Michael Moore Alexander Legacy Project Blog

1) Does Alexander deserve to be called “Great”?

Alexander the Great is a unique almost larger than life man who viewed himself as a god. He got in drunken rampages that were seen by his men and fellow commanders, this is not the sign of a good leader. He lead from the front however which is a key to being a great military commander. Alexander was also a great tactician who created many battle tactics still studied today by militaries around the world. Though he can be seen as both a mediocre leader and a “Great” leader he has the characteristics of both. Alexander never lost a battle some attribute it to luck, some historians say he had eyes of an eagle. He foresaw what the enemy would attribute to battle and Alexander would change his strategy to fully engulf the enemy in all out war which his army would win. Alexander named 70 cities after himself and 1 after his horse. Of all those cities not many remain except their legacy, Alexander created a legacy after roughly 15 years of fighting and not seeing home. He would not come home until all of persia was destroyed, however he didn’t stop there he pressed on which his men did not enjoy as much as he did. When his men rebelled against him.

2) What can one learn about the values of society based on their views of greatness?

The value of society is viewed with a kaleidoscope. Always changing never staying exactly the same and it never will be again. Society is humans living together in an organized community not democracy or tyranny. Everyone has a different view on “greatness.” Greatness is not the same in every community or society for that matter. Definition of “great” notably large in size, larger than life. A god in many ways is “great” gods are larger than life, have superhuman abilities, and are just better than a mortal or citizen of any society. Those who view Alexander the Great as a god are very one sided or at least don’t have sufficient evidence he was. The same “society” in a different year. President Obama probably wouldn’t have been elected in 2004, 10 years later however he is here and now. Not everyone will agree only the majority populace will be viewed in a democracy or at least those ideas have a higher chance of being voted or accepted as the norm in a society. There are many “notably great” people in this world dead and alive black and white. Societies alike will choose many people who may be encompassed to be on a list of “great’s”. Alexander is considered great in his battle tactics, his government expansion into persia, his multiple “lucky battles,” he had, his so called “eagle eye” for battle. These things define Alexander as one of the greatest people in his time. However Alexander was a mediocre person. He got drunk, went on rages, burned down things, killed his men for killing enemies, to some his bilateral efforts in government and military weren’t liked by macedonian military and government members. Alex was a mixtape of ideas and interest’s that he had and pursued over his relatively small dictatorship. This shows that greatness is not always simple and is never ever viewed with the same respect and

patriotism as others.

3) Do time and distance impact someone’s popular perception?

In my eyes many leaders would never be elected here and now or vice versa back in time. Hitler would have never been elected in Germany now, he rallied the people behind his ideas and used preexisting anger from losing the 1st World War to his advantage. Though hitler used in some ways brute force to secure his Nazi Parties position in the German government. Something like that now would not work at the moment, in 5 years that could very well happen with a completely new world emerging every day. Another example is President Obama being elected in the 1900’s. Notions of racism toward african americans and political soundness. Obama is an african american his skin is black, in the 1900’s I don’t think it would be possible for him to even try to run for any political position. Even local job positions would be hard for him. Now days racial equality has sprouted allowing equal opportunity for not only african americans, but asians, mexicans, and europeans. Equal opportunity would be smashed with an “Iron Fist” in the 1900’s the very idea of different colors coexisting together in the same place was a nightmare to some. It would never happen. toward the later 1900’s racial issues were brought out and fought over with equal rights coming into play not only in the USA, but all over the world. Certain things won’t happen in our current society, I highly doubt Kim Jong Un will be elected president of the best country on earth the United States of America. Ideals of democracy and tyranny may change in the next 100 years, ISIS could rule the world and people could be ok with it.

WORKS CITED

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"Evenings with History - The Character of Alexander the Great Promo." YouTube. UALRTV, 21 Oct. 2013. Web. 28 Sept. 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsBaHZ0u8_A>.

"Ancients Behaving Badly - Alexander The Great (History Documentary)." YouTube. HistoryEmpire, 9 Aug. 2014. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgr_p34VLGM>.

Pressfield, Steven. "Alexander the Great in Iraq." Alexander the Great in Iraq. Steven Pressfield, 2004. Web. 30 Sept. 2014. <http://www.military.com/NewContent/0%2C13190%2CPressfield_050904%2C00.html>.

Lendering, Jona. "Alexander the God." Alexander the God. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. <http://www.livius.org/aj-al/alexander/alexander_z3.html>.

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Barksdale, Nate. "8 Suprising Facts about Alexander the Great." History Lists. Nate Barksdale, 13 May 2014. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.history.com%2Fnews%2Fhistory-lists%2Feight-surprising-facts-about-alexander-the-great>.

"Alexander the Great (Alexander of Macedon) Biography." Alexander the Great (Alexander of Macedon) Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. <http://www.historyofmacedonia.org/AncientMacedonia/AlexandertheGreat.html>.