As someone who studies kingship and the idea of rulers to my fellow scholars who also study this stuff: why this incessant and persistent twee woobification of kings and queens?
-
Show this thread
-
-
Replying to @prof_gabriele @AdmiralHip
oh I read the thread now I get it. yes, they all super suck and it’s ok to say that. some are definitely more interesting than others but that’s because we ourselves are interested in certain aspects of politics/ religion/ etc. in our own work
1 reply 0 retweets 4 likes -
Replying to @prof_gabriele
Sure, and there are certain rulers that I find more interesting myself. But I don’t “like” them as if I thought they were actually cool dudes or whatever. But there are definitely people out there who DO think that.
2 replies 0 retweets 2 likes -
-
Replying to @prof_gabriele
Like I just want to understand the thought process, and it seems to be common.
2 replies 0 retweets 0 likes -
Replying to @AdmiralHip @prof_gabriele
I “like” the people I study (some of whom are rulers) the same way I like Samwise Gamgee or Hudson Hawk: they are cultural touchstones, not real people (anymore) and the extent to which we may know them is through the medium of storytelling. But I still like some of them.
2 replies 0 retweets 1 like -
Replying to @AnotherAspirin @prof_gabriele
I can’t really get behind the idea of them as fictional characters. Their deeds may have been embellished and fictionalised but they were real people. Again, if you find them interesting that’s one thing. But I’m talking about these people being put on a pedestal.
1 reply 0 retweets 0 likes -
Replying to @AdmiralHip @prof_gabriele
Rutger K Retweeted Rutger K
Confusing thread time! https://twitter.com/anotheraspirin/status/1247219970582380553?s=21 … Trying to explain that, to me, it is interesting to study why they are likeable. I have moved on from trying to get to know/understand the “real” people because... that frustrates me (but I admire those who can).https://twitter.com/AnotherAspirin/status/1247219970582380553 …
Rutger K added,
Rutger K @AnotherAspirinReplying to @AnotherAspirin @AdmiralHip @prof_gabrieleI can appreciate Voldemort as a villain; I can appreciate Notker’s Charlemagne; I can sympathize with John McClane; I can see how Ardo turned Benedict of Aniane into the Best Aristocrat (also monk), and, in every case appreciate the efforts and study how they are made likeable.1 reply 0 retweets 0 likes -
I don’t like anyone I study to be honest. But I like a good story.
2 replies 0 retweets 0 likes
Please don’t take offense then when I say this thread is not targeted at scholars like yourself and what you are describing isn’t what I’m talking about.
-
-
Replying to @AdmiralHip @prof_gabriele
None taken, and I get it. And it’s an interesting discussion/thought process to have But I hope you also get why those polls are fascinating to me - possibly (?) for the very reasons you doubt them :-)
1 reply 0 retweets 0 likes -
Replying to @AnotherAspirin @prof_gabriele
I find them fascinating to the extent that I made this thread.
0 replies 0 retweets 1 like
End of conversation
New conversation -
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.