages preceded the Middle Ages.
> > > : >There is no sense in using the terms to refer to the same period.
> > > : >
> > > : >Are you trying to lump Charles Martel's world with that of St. Louis?
> > > :
> > > : Louis,
> > > :
> > > : I don't know about you, but the astounding lack of BASIC historical
> > > : knowledge never ceases to amaze me.
> > >
> > > That some people use the terms interchangeably doesn't mean it makes
> > > sense.
> >
> > That people use the term "dark ages" at all makes no sense.. Every other
> > historical periodization term is non-prejudicial.
> >
> > Prehistory, ancient, medieval or middle ages, modern - none of these
> > makes any judgment on what the times were like - just when they were (of
> > course we can always argue about the dates).
> >
> > Characterizing any extended period of time as "dark", a prejudicial and
> > judgmental term, greatly reduces, IMHO, the chance of studying that time
> > with anything approaching objectivity.
> >
> > To further expand on this - if you start studying a time period by
> > thinking of it as a "Dark Age"; meaning a barbarious, savage time, then
> > you have already started your search for knowledge with a prejudiced
> > eye. You expect a barbarious, savage period of history. All of your
> > subsequent judgments will be affected by this. Finding out what really
> > happened becomes much more difficult than if you begin with an open
> > mind.
> >
> > You can still do it, but first you have to unlearn your initial
> > prejudice.
> >
> > Curt Emanuel
>
> Right On!
>
> Quite right, in spades --- and a jolly good show to boot.
>
> Names do make a difference as to how we approach a Period of History.
> --
>
> D. Spencer Hines---"Volkov boyat'sya v les ne khodit'"---Russian
> Proverb---[If one is afraid of wolves, one should not go into the
> forest.]
>
>

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• Re: "The Dark Ages" ---- A Misnomer by rleutner <>