How I Learned To Stop Worrying & Love Oliver Anthony
‘You know how to gain a victory; you do not know how to use it.’ Those are the famous words Maharbal, a commander in the Carthaginian army, told Hannibal after they had achieved a momentous success on the battlefield at Cannae. Whether or not Maharbal really did utter the admonishment does not matter. There are so many quotes, events, and figures from the past that may never have been said or occurred or existed, yet their legacies carry on throughout the centuries because they have transcended the material world of historical facts. Marharbal’s warning has become cemented in the story of the Second Punic War because his words, especially viewed in hindsight, add to the drama and pathos of Hannibal’s fate. They speak to something we all have felt: the regret of not doing the things we should have done.
I’m often reminded of that old Numidian’s rebuke when I think of nationalist and dissident politics in recent times. So many victories: Trump, Brexit, electoral domination in places like Italy…yet none of those victories ever put to appropriate use. While there have been victories in the realm of politics, albeit fruitless or underwhelming ones, when it comes to matters of culture the nationalist-dissident-conservative side of things has a dismal record. There are several reasons for this, especially for why conservatives in particular are inept at creating culture and waging a culture war.