While trolling the world wide web for news about the Middle Ages, I 've noticed an interesting trend - mass media tends to link modern Islam with the Middle Ages. With very few exceptions, this connection is derogatory.
Buzz words like "medieval ignorance," "dark age thinking," and "medieval violence" are used to describe the state of Islam today. These phrases are used to highlight cases in which Islam is practiced in a manner which goes against Western mores. It is done to delineate 'us' from 'them.' 'We' are modern and civilized; 'they' are medieval and barbaric.
The use of the term medieval in such a manner implies that Western society has overcome its medieval heritage and left any remnant of it behind. It implies a sharp detachment between the West and its medieval past. In my opinion, this is a sign of the lack of historical consciousness in modern society. While we as a society do no longer live in the Middle Ages, the medieval past informs the present to large degree. Law, commerce, education, politics, and culture are still informed by the Middle Ages.
The medieval still influences the modern. In this regard, Western and Islamic society are more similar than the media may imagine.
"Although we cannot export democracy as if it were Coca-Cola or KFC, we can nurture moderate forces in places where al Qaeda is seeking to replace modern evil with medieval evil."
"The U.S. Air Force was dropping 15,000-pound "daisy cutter" bombs on medieval Afghanistan at the time."
"Insistence on such ideas can only drag the Muslims further into a medieval abyss."
"Indeed, their detractors circulated many medieval legends and misconceptions about their teachings and practices."
"The U.S. Air Force was dropping 15,000-pound "daisy cutter" bombs on medieval Afghanistan at the time."
"Insistence on such ideas can only drag the Muslims further into a medieval abyss."
"Indeed, their detractors circulated many medieval legends and misconceptions about their teachings and practices."
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