2025-01-17 21:04 • 120 words

In the 1968 essay Is progress real? Will and Ariel Durant argue against sentiments that romanticize earlier times in history. They ask a set of rhethorical questions, juxtaposing the vices of the past with the virtues of the present. One of these questions, from a 2025 perspective, doesn't support the point they wanted to make quite as it probably did 57 years prior. They asked has any American President imitated Pericles, who lived with a learned courtesan?.

Admittedly, I would not use the word learned to characterize any of the courtesans of the felon-elect. And certainly I don't think it is warranted to insult Aspasia of Milet by comparing her to Space Karen and the likes.