2005-07-07

Benedict Arnold

When a work colleague called me "a Benedict Arnold" as a joke, I think the last reaction he was expecting was a blank look. The name may be synonymous with betrayal here but back home most people have never heard of him. I think we have so much history, teachers can pick and choose from the conflicts we won. The World Wars? Check. Agincourt? Yup. Waterloo? Trafalgar? All present and correct!

Sorry, Benedict. We're just not that into you. Which means I have little frame of reference when it comes to the subject. I was considering getting an "I Heart Benedict Arnold" t-shirt for laughs but, on second thoughts, I'd probably get lynched in the street. Wouldn't I?

posted by thisismarcus @ 19:20 

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Probably, but that may have nothing to do with the shirt.

No, Benedict Arnold means next to nothing back home. He wasn't that important in the over all scale of things, was he? Now Ethelred the Unready ...he was complete pants, wasn't he.

01:29  
Blogger thisismarcus said...

I haven't heard "pants" in that context for at least a year!

In the absence of our resident history expert The Count, "The Unready" is a play on Ethelred, which means "well-advised" - essentially "ready" - in Anglo-Saxon. He actually fought off - or should that be "bought off"? - many Viking invasions.

I'd know more but it was a little before my time :)

03:42  
Blogger DrHeimlich said...

Would you be lynched in the street for wearing a Benedict Arnold shirt? My money would be on "no." I'd be surprised if more than 1 out of every 20 Americans know who he is.

As you've doubtlessly discovered by now, the average American is not very intelligent in general. And history is generally one of the average American's worst subjects.

I guess maybe there in Virginia you might find historical knowledge slightly above average. Maybe.

00:44  
Blogger thisismarcus said...

Quote of the day: "Americans know nothing about history. The only dates they know are July 4 and 1592." The speaker, who shall remain nameless for all time because I promised, swears I misheard him :)

02:52  
Blogger Aussie-Askew said...

Poor old Arnold. One nations "filthy traitor" is another nations "brave freedom fighter." America is not renowned for refusing vaguely useful defectors!

04:45  

Post a Comment

<< Home