• PugJesus@lemmy.worldOPM
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      4 days ago

      Cato the Elder was also more hostile to women and slaves than was normal for Roman aristocrats of the mid-Republic - and let me tell you, that is a low bar. He had no problem with attacking his political enemies with the same crimes he was guilty of, and claiming that restrictive and unpopular innovations that were meant to be temporary, and he was alive for the introduction of were actually ancient traditions, because they hurt people he didn’t like (such as women).

      So basically a perfect caricature of conservatism illustrated with Roman themes, yes.

      • Acinonyx@lemmy.sdf.org
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        4 days ago

        someone should trace trumps family tree back to ancient rome, I want to confirm a theory…

        or perhaps cato the elder was shown by old roman mosaics or so to be slightly orange colored?

        • PugJesus@lemmy.worldOPM
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          4 days ago

          Cato, at least, was legitimately frugal. He’d probably find Trump gaudy and tasteless as any of us - not to mention remarkably stupid. Cato was literate, and a farmer who understood his craft - qualities Trump could only be envious of, were Trump smart enough to recognize the value of either.

          Unfortunately, I think it just shows that power and privilege are timeless diseases, and if someone, with an utter lack of curiosity and introspection, lets it eat at their brain… well, eventually, they all end up with remarkably similar symptoms.