Comments on: Counterfactual http://virtualstoa.net/2008/07/12/counterfactual/ Chris Brooke's Weblog Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:25:58 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: tim f http://virtualstoa.net/2008/07/12/counterfactual/comment-page-1/#comment-258895 tim f Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:14:42 +0000 http://virtualstoa.net/2008/07/12/counterfactual/#comment-258895 Yes, the piece seems to be more of a left jab at counterfactual history than a vindication of it. Yes, the piece seems to be more of a left jab at counterfactual history than a vindication of it.

]]> By: Sagar http://virtualstoa.net/2008/07/12/counterfactual/comment-page-1/#comment-258784 Sagar Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:00:39 +0000 http://virtualstoa.net/2008/07/12/counterfactual/#comment-258784 Well i'm not going to get het-up and serious about counterfactual histoy - i think this piece is fantastic. Perhaps if some commentors relaxed a little they'd see that this is actually quite a witty piece... Well i’m not going to get het-up and serious about counterfactual histoy – i think this piece is fantastic. Perhaps if some commentors relaxed a little they’d see that this is actually quite a witty piece…

]]> By: Will http://virtualstoa.net/2008/07/12/counterfactual/comment-page-1/#comment-257708 Will Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:55:46 +0000 http://virtualstoa.net/2008/07/12/counterfactual/#comment-257708 Am I still banned from her? Counterfactual shite. See here: http://www.gentheoryrubbish.com/2008/06/if_the_mongols_remained.html Am I still banned from her?

Counterfactual shite.

See here:

http://www.gentheoryrubbish.com/2008/06/if_the_mongols_remained.html

]]> By: Phil http://virtualstoa.net/2008/07/12/counterfactual/comment-page-1/#comment-256338 Phil Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:51:49 +0000 http://virtualstoa.net/2008/07/12/counterfactual/#comment-256338 I think my point is that she'd be <b>structurally</b> your uncle. I think my point is that she’d be structurally your uncle.

]]> By: ejh http://virtualstoa.net/2008/07/12/counterfactual/comment-page-1/#comment-256248 ejh Sun, 13 Jul 2008 14:37:12 +0000 http://virtualstoa.net/2008/07/12/counterfactual/#comment-256248 If my auntie had balls. If my auntie had balls.

]]> By: Phil http://virtualstoa.net/2008/07/12/counterfactual/comment-page-1/#comment-256220 Phil Sun, 13 Jul 2008 12:59:23 +0000 http://virtualstoa.net/2008/07/12/counterfactual/#comment-256220 What matters in the long run is the structures, but politics doesn't happen in the long run. I don't at all accept the idea that counterfactual history is inherently Carlylean - what's interesting is to see whether one want-of-a-nail contingency actually can push the whole machine off its tracks, and how long it takes to get back on. Conversely, some counterfactuals end up (in a rather <i>Man in the High Castle</i> way) seeming more plausible than what we actually got, precisely on 'structural' grounds ; I remember a whole series of posts on soc.history.what-if about Un-Fascist Britain which were quite frighteningly plausible. What matters in the long run is the structures, but politics doesn’t happen in the long run. I don’t at all accept the idea that counterfactual history is inherently Carlylean – what’s interesting is to see whether one want-of-a-nail contingency actually can push the whole machine off its tracks, and how long it takes to get back on. Conversely, some counterfactuals end up (in a rather Man in the High Castle way) seeming more plausible than what we actually got, precisely on ‘structural’ grounds ; I remember a whole series of posts on soc.history.what-if about Un-Fascist Britain which were quite frighteningly plausible.

]]> By: Rob http://virtualstoa.net/2008/07/12/counterfactual/comment-page-1/#comment-256216 Rob Sun, 13 Jul 2008 12:31:49 +0000 http://virtualstoa.net/2008/07/12/counterfactual/#comment-256216 Bah. Someone else would have done the bag-carrying for Blair. All that counterfactual history stuff is so the province of rightwing, history as series of Great (White) Men hackery. What matters is the structures. Bah. Someone else would have done the bag-carrying for Blair. All that counterfactual history stuff is so the province of rightwing, history as series of Great (White) Men hackery. What matters is the structures.

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