Learned a new word today

[L Verge]

(06-26-2015 10:15 AM)Wild Bill Wrote:  This is an old concept taught, or used to be, in all history classes. When Macko asked me such a question way ten years ago, after I delivered The Anakin Skywalker speech,I refused to answer it because he was trying to make an historical account of historians opinions of Lincoln apply to current politics.

I know that the concept is as old as the hills, but have you ever heard the exact term "presentism" used before to describe people who are still judging by their modern concepts vs. historical technique?

I do realize that it is much easier for the average person to voice their opinions based on their experiences in our "modern" world, but it is not fair to judge those of a different time by our experiences. My mother and father had much different views from their parents - and I have different views than my parents (mainly because modern society has forced new things on me).

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(06-26-2015 10:53 AM)BettyO Wrote:  

Quote:I learned this from the New York Times, which today carried an opinion that Robert E. Lee's name should be removed from schools, roads, public buildings, etc.

We're treading on dangerous ground here, folks, IMO..... yes, let's just whitewash all history and pretend that NONE of this ever happened; that none of these people ever existed....how ridiculous can you get? We'll just turn everything into "fantasy land." We'll burn and ban Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind and anything else stamped "Southern"....

Sorry if I sound bitter, but I've had about enough of this....

My grandson called to tell me that Apple has just announced that they will not carry anything about the flag that is offensive or mean spirited, BUT they will continue to use the image and its background in ways that are historical or educational.