Comments on: Bismarck was realistic enough to understand that he had achieved the most that was possible https://www.isegoria.net/2019/06/bismarck-was-realistic-enough-to-understand-that-he-had-achieved-the-most-that-was-possible/ From the ancient Greek for equality in freedom of speech; an eclectic mix of thoughts, large and small Thu, 21 May 2026 16:19:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1 By: Harry Jones https://www.isegoria.net/2019/06/bismarck-was-realistic-enough-to-understand-that-he-had-achieved-the-most-that-was-possible/comment-page-1/#comment-2847590 Harry Jones Mon, 17 Jun 2019 17:08:11 +0000 https://www.isegoria.net/?p=45248#comment-2847590 Everyone who bothers to write has an agenda, and the agenda isn’t necessarily to get the facts right. Poorly researched books are mainly a problem because some people believe everything they read.

No, I haven’t researched this. It’s just my impression.

I generally suspend disbelief even when reading nonfiction titles. Think of a pundit’s books as extended op-eds and enjoy them as such. Diamond, Taleb, Gladwell, Peterson… they make me think, but I’ll never let them do my thinking for me.

]]> By: Sam J. https://www.isegoria.net/2019/06/bismarck-was-realistic-enough-to-understand-that-he-had-achieved-the-most-that-was-possible/comment-page-1/#comment-2841474 Sam J. Mon, 17 Jun 2019 03:50:38 +0000 https://www.isegoria.net/?p=45248#comment-2841474 Kirk’s mention of “Technology and Empire” reminded me of two excellent books I read that are on just this sort of thinking in the large about history.

William H. McNeill

About technology and power. Very good. Don’t miss.

“The Pursuit of Power: Technology, Armed Force, and Society since A.D. 1000″

About, of course, plagues and the effect on history.

“Plagues and Peoples”

Both are excellent classics.

]]> By: Kirk https://www.isegoria.net/2019/06/bismarck-was-realistic-enough-to-understand-that-he-had-achieved-the-most-that-was-possible/comment-page-1/#comment-2841057 Kirk Sun, 16 Jun 2019 23:50:55 +0000 https://www.isegoria.net/?p=45248#comment-2841057 Y’all might want to make a quick scan over this post over at Powerline Blog…

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2019/06/embarrassing-liberals.php

I’ve contended that Diamond is full of shiite, and apparently much smarter people than I agree with that assessment. In the comments, there’s a book mentioned that I need to go look up, called Technology and Empire, which may be where Diamond cribbed his notes.

I’d also point out another comment that suddenly clarified something for me: There are no footnotes in Guns, Germs, and Steel. I’d missed that one, which leads into the general rule I’ve established when reading something like that: If it ain’t footnoted and the data’s not attributed to places I can check, then it’s almost certainly bullshit.

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