Historical arguments, without context, can be really boring. But it takes so much time to learn context - far better for pedagogical purposes, then, to graft context onto historical disputes through modern metaphors, as people will grasp the essence of the debate much more clearly.
For example, I believe the whole history of the reformation and counter-reformation is best seen as an early example of Coke vs. Pepsi.
In the early 16th century you had catholicism, a staid, decrepit product, grown fat off the easy profits that came with near-monopoly.
Then, all of a sudden, along comes Martin Luther, asking people to take the Wittenberg Challenge. You mean there's another cola/religion? It sweeps the board with its more refreshing taste.
At first, Coke stumbles, trying to have a nicer face, getting rid of indulgences and the like. This was catholicism's "New Coke Era".
But then the Church has a management retreat in Northern Italy. "Fuck this," says Pope Paul III, "what we need is to get our product back to basics and aggresively market the shit out of it. Torture people if you have to." Special sales teams known as "jesuits" were created to do the marketing. The counter-reformation can thus be seen as "Classic Catholicism" period.
Go ahead, make up your own!
For example, I believe the whole history of the reformation and counter-reformation is best seen as an early example of Coke vs. Pepsi.
In the early 16th century you had catholicism, a staid, decrepit product, grown fat off the easy profits that came with near-monopoly.
Then, all of a sudden, along comes Martin Luther, asking people to take the Wittenberg Challenge. You mean there's another cola/religion? It sweeps the board with its more refreshing taste.
At first, Coke stumbles, trying to have a nicer face, getting rid of indulgences and the like. This was catholicism's "New Coke Era".
But then the Church has a management retreat in Northern Italy. "Fuck this," says Pope Paul III, "what we need is to get our product back to basics and aggresively market the shit out of it. Torture people if you have to." Special sales teams known as "jesuits" were created to do the marketing. The counter-reformation can thus be seen as "Classic Catholicism" period.
Go ahead, make up your own!
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