A Word to the...Well, to Those Who Will Listen

Reviewing the movie 300, James Lileks (with his usual infuriating skill at making devastating points in the midst of seemingly throwaway lines) said this:

Still rooted for the Spartans, though. Because no matter how you adjust for politics or historical distortions or modern template-overlays or Marxist theory or any other Ism you clutch to your breast, the point of the story is universal: individuals defending liberty against tyranny. (To use the crazy words.)

That said, you can split hairs: the individuals were drawn from the upper classes; liberty was not extended to slaves; tyranny as defined by the upper class might have meant certain liberties for the lower classes, according to the rules of the invading empire. Maybe. Point is, the Spartans were asked to kneel, and chose not to. Every culture has a myth like this. If they don’t, they will be vassals to cultures that do. (emphasis added)

Will America continue to choose not to kneel? I am not at all certain of that.