What Would You Do?
Marginal Revolution has an interesting post and comments on what to do if you suddenly find yourself in the year 1000. Interesting points include how we would stand out for our height, how soft our hands are (the old Khmer Rouge standby) and how vulnerable we would be to the diseases of the era. On the plus sides are our modern learning on great numbers of issues. As a one time reenactor I am sure everyone is underestimating the difficulties they would be facing, I am not sure where I would head or what I would try. Lost foreign nobleman would only get you a day or so even if you can communicate with the locals. I suspect the need for IT management would be low. What would you all do? Many of my readers have some history background, what do you think would help you get by?
June 11th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Well, I can spin, weave, knit and sew. I might be burned at the stake for knitting, though. Not sure if I could do the flint & steel thing, but I can keep a fire going and cook outdoors. It would be interesting to find a library type of setting. Of course, it’s 1000, but where? I’d probably have trouble understanding English of that time, let alone any other language. Drat, why didn’t my high school offer Latin…
June 11th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Interesting that everyone is focusing on Latin and assuming England for the most part in the thread of the original post. Why not proto-Algonquin for those in America? I think that for most the default place in mind for the year 1000 is England, not just for me and you Carol, but for most on that thread discussion. Even as it crumbles in the culture as a whole it is interesting to see an example of the American cultural default. When does knitting make it’s appearence?
June 12th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Actually around 1000 in the Middle East, and shows up in Europe around the 14th C. The thread does say France/Benelux/Germany, so they are talking about interacting with people there.