I was glancing through one of my reference books (yes, even though I search the Internet, I still prefer hard copy books) and found a couple of quotes that got me to wondering if things have really changed that much through the ages. For instance, here is a quote by Aristophanes (c. 450 B.C. - c. 385 B.C.) where he stated: "These impossible women! How they do get around us! The poet was right: can't live with them, or without them." Now, don't all you women out there start throwing things at me. I want you to know that I love women, one in particular. But you all must agree that this next quote by Ovid (43 B.C. - A.D. 18) is still correct today: "A woman is a creature that's always shopping."
My lady loves to shop at Hobby Lobby, Michael's, and shoe stores. She also likes to go to the shoe department in Academy which I don't mind because I wonder around the rest of that large store looking through the camping, hunting, fishing, boating, and firearms departments while she is happily trying on shoes.
Other things which we take for granted as being a product of modern society were in use long ago. Roman women were wearing bikinis by the first century B.C. and the Romans had apartment blocks. plate glass windows, and toilets that flushed. Actually, in case you want to know, the earliest known indoor toilets with sewage-disposal systems were on the Orkney Islands of Scotland in about 2800 B.C. Also, keeping to this subject, the Greeks had showers with piped-in water during the fourth century B.C., and the Chinese had toilet paper by A.D. 589. All these hygienic advances didn't begin appearing in America until about 150 years ago. Just goes to show you that what's old will become new again. Now, you all enjoy your Sunday and have a great day, you hear?
We tend to think of human progress going in a straight line. In fact, there were plenty of ups and downs along the way. I suspect that in some ways were aren't in one of those up periods.
ReplyDeleteWOW News to me about all that stuff!
ReplyDeleteI told all my family at the mall I had to stop at a book store for just a couple of minutes, and they all pitched a fit, then I couldn't get them to leave... lolol
Like the old say goes...the more things change, the more they stay the same!
ReplyDeleteSixbears, there sure have been many bumps in the road and some ancient societies where a lot more civilized than we are today.
ReplyDeleteTrouble, books are still facinating to a lot of people and especially to me.
H.J., Ain't that for sure!!!! You hit the nail on the head.
All goes back to the beginning... women were the gatherers and men were the hunters. We like to gather.
ReplyDeleteMen like to prowl ~ stalk and wonder about women. especially why they shop. Women just go on about our nonviolent gathering ~ well, we can stalk a good sale f'sure.
yes... that's a fact.
You know, Carolyn, I think you got a point there. That sounds like it is in real life, for sure.
DeleteMade me laugh... I am NOT a shopper! The few times we go to a mall I'm in and out the minute I find what I went after. The exceptions... books stores and groceries. But aren't those the basics in life? eating and reading? I'd be happy forever fixing food and devouring books....
ReplyDeleteI'm like you. I know what I want and go get it. Groceries, on the other hand, are a little different. Since I love to eat, I therefore, love to look at everything in the grocery store.
DeleteMy husband and I will make a plan for the day, then find out we made the plan but somehow the plan was different in each of our heads. Women are from Venus and men are from Mars.
ReplyDeleteJill, how well I know. If we make it until next August we will have been married for fifty years. Sure doesn't seem that long (most of the time - grin).
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