Wonderful story and reminder of our possibilities. I've read quite a lot on eastern culture and history. Khan was a true marvel who was kept hidden from western education for a long time. He appeared only in a short paragraph when I was in school. One of the truly wonderful things about the Internet these days is the fact that so much of our world history can be revealed and studied and enjoyed!
That's very true, there is a great ignorance about the history and cultures of the rest of the world. In the end, everyone ends up knowing only about what they have close to them: their country and their continent at best. We forget the enormous cultural richness and the great historical influence that other people have had. I am still impressed by the great conquest that Genghis Khan achieved in just the time of a human life.
This was fascinating, a perspective of Khan that I didn't know. (No surprise there.) I wonder, though, why he was so compelled to conquer the whole world. What motivates such a dream in people's minds. And are we somehow lazy or of no count to include the word "enough" in our vocabularies? Insatiable people fascinate me.
This is a question I also asked myself at some point while reading your story. I wondered, what was the need to keep expanding? Especially when you take into account that they were a nomadic people, that is, it's not even that they had any interest in settling in conquered places or extracting their resources. Most of the time they went from place to place.
Impressive story, isn't it? It was very inspiring for me to discover that learning had been vital to the building of Genghis Khan's empire. He knew he didn't know everything, so he had to learn from others.
He was the leader of the greatest empire, but he knew that didn't make him above everyone else. He could always learn from other people. Arrogance must be left out.
Wonderful story and reminder of our possibilities. I've read quite a lot on eastern culture and history. Khan was a true marvel who was kept hidden from western education for a long time. He appeared only in a short paragraph when I was in school. One of the truly wonderful things about the Internet these days is the fact that so much of our world history can be revealed and studied and enjoyed!
Hi Oma! :)
That's very true, there is a great ignorance about the history and cultures of the rest of the world. In the end, everyone ends up knowing only about what they have close to them: their country and their continent at best. We forget the enormous cultural richness and the great historical influence that other people have had. I am still impressed by the great conquest that Genghis Khan achieved in just the time of a human life.
It is astounding.
This was fascinating, a perspective of Khan that I didn't know. (No surprise there.) I wonder, though, why he was so compelled to conquer the whole world. What motivates such a dream in people's minds. And are we somehow lazy or of no count to include the word "enough" in our vocabularies? Insatiable people fascinate me.
Hi Sue! :)
This is a question I also asked myself at some point while reading your story. I wondered, what was the need to keep expanding? Especially when you take into account that they were a nomadic people, that is, it's not even that they had any interest in settling in conquered places or extracting their resources. Most of the time they went from place to place.
As you say, insatiable. An incredible story.
Wonderful story to support an important truth. Never stop learning.
Hi David!
Impressive story, isn't it? It was very inspiring for me to discover that learning had been vital to the building of Genghis Khan's empire. He knew he didn't know everything, so he had to learn from others.
He was the leader of the greatest empire, but he knew that didn't make him above everyone else. He could always learn from other people. Arrogance must be left out.
A great example to use for your thesis, to which I fully subscribe.