Given the past months of controversial postings on this great forum, I thought it appropriate to quote two quotes:
First, from Mr. Lincoln: "History is not history unless it is the truth."
and a line from the hit musical "Hamilton:" 'Who Lives, Who Dies, and Who Tells Your Story...' That can become a challenge for modern historians. I think we have seen here how story telling can change the facts and hence the history.
(12-19-2018 02:52 PM)L Verge Wrote: [ -> ]Given the past months of controversial postings on this great forum, I thought it appropriate to quote two quotes:
First, from Mr. Lincoln: "History is not history unless it is the truth."
and a line from the hit musical "Hamilton:" 'Who Lives, Who Dies, and Who Tells Your Story...' That can become a challenge for modern historians. I think we have seen here how story telling can change the facts and hence the history.
There are three sides to every story. There is your side, there is their side, and there is the truth.
(12-19-2018 02:52 PM)L Verge Wrote: [ -> ]Given the past months of controversial postings on this great forum, I thought it appropriate to quote two quotes:
First, from Mr. Lincoln: "History is not history unless it is the truth."
I agree with President Abraham Lincoln . . . as I usually do.
I can't believe that I came here to catch up, because it has been too long since I visited this site. What do I see? This post by Laurie and it is exactly what I have been thinking about. With my nose to the grindstone, researching for my book, I have finally finished my research, with a lovely trip to Rhode Island, where it all happened. I am amazed at how history has been so abused by writers! The truth is the best story of all and no matter how much we live in this crazy world of "alternative and confusing facts," the truth is still always going to be the truth. I have a great respect for that fact and I always have. To me, it is just so much more interesting than denial and confusion. To some, this kind of alternative confusion and that is the only way I can explain it, fits into an environment, that most of us don't know how to understand. I don't think I ever will.
Being in the world of history and museums every day, it scares me to death to see what many in charge of such programs are doing to our history and interpretation thereof. It appears that qualifications and education no longer matter, especially in smaller institutions under local government funding, when it comes to hiring practices. Our cultural heritage, if not already dead, is dying - or being totally transformed because many of those being placed in charge don't know their history, don't know about how to teach it, and frankly don't care about learning as long as the paychecks keep coming.
Since we are spouting thoughts here. Piggybacking off of what Laurie posted in post #5. Because of the weak qualifications/knowledge of some within the realm of history, I believe this is what is giving rise to the revisionist view we are currently seeing. History happened and we cannot rewrite it to make ourselves look better. Taking down statues of Confederate Generals won't change the fact that there was a CSA. The fact that we were a racist and mysogynistic (sic) society in the 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries is something we need to learn from not hide away.
Thank you *gets off my soap box*
Agree with everything said!
What do learned minds say about history? Is it written by the victors only? As Gustd45 says; there are three sides.... Is the Russian and Japanese version of the events of WW11 different than ours? I hate to think that one day someone will bring the worlds most knowledgeable people together to write the one correct history of events similar to King James and his version of our modern bible.