7 ms·
Or, perhaps, the reason for the decline of history is because it is written by the "winners", and has, for the most part, failed to shed outdated, colonial mode
by jeromebaek 8y ago
Or, perhaps, the reason for the decline of history is because it is written by the "winners", and has, for the most part, failed to shed outdated, colonial modes of thought. History is progressing very fast, exponentially faster than it ever has. Do the old, tenured professors of today have what it takes to see this progress and give up their outdated modes of thinking?
The fact that philosophy is not seeing a similar decline (http://dailynous.com/2018/11/30/sharp-decline-philosophy-majors-hit-bottom-guest-post-eric-schwitzgebel/ http://dailynous.com/2018/11/30/sharp-decline-philosophy-maj...) should be reason enough to believe that people today, even less privileged ones, desire to know who and where they are. Not that philosophy is unaffected by outdated modes of thought - but its raison d'etre is to lay bare those modes, which allow students to engage with the modes themselves, rather than the misguided content (bad history) generated by misguided modes.
- bobthechef 8y agoI don't know if the decline is because people think it's a bunk rationalization of power, though I can see how some people might reason that way and lose interest. Frankly, I'm not convinced by that. I don't think most people think of history that way. Most people would probably accept whatever historical claims at face value without any reason for suspicion. You've have to make the case that the people who would have gone into history are now suddenly woke and see history as a collection of suffocating lies. A much simpler explanation is that history doesn't get you a job that pays well, at least not in any obvious way that translates from major to job. And universities have been emphasizing the marketability of majors for a few decades now. So if there's a decline, it must reflect broader trends.
- sonnyblarney 8y agoEspecially as Uni becomes more expensive, the economic rationale of 'job' hit even harder. That said ... we should also consider that most subjects don't apply very directly anyhow. I'll bet someone with a History major does just as well in Communications that someone with a Communications major.
- WalterBright 8y ago> outdated modes of thought A lot of it is just fashion. For example, the Founding Fathers of the US move back and forth between heroes and goats depending on which decade the history book was written. Currently, the "Hamilton" play has moved them back to being whitewashed heroes. Before that, it was fashionable to sagely intone how "deeply flawed" they were. For another example, Tesla has been rehabilitated into a heroic figure, while Edison has been downgraded to goat status. The Wright Bros. also vacillate between goats and heroes.
- unknownkadath 8y agoHave you seen Hamilton?
- emmelaich 8y agoHe died some time ago. Oh, you mean the play? Could you expand on your response and show how the play is accurate and inaccurate?
- MrEldritch 8y agoI think he was referring more to the idea {in the grandparent comment) that Hamilton presented the founding fathers as "whitewashed heroes", not it's historical accuracy. One could say many things about Hamilton's characters. "Whitewashed heroes" is not one of them.
- wl 8y agoHamilton the person was a deeply elitist, anti-immigration slave owner who was incredibly suspicious of democracy. Hamilton the musical is misleading, portraying a hero in the mold of modern sensibilities. And that's not even getting to the other characters. It's historical fan fiction.
- moosamus 8y agoI don’t think you have this right. Even if the purity of his motives could be the subject of discussion, Hamilton was one of comparstively few active abolitionists and a member of the Manumission Society. I also believe you are strongly misrepresenting his stance on democracy as generalized, as opposed to direct democracy.