In my opinion, anti-intellectualism and pseudoscience led to the dark ages. There was a general disinterest in cultural advancement or investment. We are currently living in a time with an increasing prevalence of unfounded conspiracy theories that deconstruct the common cultural and scientific knowledge we have built over 200 years. Yes, we've always had - was JFK assassinated by the CIA? But that's very different from: Is JFK still alive? Did the moon landing really happen? Is the Earth spherical? Are birds real?
Ironically, I ran across a new conspiracy recently in which the dark ages didn't happen at all. THere was a Roman emperor who wanted to be known as someone who was alive in 1000 AD, so he re-wrote all of human history up to that point, and just pretended that the current date was 297 years later than it actually was. It kinda explains, a lot, because we can all see that basically nothing happened for a long time there but.. ah wait. I fell for it.
Anti-intellectualism caused the dark ages. Prove me wrong.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_time_conspiracy_theory
Generally, nowadays, the dark ages are now referred to as the early Middle-ages.
The term “dark ages” was coined much later, by people who thought they were enlightened and looked back and mumbled weird things about the time between the fall of the Western Roman empire and the time of restoring Roman ideals.
Because Rome fell, there was no longer any form of centralized government and everything split into mini-kingdoms and what-nots. And sure, the viking incursions were rather bleak as well…
But the basis of the feudal system took root, a centralised religion took root and many things like roads, food supplies, etc. were kept running.
If you look at Spiral Dynamics, you can see the move away from the red phase and the emergence of the blue phase.
@shavixmir saidEarly middle ages and dark ages are the same.
Generally, nowadays, the dark ages are now referred to as the early Middle-ages.
The term “dark ages” was coined much later, by people who thought they were enlightened and looked back and mumbled weird things about the time between the fall of the Western Roman empire and the time of restoring Roman ideals.
Because Rome fell, there was no longer any form of centraliz ...[text shortened]... t Spiral Dynamics, you can see the move away from the red phase and the emergence of the blue phase.
It was caused by Rome's fall, you say. This was a tumultuous time with lots of upheaval and change. And yet, compared to earlier time periods, hardly anything notable happened. There are only a handful of historically-relevant people that were alive for maybe 500 years or so, which could have been fabricated.
Devil's advocate - Are you trying to argue that 'phantom time' theory is wrong?
@wildgrass saidI’m just stating facts (or facts as I have read them over time).
Early middle ages and dark ages are the same.
It was caused by Rome's fall, you say. This was a tumultuous time with lots of upheaval and change. And yet, compared to earlier time periods, hardly anything notable happened. There are only a handful of historically-relevant people that were alive for maybe 500 years or so, which could have been fabricated.
Devil's advocate - Are you trying to argue that 'phantom time' theory is wrong?
Phantom time is obviously bollocks.
@wildgrass saidI think it’s more complicated than that.
You describe logistics, but attitude changed too.
Anti intellectualism. Europeans pushed out scientific progress in favor of religious dogma. Other parts of the world did much better over this time frame.
The whole social and political structure collapsed after the fall of Rome.
So warlords became kings and the religious remained the scholars, even managing to set up large scale enterprises on the matter (monestaries).
I do agree that philosophy and theology became rather entwined. But that’s the way of most major religions. And religion became the glue of society, because most other political and societal structures took a massive hit.
@wildgrass saidThat is explained by the intellectuals moving to Constantinople causing a brain drain in the West.
You describe logistics, but attitude changed too.
Anti intellectualism. Europeans pushed out scientific progress in favor of religious dogma. Other parts of the world did much better over this time frame.