# Alexander the Great is not Great
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [January 2, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886 "2013-01-02T21:50:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 9
### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [January 7, 2013, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/161 "2013-01-07T16:22:59Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#):
>
> Eh, he’s _always_ been called a lush - nothing new there. He may have even ended his days from poisoned wine ( quite plausible, though utterly unprovable ).
>
> Nonetheless as drunken, paranoid, violent, narcissistic megalomaniacs go, he was one heck of a guy :D.
“What I say is, kings is kings, and you got to make allowances. Take them all around, they’re a pretty ornery lot. It’s the way they’re raised.”
– Huckleberry Finn
---
### Author:  [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/162 "2013-01-08T21:22:34Z")
We had our silent debate today, and he asked if anyone thought their debate was good and would like to share. We ended up sharing our debate (it was one on one). He was REALLY impressed, and kept complimenting us. He even said, “This is just professional.” I was arguing that he wasn’t great, and she was arguing that he was great. These were assigned by the way.
---
### Author:  [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/163 "2013-01-08T21:29:51Z")
This _she_ you speak of. Was she cute? Did you get her number?
---
### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [January 8, 2013, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/164 "2013-01-08T23:47:03Z")
> [@Anonymous User](#):
>
> We had our silent debate today, and he asked if anyone thought their debate was good and would like to share. We ended up sharing our debate (it was one on one). He was REALLY impressed, and kept complimenting us. He even said, “This is just professional.” I was arguing that he wasn’t great, and she was arguing that he was great. These were assigned by the way.
😕 Pardon me if you’ve already mentioned this in this thread, but how does this “silent debate” work?
---
### Author:  [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2013, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/165 "2013-01-09T02:03:13Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#):
>
> 😕 Pardon me if you’ve already mentioned this in this thread, but how does this “silent debate” work?
It’s where you WRITE back and forth. So she started with 3 minutes to write an argument (the side arguing that he was great went first). Then after 3 minutes, the packet was given to the opponent and the opponent had 45 seconds to read, and then 3 minutes to read. This went on and on, and we went back and forth 3 times.
---
### Author:  [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2013, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/166 "2013-01-09T02:43:29Z")
Reminds me of the Far Side cartoon with the unfed dog on Leonardo Da Vinci’s floor thinking, “great owner indeed” - or something close to that.
---
### Author:  [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2013, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/167 "2013-01-09T02:50:50Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#):
>
> Nonetheless as drunken, paranoid, violent, narcissistic megalomaniacs go, he was one heck of a guy :D.
Look who’s talking here!
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
… and furthermore, in reality Ethelred the Unready was always very punctual.
---
### Author:  [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/168 "2013-01-09T02:54:13Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#):
>
> Reminds me of the Far Side cartoon with the unfed dog on Leonardo Da Vinci’s floor thinking, “great owner indeed” - or something close to that.
I believe the punchline was “great master”
---
### Author:  [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/169 "2013-01-09T03:00:42Z")
Sounds like great training for The Straight Dope!
---
### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2013, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/170 "2013-01-09T03:15:51Z")
> [@Anonymous User](#):
>
> It’s where you WRITE back and forth. So she started with 3 minutes to write an argument (the side arguing that he was great went first). Then after 3 minutes, the packet was given to the opponent and the opponent had 45 seconds to read, and then 3 minutes to read. This went on and on, and we went back and forth 3 times.
Are you in trouble if the teacher catches you at it?
---
### Author:  [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/171 "2013-01-09T14:52:54Z")
Yay I saved my history grade. My grade went down to a 90 from a 95 after getting an 86 on the Socrates essay. But I got back up to a 95 due to receiving a 99 on the Alexander the Great debate! 🙂
---
### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/172 "2013-01-09T17:12:41Z")
> [@Anonymous User](#):
>
> I the opponent had 45 seconds to read, and then 3 minutes to read. This went on and on, and we went back and forth 3 times.
That’s a whole lot of reading the same thing over and over…
> [@Anonymous User](#):
>
> Yay I saved my history grade. My grade went down to a 90 from a 95 after getting an 86 on the Socrates essay. But I got back up to a 95 due to receiving a 99 on the Alexander the Great debate! 🙂
Nobody gives a shit. In a few years, neither will you.
---
### Author:  [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2013, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/173 "2013-01-09T22:48:02Z")
> [@pancakes3](#):
>
> I believe the punchline was “great master”
Right. I finally remembered it last night as I was going to bed. Some great master.
I miss Garry Larson. Hasn’t been active for, what 20 years, and his cartoons are still remembered and his publisher still keeps hounding any websites that host copies of them.
---
### Author:  [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2013, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/174 "2013-01-11T21:20:26Z")
> [@Anonymous User](#):
>
> We had our silent debate today, and he asked if anyone thought their debate was good and would like to share. We ended up sharing our debate…
> [@Anonymous User](#):
>
> Yay I saved my history grade. My grade went down to a 90 from a 95 after getting an 86 on the Socrates essay. But I got back up to a 95 due to receiving a 99 on the Alexander the Great debate! 🙂
What score would you have received if you hadn’t shown your debate to the teacher? 😕:dubious:
---
### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/175 "2013-01-11T21:45:00Z")
How does one have a “silent debate”? Do you get points for the grimmest stare, the archest eyebrow, or what?
---
### Author:  [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/176 "2013-01-11T21:48:27Z")
Flared nostrils.
---
### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/177 "2013-01-11T21:55:37Z")
You guys totally have NO IDEA how many silent debates I’ve won here on the boards. Someday I’ll tell you all about them.
---
### Author:  [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/178 "2013-01-11T22:00:55Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#):
>
> How does one have a “silent debate”? Do you get points for the grimmest stare, the archest eyebrow, or what?
[Best reading comprehension](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=15877866#post15877866).
---
### Author:  [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)
#### Post date: [January 11, 2013, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886/179 "2013-01-11T22:01:54Z")
> [@Smeghead](#):
>
> You guys totally have NO IDEA how many silent debates I’ve won here on the boards. Someday I’ll tell you all about them.
It doesn’t count as ‘silent’ if you were shouting at your computer screen while reading some dimwit’s post, even if you _didn’t_ post a reply.
[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alexander-the-great-is-not-great/645886.md?page=8)