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I think the need arises because it's often glossed over in public education--more of a corrective reaction. Western history, especially the US in US public edu
by Frost1x 6y ago
I think the need arises because it's often glossed over in public education--more of a corrective reaction.
Western history, especially the US in US public education, often glosses over past atrocities committed. Maybe western civilizations aren't inherently more evil than others in some cases, but we also aren't inherently much less evil or were driven under some pure altruism as some may think.
- mc32 6y agoBut most education systems everywhere gloss over these kinds of things. Japan is a well known example, but do think Turkey indulges on the atrocities of the Ottoman Empire? Or the Chinese and their “internal” expansionism —now to be fair to the Chinese they often glorify things like the warring period and such, but it’s dressed differently.
- ivanbakel 6y agoWhat is the point of this whataboutism? Do you think that the revisionist policies of other countries somehow justify any ignorance on the part of people in the West with regard to their own history? There is no justification to the idea that a critical look at Western history is itself a criticism of Western countries as opposed to all others. The nations of the world are not all engaged in some zero-sum game of historical respect. Point-scoring, however, has a real and detrimental impact on discussions of history. It should only be used by people who hope to shut down any analysis of the realities of the past: and if you want to do that here, you should go elsewhere.
- Frost1x 6y agoI believe everyone should have similar education systems. The more we understand about others, our own history, and ourselves, the better we can make reasonable decisions in the future. If another country chooses to paint western civilization or the US negatively while ignoring their own baggage, then that’s their own ignorance. The same can be said about our civilizations painting others negatively awhile igoring our own past and engaging in hypocrisy. I believe education is the best path to progress forward and peaceful diplomacy, for everyone. Angry populations fed lies, foaming at the mouth for blood just doesn't seem like a good path forward and never has been.
- christkv 6y agoWe are also not born with original sin and should not feel guilt for the historic actions of empire and kingdoms where the population had no democratic mandate. History is history good and bad. The obsession about framing history as some sort of unpaid debt towards people dead long ago is ridiculous. If you want to go down that route I expect the Arabs to line up and apologize for the extinguishing the multicultural societies in the Middle East and North Africa, or the mongols for the perpetuated mass murder of Asians, Russians and Europeans . Ok people did bad things 400 years ago. So what? Don’t repeat history that’s is the only long term lesson to be learned.
- rfrey 6y agoIsn’t learning about bad actions in our history (and no need to go back 400 years) an important part of not repeating them?
- z3phyr 6y agoWe should not feel guilt, but we should be aware. > Ok people did bad things 400 years ago. So what? Make it right! Any stakeholder still enjoying the fruits of these events, make it right. Try to make it right at least and remember the events.