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This seems to dovetail with a growing ideology that American exceptionalism is a lie, that American history is a stain, and that America itself is racist. I’m n

by zaroth 6y ago

This seems to dovetail with a growing ideology that American exceptionalism is a lie, that American history is a stain, and that America itself is racist. I’m not sure if it begins or end with the burning of books and tearing down of historical statues (Confederates and Abolitionists alike). I guess it’s true that history is written by the victors. I guess it’s not so clear who the victors were and if they will remain so. It’s strange for me, having been brought up on American idealism, and the power of freedom (of speech), democracy, that whole Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness thing. This civil-warish thing has seemed to have escalated quite dramatically however quite recently and it’s hard not to see TFA within that context based on anti-BLM articles that ZH has been publishing.

barry-cotter 6y ago
> I guess it’s true that history is written by the victors. I guess it’s not so clear who the victors were and if they will remain so. History is written by whoever actually writes it. Thus for a century after the US Civil War a view extremely kind to the South, and Sima Qian, who lost at politics so comprehensively he was castrated is where we get most of our knowledge of the Emperor who ordered the deed done. http://scholars-stage.blogspot.com/2016/11/history-is-written-by-losers.html http://scholars-stage.blogspot.com/2016/11/history-is-writte... > Thucydides’ obsession with Brasidas is easy to understand once his personal relation to Thucydides is made clear. His portrayal of Brasidas as daring, brilliant, charismatic, and clever beyond measure also begins to make sense—the greater Brasidas' past feats appear, the less damning Thucydides defeat at his hands becomes. > Thucydides treatment of Brasidas is hardly unique. You can play this game with many other aspects of Thucydides’ History, from his attitude towards Athenian democracy (which voted for his exile) to his unflattering portrayal of Cleon (who replaced him). Thucydides lost battles with them all. The History of the Peloponnesian War was written by a loser.

by zaroth 6y ago

barry-cotter 6y ago

> I guess it’s true that history is written by the victors. I guess it’s not so clear who the victors were and if they will remain so. History is written by whoever actually writes it. Thus for a century after the US Civil War a view extremely kind to the South, and Sima Qian, who lost at politics so comprehensively he was castrated is where we get most of our knowledge of the Emperor who ordered the deed done. http://scholars-stage.blogspot.com/2016/11/history-is-written-by-losers.html http://scholars-stage.blogspot.com/2016/11/history-is-writte... > Thucydides’ obsession with Brasidas is easy to understand once his personal relation to Thucydides is made clear. His portrayal of Brasidas as daring, brilliant, charismatic, and clever beyond measure also begins to make sense—the greater Brasidas' past feats appear, the less damning Thucydides defeat at his hands becomes. > Thucydides treatment of Brasidas is hardly unique. You can play this game with many other aspects of Thucydides’ History, from his attitude towards Athenian democracy (which voted for his exile) to his unflattering portrayal of Cleon (who replaced him). Thucydides lost battles with them all. The History of the Peloponnesian War was written by a loser.