History Memes

More broadly, speaking as a man who was once young (RIP me), we are raised by society with a certain element of aggression and militarism, even the most sensitive of us. I grew up playing with dolls - but also army men. You know? For that reason, powerful states have a certain appeal - the shiny gear, the weapons, the warrior-ethos (interpreted differently by every teenager, and almost always incorrectly, but appealing due to the notion of solid community and connection in service to a presumably righteous cause).

When you're in your teenage years, you're not only finding yourself, but also learning a great deal about the world - including, potentially, history. Thus the normal and natural urge to connect with people you read about in the past gets muddled with a yearning for a sense of identity that is both 'whole' and coherent, but also distinct from one's peers. Since historical societies are, well, fully formed, and for that matter don't have the disadvantage of having anyone around to tell you you're Roman-ing or Soviet-ing wrong, a close identification with them is often tempting to young men.

Me, I never had that problem. I was a Romaboo before elementary school was over. ~~If only my Sunday School teacher knew she was sending me down the path of Christianity-hating by teaching about the Romans THE CULTISTS DESTROYED ROME~~