I think the key idea here is that Alexander like many contemporary 'greats' in tech share some characteristics:
- He was set up to succeed.
- He executed well because of his nature.
- He had at least some very heavy moral failings.
Our view of history continues to be reshaped by contemporary values. The author goes into detail on how Alexander has changed in this way but all history seems to change in this way. I'm glad the author highlights these view changes.
There's a common style of thought now that can be summarized as 'the environment made the person so why praise/revere/punish them?'. In history terms, that means Great Man theory is dead.
My view is that environment should be acknowledged but we, ultimately, must place blame or praise on the person somewhere as, at least, a myth of society. With a value system that does not see individuals to blame or praise, we lack in ourselves the will to try to be better.
The myth seems to be key to the orderly continuation of civilization.
> must place blame or praise on the person somewhere as, at least, a myth of society
I think there is value to that kind of myth, but I find that the Great Man theory has a lot of power (more than just as mythology) when put in terms of the but-for key figure; as in, would the environment of the times have resulted in the actions that historically took place if it wasn't for the "great man" involved?
Had Churchill not existed, would the environment of the times have supplied another great wartime leader to follow Chamberlain? Did the shame of the Weimar Republic necessarily produce a figure like Hitler and all that unfolded thereafter, or was he a unique personality without whom things would have been very different?
There's a common style of thought now that can be summarized as 'the environment made the person so why praise/revere/punish them?'. In history terms, that means Great Man theory is dead.
My view is that environment should be acknowledged but we, ultimately, must place blame or praise on the person somewhere as, at least, a myth of society. With a value system that does not see individuals to blame or praise, we lack in ourselves the will to try to be better.
The myth seems to be key to the orderly continuation of civilization.