By Jaiveer Chadha
The denouement of the 19th century gave rise to a new giant in international politics - the famed superpower; essentially a prepotent nation with economic potential greater than other nations, in terms of technological advancement, military might, industrial development, and human capital. Another notable difference between a superpower and other states is that it demonstrates a consistent political philosophy in its diplomacy and foreign affairs.
The contemporary global landscape - rooted in capitalist ideals and impulses - is governed by the proliferation of wealth and power networks that stem purely out of economic relations. Eighteenth-century political economist Adam Smith laid the groundwork for understanding this phenomenon, positing that a nation’s future income depends upon its ability to accumulate capital, and the more one invests in better productive relations, the more wealth will be generated in the future.
Innumerable thinkers across history posit varying interpretations of their idea of happiness: eudaimonia, utilitarianism, hedonism, nirvana; all of them as subjective as they are far from superlative. Yet, there are specific objective indicators that can be implemented to assess happiness, in the case of the Happiness Index, for instance, such as psychological well-being, health, community, social support, education, environment, material well-being, work, governance, etc. - and happiness is discernibly rooted in the socio-political and cultural location of individuals and communities.
For ages, people have disagreed over how history and myth relate to one another. History is concerned with the systematic investigation of past events, based on evidence and critical analysis, while myth is a traditional story that explains the beliefs, customs, or natural phenomena of a culture and often serves a symbolic or metaphorical purpose. Some contend that the two are wholly distinct, with myth rooted in imaginative storytelling and history being concerned with actual events. Others contend that the two are interwoven, with myth frequently influencing history and history influencing myth. With an emphasis on the writings of Homer and Herodotus, I will examine the compatibility of history and myth in this essay and make the case that they can coexist but not without conflict.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 opus has already cemented itself as one of the most important cinematic achievements of its time. The title is an ominous warning and a burning proclamation, there will indeed be blood.
It is a story of family, resentment, capitalism, religion and madness, but the most recurring thematic aspect is ambition.
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