Over the past 2 weeks we have been discussing how important history is to the molding of young minds and how the perception of history can determine the future of civilizations. In Adichie’s presentation, she discusses how some of this works.
By telling stories about experiences in her life she helps illustrate how hearing one story about something, someone, or a type of something, can alter your perception of them. After these stories she closes by saying, “What if…” I really liked this, because it made you think about her examples and how those situations may have been different “if” people had more than one story, such as if she knew that just because someone was poor didn’t mean that they weren’t talented or able to do things. One thing I really liked was her example about starting everything in African history as, “secondly.” This is a reference to how the English could portray the barbarianisms of Africa. For example, the English could skip the part of their militaristic invasion and go straight to the arrows of the natives, and how they discuss the failures of the colonial African governments without discussing the British colonials who established them.
With this knowledge, our minds our open to question the relevance of what our “history” is and if it holds true to the facts. The problem is where can we find the facts except from history? We have learned to believe the most commonly accepted perception of history, which allows it to become historical FACT, no matter if it is a bit skewed. Just like in 1984 where the government controls the records in order to allow them to seem immortal, by giving one side of a story we, in essence, accomplish the same thing.
According to Dr. Don McLeroy in James C. McKinley, Jr.’s The New York Times article Texas Conservatives Win Curriculum Change, “History has already been skewed.” As of now we don’t know for sure what happened in history, because we weren’t there, but there is something we can do. Thanks to the internet and our ability to communicate all over the world in a matter of seconds, we can create the most accurate historical record of today’s world because we have the ability to compile hundreds of different stories all of the same subject in order to develop an unbiased review of a multiple events in the present and thus establish its place in history. It’s up to us. We can leave posterity with our vision of our life, or give them all the evidence so that they can decide.
Elijah!!! ...hi.
ReplyDeleteWell these were superior observations. I can tell you actually took the time to think of what to write; which i can probably make the assumption that most people in our class, including myself, failed to accomplish. Although i didn't watch the video, your response gave me a pretty good idea of what it was about. From what i've gathered, i completely agree with you and the video. A single story can most definitely make one misinterpret fact. I found it really interesting that you brought up the question of where we can find our facts if not from history. I loved your statement that, "We have learned to believe the most commonly accepted perception of history, which allows it to become historical FACT." I also thought you made a great connection to 1984 and how this control over history can make them seem "immortal." ...especially if society is following a series of facts that were laid out by a higher authority. This "single story," just like in 1984, can be very dangerous.
What i liked most though about your response was when you addressed the internet as a prevailing factor that makes establishing a single story impossible. When researching on the internet, we are almost literally drowned by different perspectives and viewpoints. Facts magically become a compiled array of "single stories," and we are then given the power to establish an "unbiased review." However, most importantly, was your last statement, "We can leave posterity with our vision of our life, or give them all the evidence so that they can decide." Besides the fact that it was a purely epic conclusion, i loved how you summarized your entire response as well as addressed the central conflict of the whole "biased history" issue.
All in all, great reflection Elijah! i really enjoyed reading it.
Elijah!!! ...hi.
ReplyDeleteWell these were superior observations. I can tell you actually took the time to think of what to write; which i can probably make the assumption that most people in our class, including myself, failed to accomplish. Although i didn't watch the video, your response gave me a pretty good idea of what it was about. From what i've gathered, i completely agree with you and the video. A single story can most definitely make one misinterpret fact. I found it really interesting that you brought up the question of where we can find our facts if not from history. I loved your statement that, "We have learned to believe the most commonly accepted perception of history, which allows it to become historical FACT." I also thought you made a great connection to 1984 and how this control over history can make them seem "immortal." ...especially if society is following a series of facts that were laid out by a higher authority. This "single story," just like in 1984, can be very dangerous.
What i liked most though about your response was when you addressed the internet as a prevailing factor that makes establishing a single story impossible. When researching on the internet, we are almost literally drowned by different perspectives and viewpoints. Facts magically become a compiled array of "single stories," and we are then given the power to establish an "unbiased review." However, most importantly, was your last statement, "We can leave posterity with our vision of our life, or give them all the evidence so that they can decide." Besides the fact that it was a purely epic conclusion, i loved how you summarized your entire response as well as addressed the central conflict of the whole "biased history" issue.
All in all, great reflection Elijah! i really enjoyed reading it.