An arch bigger than the Arc de Triomphe? Hitler wanted that too
It might be a bit too convenient, at this moment in history, to observe that failing tyrants, as they feel their power slipping away, start building grandiose monuments to themselves. But at least in the modern context, it’s not wrong. Let’s put it this way: Any leader of the last century or so who wants to celebrate his glorious reign with, just for example, a grand triumphal arch and a plan to destroy and rebuild important landmarks of his capital city is only imitating the past, while ignoring its most obvious lessons. He’s likely to end up celebrating only his own decadence, poverty of spirit and enormous hubris. As British journalist Jonn Elledge observed recently, if Donald Trump ever encountered Percy Shelley’s sonnet “Ozymandias” during his mediocre education, he clearly didn’t get the point. Here’s the tl;dr, Mr. President: That line about “Look upon my works, ye mighty, and despair!” sounds awesome but is meant to be ironic. (If that’s a new concept, see me after class.) Look upon my works, indeed. Having waged a …
