Whenever I see paintings or drawings of public executions or tortures of yesteryear, I try to imagine what the people who went to see those things were thinking. Were they all sadists who got a charge out of seeing people being eviscerated, garroted, hung, burnt at the stake screaming in agony? Did they find these spectacles funny? Were they bored and found them exciting? I know most couldn't read, there was no TV or movies or internet. I just can't imagine Dad coming back from working the fields and saying, "OK everyone, it's family outing night! Let's go watch the ex-Bishop get broken on the rack! It'll be a cracking good time!"
I think FOMO was a thing back then -- even if you weren't excited to see someone get the chop, you knew it would be a big public event and people would be talking about it. B there or B square!
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Whenever I see paintings or drawings of public executions or tortures of yesteryear, I try to imagine what the people who went to see those things were thinking. Were they all sadists who got a charge out of seeing people being eviscerated, garroted, hung, burnt at the stake screaming in agony? Did they find these spectacles funny? Were they bored and found them exciting? I know most couldn't read, there was no TV or movies or internet. I just can't imagine Dad coming back from working the fields and saying, "OK everyone, it's family outing night! Let's go watch the ex-Bishop get broken on the rack! It'll be a cracking good time!"
ReplyDeleteJust a little off the top, please!
ReplyDeleteI think FOMO was a thing back then -- even if you weren't excited to see someone get the chop, you knew it would be a big public event and people would be talking about it. B there or B square!
ReplyDelete