M1D2: Terrorists, Heroes, or Antiheroes? Separating History and Fiction
Discussion Part 1
According to Pennell, the history of piracy has been studied in distinct ways. Some authors have opted to provide fictional accounts of piracy. These authors wrote romantic scripts which described the lives of pirates in interesting ways. The history of piracy has changed from the seizure of water vessels for private reasons to political gains (Campbell, 2016). Modern authors relate piracy to terrorism as a result of the motive behind the seizure of water vessels.
The history of piracy has intertwined with romantic accounts among pirates in unique ways. Technology has improved the gains of piracy in the sea due to the seizure of large shipments. Modern pirates make use of fast boats which can get away within a short period. Such advancements have increased the benefits of piracy in the sea (Campbell, 2016). The gains of piracy are divided amongst people who, in turn, venture in expensive lifestyles which involve romance in different ways. For instance, it is common to find pirates with expensive drinks while spending recreation time in a yacht.
Discussion Part 2
I agree with the statement that pirates have become terrorists of a sort. Traditionally, the act of piracy was commissioned by a few individuals who had private interests in the process (Caviness, 2015). Some pirates wanted expensive ornaments and garments hence seized water vessels carrying merchandise. Other pirates were concerned with ransom hence seized passengers of cruise ships. Modern piracy is motivated by political interests in different countries. Water vessels of the 21st century are powered with military weapons such as automatic guns. Pirates can seize a water vessel for days and weeks depending on their political demands. For instance, the seizure of a Ukrainian water vessel was motivated politically by Russia.
References
Campbell, M. (2016). Pirate chic: tracing the aesthetics of literary piracy. In Pirates and Mutineers of the Nineteenth Century (pp. 25-36). Routledge.
Caviness, A. (2015). England’s privateers and pirates from Hawkins to Kidd: between the law and illegality, 1500-1750.