this post was submitted on 22 Jun 2025
1489 points (98.8% liked)
Science Memes
15352 readers
2203 users here now
Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!
A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.
Rules
- Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
- Keep it rooted (on topic).
- No spam.
- Infographics welcome, get schooled.
This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.
Research Committee
Other Mander Communities
Science and Research
Biology and Life Sciences
- !abiogenesis@mander.xyz
- !animal-behavior@mander.xyz
- !anthropology@mander.xyz
- !arachnology@mander.xyz
- !balconygardening@slrpnk.net
- !biodiversity@mander.xyz
- !biology@mander.xyz
- !biophysics@mander.xyz
- !botany@mander.xyz
- !ecology@mander.xyz
- !entomology@mander.xyz
- !fermentation@mander.xyz
- !herpetology@mander.xyz
- !houseplants@mander.xyz
- !medicine@mander.xyz
- !microscopy@mander.xyz
- !mycology@mander.xyz
- !nudibranchs@mander.xyz
- !nutrition@mander.xyz
- !palaeoecology@mander.xyz
- !palaeontology@mander.xyz
- !photosynthesis@mander.xyz
- !plantid@mander.xyz
- !plants@mander.xyz
- !reptiles and amphibians@mander.xyz
Physical Sciences
- !astronomy@mander.xyz
- !chemistry@mander.xyz
- !earthscience@mander.xyz
- !geography@mander.xyz
- !geospatial@mander.xyz
- !nuclear@mander.xyz
- !physics@mander.xyz
- !quantum-computing@mander.xyz
- !spectroscopy@mander.xyz
Humanities and Social Sciences
Practical and Applied Sciences
- !exercise-and sports-science@mander.xyz
- !gardening@mander.xyz
- !self sufficiency@mander.xyz
- !soilscience@slrpnk.net
- !terrariums@mander.xyz
- !timelapse@mander.xyz
Memes
Miscellaneous
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Countries and borders are an arbitrary concept created during the peace treaty of Westphalia.
Those relics belong to dead people.
Attributing modern concepts of borders to Westphalia is a Eurocentric worldview. What, you don't think they had the concept of statehood and sovereignty in Asia for at least a few thousand years prior to this?
I think I get the gist of what you're saying but they're very much not arbitrary. They're a direct manifestation of a state's ability to exert control.
We agree entirely.
Without the ability to exert control and therefore reinforce the definition, borders are as arbitrary as any other law. They are created by people, enforced by people, and if we change our mind then they can go away. It's not some intrinsic property of the planet.
While I'm ranting, the definition of a relic or artifact is equally arbitrary. As well as the definition of a people. And ownership. At any point in history, these definitions will be different. Right now we've defined it in such a way that we've decided that it is socially acceptable to return relics to people who live inside geographic areas where the relics originated from. This is also arbitrary.
But as long as people, decide to exert force to reinforce this definitions, there is true as any other law.
Very Lemmy comment haha
When I was in grad school, the philosophy of science students would egg me on with things like: "I'll buy you a beer if you can prove the electron is real". I'd like to think I'm carrying on their tradition in science memes.
Yeah, it's definitely a little questionable when the people currently inhabiting the land have no direct connection to the people who made the artifacts. And then you got shit like this. Or this. Or this.
Hot take: all artifacts should be located in the most geopolitically stable area possible
Hotter take: un peacekeepers should protect world heritage sites with weapons-free orders
As an American, we should be shipping our arts out of the country before the current regime decides it's subversive to the regime and burn it. Especially any art made by minorities, opposition or in places that might get bombed(any coastal city).
And that would be for the Individual Americans to decide, or the institutions.
It wouldn't have been plundered.
You are assuming that the artifacts such as those held in the British museum solely represent "saving culture" but they also represent the lingering colonial mindset. They weren't taken away to preserve, they were taken as plunder. LITERALLY.
https://youtu.be/eJPLiT1kCSM
6:40 <- mark, watch the whole thing if you have the time.
Imagine if Nigeria and other african countries invaded your country, forced you into indentured servitude, spread propoganda and took all the art/artifacts to their country and used the excuse that your president is a fascist douche turd and because of that none of you are worthy enough to handle it. You just can't be trusted with your own art and then never returned it even after things got objectively better.
Stealing this foolproof argument for when I next apply for a UK visa to go to British Museum. Thanks!
No, it belongs to a community. Does something stop belonging to a people if the original creators die? No.
That way nobody owns any land, because it belongs to the amoeba.
Returning the artifacts is meant to be a good will gesture, and a sort of a reparation (in lieu of the actual reparations) for all the horrible colonial era crimes that were propagated not more than even 100 years ago.