Furthermore, furthermore, If Lawrence did not dress like a prince he would not expect the support and respect of the Bedouin tribes to follow him. Image was everything, especially for a non Muslim outsider.
Furthermore, a man who took time to understand the Arab language, and the local dialects doused not speak to me of a man with an ego. Reading about heroes does not suggest you wish to be a hero. I have read many books from Alexander The Great to David Stirling, founder of the SAS. It did not make me want to be a hero. My wife and doggie love me. That will do for me🥰
My interpretation of Lawrence is the opposite. I feel he was very humble and unassuming, Probably assuming a more Muslim philosophy about living, and not wishing to be the hero you suggest. Refusing a knighthood and then joining the RAF under an assumed name does not suggest a man who seeks glory - unlike our politicians these days - mostly in it for recognition. Remember, in those days, the media was not like it is now. I had you down for being a similar character as Lawrence. So why after a very successful, albeit relatively short lived career in politics, do you think you have failed? Your book "Politics on the Edge" tells me you are an honourable man. Of which you should be proud. Your achievements are great. Of which you should be proud. You are still fit and healthy, of which you should be grateful, and with your expertise and experience you can still to go on and do great thinks. But instead of blowing up bridges, why not just keep on at trying to save lives. Especially in Gaza. As Bear Grylls would say... NEVER GIVE UP!
He was supposed to be forgotten because the ANC was slowly moving from being liberative to being a political party and was slowly becoming infested with people with selfish interests. We thank God for the life of Pixley Ka-Isaka Seme
I've been interested in the 1607 flood for many years. A great watch, thank you. Simon seemed a bit rushed for time at the end, would have been happy to listen to him talk for another hour!
He was the real founder of uMkhonto Wesizwe not Mandela and the Ironically Seme warned Lembede about Mandela and Sisulu and somehow he Passed away in 1947😢
Perhaps Lawrence didn’t feel personally judged by the Arabs, felt comfortable in the company of Arab men, felt comfortable outside the confines of British social and cultural norms. He could be a free spirit and allow his deep emotions to have expression. I’ve not read about or researched his life, so I’m simply imagining and going on what I’ve heard. I’m curious why Rory didn’t once touch on Lawrence most basic drives - his sexuality. He was attracted to the same sex. Arabia at that time would have been a place where such same sex encounters would have been much more the norm and part of the culture.
Power makes possible idiosyncratic behaviour. The Empire was monolithic power - or at least its officials were encouraged to believe that and supported each other through their behaviour showing adherence to that?
I have to think that Lawrence would (probably without stating it outright) have been contemptuous of certain aspects of "the Bloomsbury set". Such things as a couple of its members getting "conscientious objector" status during WWI because they had money or connections to those that did.
Very infromative, the perspicacity of this video really shone. I hope to go to conneticut to study gender studies. Elizabeth's virginity really makes her a girlboss and a true queen. I am a polysexual, holographic, pterodactyl, half wolf. I hope Brendan responds to me he's very interseting bloke love him to bits xoxo
Rory Stewart is a good boy, but no matter his boys own travels in the footsteps of John Nicholson and such, Rory doesn't have the cojones to call out the corruption within his kind.
from the point of view of ongoing generations of woe in the middle east that have resulted from the destruction of the Ottoman empire , TE Lawrence's heroism feels so awfully wasted , in service ultimately to the liberation only of Oil
Something that speaks volumes to me about T E Lawrence is that as a boy he slept in a box. He was never really a part of his parent's culture, he would always be an imposter, someone who's always going to be an outsider.
As a professional in architectural conservation and having worked as such in the Middle East, I would like RS to give a lecture on the projects and work of Turquoise Mountain in Afghanistan particularly the cultural, aesthetic and technical approaches to architectural conservation in Kabul (e.g. restoration vs minimal conservation of original fabric) This is a very interesting and important subject. (I am not an alumni of Jesus College)
Rory Stewart is a clever, well read, erudite and intelligent man. But like many of his class and background he has a blind spot, and is unable to see that his perspectives and interpretations of the past are flawed and will always be flawed. It is a flaw in the English character of that class and the values they hold that is unable to see at their heart and soul is a form of duplicitousness and essential untrustworthiness. (This is true of all peoples but especially shines in this group). St John Philby, Gertrude Bell, John Bagot Glubb, A K S Lamton, Robert Zaehner… and many more sowed the seeds of the current upheavals. The quote from Saint-Just “The present order is the disorder of the future.” describes what they did, and holds true for our present day. To deal with flaw in their character, they create a mythic view of history which denies a responsibility for the past. This is often quoted from the Seven Pillars of Wisdom "The Cabinet raised the Arabs to fight for us by definite promises of self government afterwards… So I had to join the conspiracy and for what my word was worth assured the men of their reward. In our two years’ partnership under fire they grew accustomed to believing me and to think my Government, like myself sincere instead of being proud of what we did together I was continually and bitterly ashamed. It was evident from the beginning that if we had won the war these promises would be dead paper, and had I been an honest advisor of the Arabs I would have advised them to go home and not risk their lives fighting for such stuff…
If he had become Prime Minister I would have voted for a Conservative MP for the first time in my life. An intelligent a man of dignity. We need him now more than ever to stabilise government
I was at a T.E. Lawrence exhibit at Magdalene College's old library (August 2023), which notes his presence at & as an alumnus of that college? Did he therefore study at two Oxford colleges -- Jesus and Magdalene?.... Oh yes at 15.04 min, R. Stewart did note Lawrence "moved from Jesus to Magdalene" (perhaps for a graduate degree)
Rory is happier being a commentator. He is not slippery enough to be a politician but he could contribute to political life by developing ideas to improve Britain. Ideas about nationhood, family, getting the right balance been public and private systems to produce goods and services. Ideas and principles about individual responsibility, our duty towards others etc etc. I think this is where his heart is.
Bloody Richard Aldington... my best friend at school wrote a magnificent 'Baldingtonization' of me once. We used to skip off from school to read up on Lawrence at the Imperial War reading room 😊
An important influence on Elizabeth I was Miler Magrath, Protestant Archbishop of Cashel. As native Irish as you could get, a favorite of the Pope when he was still Catholic. She often spent hours consulting with him. And when he was denounced by other Protestant bishops and summoned to London he came back with more favors from her. Magrath was one of his most impactful of her advisors on Ireland. I would urge anyone to read a book about him. An interesting side show was the imprisonment of Richard Craig, Catholic Archbishop of Armagh. She thought he was conspiring with O'Neill when in reality he despised O'Neill and was in favor of accepting Elizabeth as the legitimate monarch of Ireland. Even Walsingham thought him innocent of disloyalty but could not convince Elizabeth of Craig's innocence and loyalty. Imprisoned in the Tower, Craig developed a reputation as a saint, even by Protestants.
