History Matters Or Does It?
by Does history matter? I believe that history has much to teach us if we are willing to learn the lessons of the past.
Of course history matters, but it depends whose history it is! The present generation of politians didn’t invent spin doctors; they just do it more openly than it had been done in the past. Henry Tudor certainly knew how to manipulate history, how else would poor old Richard lll have suffered such a complete character assassination and been blamed for the murder of the Princes in the Tower. There are so many other examples, the victor writes history, so to a large extent it is always biased and often seriously flawed. If Hitler had won World War II, how would history have been recorded, allied atrocities would have been under the spotlight while the gas chambers and the concentration camps would have hardly got a mention, except perhaps as a means to an end. After all that is how we justify the unjustifiable – Hiroshima for example!
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So yes, history matters, but it is never simply fact, you need to consider who wrote it and recognise that it will be their view of history and it will be coloured by the values and world view of their time and location. Then you have to judge how reliable that record is and look for other possible sources to compare the information. The poor and uneducated have little time, power or opportunity to influence the way that history is recorded, survival is their priority. Power and influence comes from wealth and education, and the viewpoint of the powerful prevails, leaving the poor and weak lost in terms of historical records.
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In a wider sense history matters and it influences my behaviour. I always vote in general and local elections even if it is just a case of choosing the least bad option. Women made massive sacrifices so that I could enjoy equality. They were criminalised, and brutally force fed in prison just because they challenged male dominance. In 1913 Emily Davis died at the Ascot races having been trampled by the king’s horse, this one act, perhaps more than any other has spurred me on to use my freedom, to guard it jealously and to fight against discrimination whenever I come across it.
My family photos, old film and videos are among my most treasured possessions. You should always live life in the present and live it to the full, but photos and films are like a window on the past and they allow us revisit special moments and milestones in our lives. Unlike our ancestors we have the opportunity to look back at ourselves as children, we can see long dead relatives walking and talking once again and we can see our own children as babies and toddlers. Such memories can be poignant or even painful, but I don’t know anyone who would not wish to keep and treasure such memories. I have researched my family history and it means a lot to me to know where my ancestors came from and to know something of their lives. So yes, on every level history matters.
Please take a look at my article Family History – Much More Than Just Names and Dates
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Post Commentcutedrishti8
On October 12, 2009 at 11:34 am
nice researched work..
wcmonro
On October 12, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Very interesting article. My father is mad about history and has instilled this passion in me as well. I wish I knew more about my ancestry but I still have a lot to learn.
Guy Hogan
On October 12, 2009 at 3:24 pm
I love reading History. As you pointed out, History depends on who wrote it. Napoleon is reported to have said that History, “Is an agreed upon fable.”
diamondpoet
On October 12, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Of course history matter, how else would we be able to explain how things came into existence. By back-tracking through history. Thank you.
blackrockrose
On October 12, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Aha, another genealogist! Researching family history is so important. I think we always need to be reminded where we came from, to help us know where we are going.
Christine Ramsay
On October 13, 2009 at 3:02 am
I always loved history at school and enjoyed teaching to young children. It is certainly important. Good work.
Christine
Papa Sparks
On October 13, 2009 at 8:56 am
I really enjoyed this piece a lot.
lillyrose
On October 13, 2009 at 11:57 am
Thank you for that article! History is so important. I would love to know exactly how I became me and which different people left bits of them to make me. Great read.