• Cethin@lemmy.zip
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      3 months ago

      Ah, yes. People enjoying themselves and making art that hurts no one is degenerate. Please, oh enlightened one, what is the proper form art should take? Were Victorian plays with men playing female characters degenerate? What about the Greeks and the Romans (who I should mentioned loved to have sex with men frequently and with vigor)? What point in time was ideal humanity, and when did it start degenerating? Was it only when white men were in power in the US and women couldn’t voice an opinion and black people were property? Please, let me know which time period we should return to to make the sky daddy (or mommy) happy!

        • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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          3 months ago

          Of course, no real response other than dismissal. You’re the one who came here to claim some decline in civilization. I’m not the one who needs to calm down.

            • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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              3 months ago

              You still haven’t answered the question. Which point in time are we degenerating from? Anyone can make an assertion. You can’t back yours up, which is why it is less than worthless.

              • Nimo@lemmy.world
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                3 months ago

                Not to know what happened before you were born is to remain always a child. Open any history book, perhaps “Mankind and Mother Earth” by Toynbee. Examine the rise, decline, and fall of any of the civilisation. Then come back.

                • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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                  3 months ago

                  I do know history. That’s why I asked with very specific examples of time periods. I know the point of the comment is to be on the offensive because you don’t actually have an answer, but know that I see you.

                  I know every civilization falls, because that’s a tautology. It has to be the case. That does not mean anything towards your point. The US must fall eventually, even if that’s just the heat death of the universe. Again, admitting this doesn’t provide any reason for why.

                  Which civilization was the greatest, in your opinion, and at what time? I can promise you they were performing acts both of us would agree were horrible at that moment. “The past” isn’t the best time just because we are past it, and we aren’t necessarily in decline. That can only be decided in the distant future, and it won’t be because of drag shows. It’ll be because of actual policies.

        • Evilcoleslaw@lemmy.world
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          3 months ago

          Nope, it’s specifically when people start talking about the degeneracy of culture, behavior, etc. It’s a giant raging clue.

        • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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          3 months ago

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degenerate_art

          For someone who claims to like history, you seem to be missing some major parts. Degenerate art is a specific phrase used by the Nazis during their short time in power. They claimed gays, jews, and other scapegoat groups were degenerate and blamed their issues on them instead of addressing their actual issues. One of their first book burnings was at the Institute of Sexology, which was targeted for it’s study and treatment of homosexual and transgender (at the time more commonly called transexual) people. This was a civilization soon to decline, not the one that was open to new ideas.

      • Nimo@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        The term is brandished around to such an extent it has no meaning.