The Myth of Atlantis in Modern Society

[Rilha]

Most of us know the Atlantis myth; a great civilisation that got so advanced that it was 'swallowed up by the sea' because of its arrogance. There are a fair number of theories about where it was, the predominant one being an island in Crete. There is really only one account of it, spread by the Greek philosopher Plato.

 

 

 

Is it not strange that a whole island vanished, yet there is only one account of it? Maybe it was a premonition of modern times; I know, most of you don't believe in 'visions' and whatnot. I know I don't; yet, lets think about if you did.

 

 

 

Global warming; it is said to be melting our icecaps. If the icecaps at the polls melt, much of our reality will, indeed, sink. There are some of you that do not believe in global warming, but I do. So stick with me.

 

 

 

Our technology is causing our icecaps to melt, by releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and heating up our planet. We are indeed arrogant; humans are so full of themselves, of ourselves, that we don't care what happens to the other species. They are worthless, we say. Substandard. If this is not arrogance, what is?

 

 

 

"Their arrogance caused them to sink beneath the seas..."

 

 

 

So, I've been pondering this for a while, and would be interested to get your opinions on it.

 

 

 

Could Atlantis really be naught but a metaphor for the modern world?

[Bubsa]

I really think Plato just made it up. He got so much of an audience, who couldn't resist putting a little white lie in their for future generations? :P And, as you say, it could well have had a moral meaning, possibly the one you suggested.

 

 

 

The truth is, I have no idea. It's not something I've thought about at a great deal. I don't think it ever existed, however, it is said we know more about the surface of the moon than we do of the ocean floors. And seeing as we haven't been to either...

[Antrune]

I really think Plato just made it up. He got so much of an audience, who couldn't resist putting a little white lie in their for future generations? :P And, as you say, it could well have had a moral meaning, possibly the one you suggested.

 

 

 

The truth is, I have no idea. It's not something I've thought about at a great deal. I don't think it ever existed, however, it is said we know more about the surface of the moon than we do of the ocean floors. And seeing as we haven't been to either...

 

 

 

 

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

 

 

That theory is very interesting and well thought out. If you indeed did think of that; pretty impressive. I think its just a cunning coincidence but I would love to believe it wasnt :P

[SLOWSTORM]

Bubsa, I have two names for you... Jacques Cousteau and Neil Armstrong. Both are pioneers for our times, and many people respect them. Some people, though, like the Atlantians of lore, are so sunk into the sea of self that they won't believe anything they can't do themselves...

 

--I don't believe space is a vacuum until I try it for myself-- That thinking of yours will either make you a couch potato, or get you a Darwin Award. :roll:

 

That Atlantis metaphor applies pretty well to some people, whether it was real or not.

[pianofrieak2]

Rilha, I have four words to say: A State of Fear.

 

 

 

:wink:

[Rose_2_Pure]

Sort of Off-Topic:

 

 

 

I think we aren't exactly causing Global Warming, we're just speeding it up. It's a natural cycle the earth goes through, it's happened before, it's happening now, and in a few million-billion years it will happen again. Thats just my idea of what it really is.

 

 

 

 

 

Rose

[Rilha]

Sort of Off-Topic:

 

 

 

I think we aren't exactly causing Global Warming, we're just speeding it up. It's a natural cycle the earth goes through, it's happened before, it's happening now, and in a few million-billion years it will happen again. Thats just my idea of what it really is.

 

 

 

 

 

Rose

 

Aye, it is known that the Earth does occasionally go through such a cycle, however, we DEFINITELY aren't helping anything.

[pianofrieak2]

Sort of Off-Topic:

 

 

 

I think we aren't exactly causing Global Warming, we're just speeding it up. It's a natural cycle the earth goes through, it's happened before, it's happening now, and in a few million-billion years it will happen again. Thats just my idea of what it really is.

 

 

 

 

 

Rose

 

Aye, it is known that the Earth does occasionally go through such a cycle, however, we DEFINITELY aren't helping anything.

 

 

 

Hav you actually researched the topic of global warming? Do you know how one determines global warming and just how much we are prophesied to grow?

 

 

 

Do you know of the Kyoto Treaty and everything we have done to slow it down? Do you know what it would take to do all that the environmentalists tell us to do?

 

 

 

Giving us some of your "scary" information on the background might be nice.

[Rose_2_Pure]

Sort of Off-Topic:

 

 

 

I think we aren't exactly causing Global Warming, we're just speeding it up. It's a natural cycle the earth goes through, it's happened before, it's happening now, and in a few million-billion years it will happen again. Thats just my idea of what it really is.

 

 

 

 

 

Rose

 

Aye, it is known that the Earth does occasionally go through such a cycle, however, we DEFINITELY aren't helping anything.

 

 

 

Hav you actually researched the topic of global warming? Do you know how one determines global warming and just how much we are prophesied to grow?

 

 

 

Do you know of the Kyoto Treaty and everything we have done to slow it down? Do you know what it would take to do all that the environmentalists tell us to do?

 

 

 

Giving us some of your "scary" information on the background might be nice.

 

 

 

 

 

Rilha: I never said it was helping, just speeding it up. :wink:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Piano: We never said it was scary, I was just saying my view on what Global Warming really is. I am probably the most un-educated person on anything to do with school and politics on these boards. All I was saying was what I think it is, I can't prove it, I'm not going to try, just my idea.

[coolx4guy]

it is thesable that platowas right,because 7x% of the world is made of water and 90% of the seas havent benn searched yet.it is very posible that there is a city that sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

[trapical]

In the 9th century you could grow wine and oranges in England. Its a bit colder now days don't you say?

 

 

 

Heck even if it gets EXTREMLY warm and the ice caps melt, look at Canada, Greenland, and Siberia. Massive plains of land that would then be able to support human life when places like Florida flood. Heck we might be better off when its warmer.

[Bubsa]

--I don't believe space is a vacuum until I try it for myself-- That thinking of yours will either make you a couch potato, or get you a Darwin Award. :roll:

 

Yes, that's obviously what I was implying. *Clap clap*

[Punc]

Bubsa, I have two names for you... Jacques Cousteau and Neil Armstrong. Both are pioneers for our times, and many people respect them. Some people, though, like the Atlantians of lore, are so sunk into the sea of self that they won't believe anything they can't do themselves...

 

--I don't believe space is a vacuum until I try it for myself-- That thinking of yours will either make you a couch potato, or get you a Darwin Award. Rolling Eyes

 

That Atlantis metaphor applies pretty well to some people, whether it was real or not.

 

 

 

Eum, nobody has been to the deepest part of the sea yet... they've gone pretty deep, but the pressure at that depth is making it hard to do decent studies :?

 

 

 

Seeing Plato was a filosopher, it's most likely to be a metaphor for something, and your explanations was pretty good :)

[Necromagus]

Actually, it's very likely that Plato's Atlantis had a strong foundation of truth, most likely in the fall of the Minoan civilization, which was based on Crete. The Minoans emerged as a civilization around 3600 BC. At the hight of their power their technological prowess was unmatched in the known world. They had their own written language, they produced pottery and murals of extremely high quality, they had flushing toilets, and they controlled a network of trade that spread out all along the Mediterenian.

 

 

 

Greece and Turkey lie in a geographically unstable area. Earthquakes frequently shake up the area. Many of the Minoan sites show signs of earthquake damage. The eruption of the Thera, a volcano in the area, has been linked directly to the downfall of the Minoans, because tsunamis from the pyroclastic flows and caldera collapse would have completely wiped out their navy and ports - something that would have been devastating for a people that depends entirely on their seafaring skills for survival.

 

 

 

There is a full millenium between Plato and the fall of the Minoan civilization. During that time, there was roughly four centuries of chaos, where written language was lost and most of Greece was ruled by powerhungry warlords. Very little knowledge or history survived that period, and what little information did last (Homeros' epic poetry) was highly distorted, although there has been plenty of archaeological proof for the core of the stories, the Trojan war.

 

 

 

The core of the Atlantis story was that a highly advanced culture was destroyed in a cataclysm. There is evidence of the existance of such a culture, the Minoans, and we know that volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are frequent to the area. Of course 1000 years of distortion through people who believed that gods controlled every aspect of their lives has distorted the story greatly, but in the end it's not unlikely that it's rooted in historical events.

[Rilha]

Sort of Off-Topic:

 

 

 

I think we aren't exactly causing Global Warming, we're just speeding it up. It's a natural cycle the earth goes through, it's happened before, it's happening now, and in a few million-billion years it will happen again. Thats just my idea of what it really is.

 

 

 

 

 

Rose

 

Aye, it is known that the Earth does occasionally go through such a cycle, however, we DEFINITELY aren't helping anything.

 

 

 

Hav you actually researched the topic of global warming? Do you know how one determines global warming and just how much we are prophesied to grow?

 

 

 

Do you know of the Kyoto Treaty and everything we have done to slow it down? Do you know what it would take to do all that the environmentalists tell us to do?

 

 

 

Giving us some of your "scary" information on the background might be nice.

 

xD

 

I never actually said anything about it being scary. I was simply noting the interesting similarities.

 

 

 

Yes, I have done plenty of research on global warming. I came up with this idea about a year ago, and have spent a lot of time between then and now studying it. I actually know very much about the Kyoto treaty.:wink:

 

 

 

Many people believe global warming to be a myth. I must agree that I have some doubts on it.

 

 

 

But are the similarities between the myth of Atlantis and the (myth, as it were) of global warming not intriguing?

 

 

 

That's what this topic's about.