Rooster:
What does Douglas Murray mean when he says that "Athens is under great assault always" (I presume he means the legacy of ancient Greek culture)?
ChatGPT:
By saying it is "under great assault always," Murray suggests that the principles and values derived from ancient Greek culture are constantly being challenged or threatened. This could refer to various modern movements or ideologies that critique or seek to overturn the foundations of Western thought, such as attacks on reason, free speech, or the very concept of objective truth. While these values are always being questioned or undermined in different ways, Murray contrasts this with the idea that they are not currently under an "existential assault"—meaning that while they face challenges, they are not in immediate danger of being completely eradicated. This contrasts with the situation in Israel, where he argues that the threats are more existential and could lead to the literal destruction of a culture and people, thereby erasing a crucial part of the Western heritage that Jerusalem represents. When Douglas Murray says that "Athens is under great assault always," he is indeed referring to the legacy of ancient Greek culture, particularly the intellectual and philosophical foundations laid by Athens, which are a significant part of Western Civilization. Athens symbolizes the ideals of reason, democracy, philosophy, and artistic expression, which have profoundly influenced Western thought.
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