Is It Wrong To Be Proud Of Viking Heritage?

[Estro Felino]

Viking means pirate. They raided, raped, enslaved, burned, plundered, pillaged, burned, razed, butchered and terrorized everyone within a stone's throw of a body water.
It's no different than if in 1000 years we glorify and romanticize the Nazis.

Yes. But this is a generalization. We are speaking of a very diverse group of people. Generalizations are not historical. It is not what the historian does.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Vikings preyed upon other countries, raping, killing, pillaging, & enslaving people.
Should this be overlooked or should the be vilified for it, as we do with the Confederacy?

I would say if you are specifically proud of viking heritage it should not be over looked and heavily questioned at the least. The vast majority of vikings were Northmen, but only a small part of the Northmen were vikings.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Not that simple. They also build trade towns and a part of it comes from the Franks stopping trade, because the Vikings were heathens.

It's not that simple when it comes to the Nazis either. Great animal cruelty laws, one of the first public anti-smoking campaigns, the Volkswagen, but the Nazis were pieces of **** and it would be inappropriate to glorify and romanticize them.

 

[Augustus]

Vikings preyed upon other countries, raping, killing, pillaging, & enslaving people.
Should this be overlooked or should the be vilified for it, as we do with the Confederacy?

They preyed upon white folks, so it doesn't count. Whoever you are, it's ok to oppress your "own kind".

On the other hand, when European countries conquered African or Asian Empires, then it was an unforgivable act of imperialism.

All true anti-imperialists should celebrate the power and majesty that these storied non-European Empires built up with their noble warrior cultures before they were cruelly exploited by such shameful acts of European imperialist aggression.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Yes. But this is a generalization. We are speaking of a very diverse group of people. Generalizations are not historical. It is not what the historian does.

Viking was more of a job title. That's not a generalization.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

It's not that simple when it comes to the Nazis either. Great animal cruelty laws, one of the first public anti-smoking campaigns, the Volkswagen, but the Nazis were pieces of **** and it would be inappropriate to glorify and romanticize them.

Well, the difference is that Wikings weren't unique at the time frame. It was standard business of the day and didn't involve industrial mass-murder at the same scale.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

They preyed upon white folks, so it doesn't count. Whoever you are, it's ok to oppress your "own kind".

On the other hand, when European countries conquered African or Asian Empires, then it was an unforgivable act of imperialism.

All true anti-imperialists should celebrate the power and majesty that these storied non-European Empires built up with their noble warrior cultures before they were cruelly exploited by such shameful acts of European imperialist aggression.

The first part, our views of Egypt suggest otherwise.
And celebrate those like the Ottoman or Mongolian Empires? Why? They were just as bad as the rest.

 

[Augustus]

But I am pleased that we drove out
those swishy inbred Limey invaders.

You were still British then, so the British drove themselves out.

You should thank us for liberating you

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Well, the difference is that Wikings weren't unique at the time frame. It was standard business of the day and didn't involve industrial mass-murder at the same scale.

Yes. As I mentioned it was more of a job title.

 

[Augustus]

The first part, our views of Egypt suggest otherwise.
And celebrate those like the Ottoman or Mongolian Empires? Why? They were just as bad as the rest.

'twas a joke

 

[Aštra’el]

I do not understand why anyone would allow themselves to feel so much shame or hatred over their own ancestors. You would not be here were it not for them, and the beautiful and horrible things they did to keep moving forward. Forward and forward until now, here you are, and you turn your backs on them.

I might not hold it against you…. but I will also never understand it.

I worship a war goddess. War and conquest do not deter me from revering my ancestors… no, it gives me all the more reason to. I take great pride my heritage, in my God(s), in my ancestors, my country, my family and my friends, and in myself.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

The first part, our views of Egypt suggest otherwise.
And celebrate those like the Ottoman or Mongolian Empires? Why? They were just as bad as the rest.

As long as you know that bad is not a fact and there is a middle ground between vilify and celebrate, we might be able to agree.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Claiming Scottish (limey) ancestry invariably means you have viking blood and being a proud limey you are proud you drove your ancestors out... Interesting lime line on hypocrisy you have there.

Being Irish, I see it as my ancestors driving out violent invaders. Yup, the two cultures intermingled and the Norse-Irish were a thing, but it seems possible my ancestors kicked out one calling himself king in Dublin, who then had to go to friendlier territory in York, lol.

 

[ChristineM]

Being Irish, I see it as my ancestors driving out violent invaders. Yup, the two cultures intermingled and the Norse-Irish were a thing, but it seems possible my ancestors kicked out one calling himself king in Dublin, who then had to go to friendlier territory in York, lol.

Driving out violence with violence eh? And consider, without the brits, unless you are native American, who settled the country you wouldn't have had a country

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

Being Irish, I see it as my ancestors driving out violent invaders. Yup, the two cultures intermingled and the Norse-Irish were a thing, but it seems possible my ancestors kicked out one calling himself king in Dublin, who then had to go to friendlier territory in York, lol.

Well, if I remember correctly the Irish drove some of the Picts out of Scotland and generally plunder other parts of the Isles. So we are in same boat.

 

[74x12]

Vikings preyed upon other countries, raping, killing, pillaging, & enslaving people.
Should this be overlooked or should the be vilified for it, as we do with the Confederacy?

Everyone on earth would be vilified if we judged them by the deeds of their ancestors.

 

[Revoltingest]

Claiming Scottish (limey) ancestry invariably means you have viking blood and being a proud limey you are proud you drove your ancestors out... Interesting lime line on hypocrisy you have there.

But I mock my Scottish ancestry as unclean & brutish.
Besides, I'm all mongrel, ie, an unholy melange of
various uncivilized groups.

As for the accusation of hypocrisy, is this to deflect
from the question with an ad hominem? If so, then
a pox on you & your village!

 

[Revoltingest]

Hmm… I don’t know @Revoltingest

I don't know either.
BTW, I hope you just accidentally left out the comma after "know".

 

[Revoltingest]

There is 3rd option. Do you know that one?

You may enlighten us.
I only started the thread.
Tis up to others to make it interesting.

 

[ChristineM]

But I mock my Scottish ancestry as unclean & brutish.
Besides, I'm all mongrel, ie, an unholy melange of
various uncivilized groups.

As for the accusation of hypocrisy, is this to deflect
from the question with an ad hominem? If so, then
a pox on you & your village!

You worship haggis and fetid sporrans, long for a kilt of your clan, that is not mockery.

No deflection, just a different view of history. And keep the pox to yourself, i don't need it