Who are your Persians?

Who are your Persians?

For awhile now I’ve noticed that Epicurean adherents use the idea of Persians as the ultimate monolithic enemy. Clearly in reference to the Greco-Persian wars of antiquity.

But what about today? Who are your Persians and why?

Mine would be those who attempt to impose their will or ideologies on me (and others). Authority figures and so-called leaders that are actually just absentee landlords, bankrupt of actual power except through rhetoric, coercion and physical force.

Yes, everyone who is seeking way more than their pound of flesh. It’s hard to escape all the vampires out there sucking the lifeblood out!

What you say is true. When it comes to the invaders and adversaries, you really have 3 choices:

1: Confront the adversary head-on.

2: Submit and conform.

3: Flee to where they are not.

Obviously the last option only buys you a little time. It’s not a permanent soulution for dealing with oppressive societies and adversaries, eventually they come to you.

Hi Oscar!

It’s a pleasure to speak with you.

I have not heard of Michael Huemer, but I will certainly take a look at his work. Thank you for recommending it.

I’m sure you picked up on it, but my use of the term Persian is not an ethnically centered concept within this group, but rather one used by a few Epicureans here to denote someone who is an antagonist of the Epicurean philosophy or Hellenism in general. Obviously this idealism hearkens back to the Ancient Greek and Persian conflict that no one alive today has any stake in, but it’s used as a perjorative by Epicureans who consider the ancient Persians the archetypal monolithic enemy of Hellas and can be applied to any number of modern antagonists today.

I personally don’t use the term in this specific context outside of this group, simply because it has no particular significance to anyone other than 300 movie fans.

Matt