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But it is always legitimate to wonder about where the culture's attention is cast, and why. The present always holds great sway on how we perceive the past. Con
by javajosh 2y ago
But it is always legitimate to wonder about where the culture's attention is cast, and why. The present always holds great sway on how we perceive the past. Consider the example of Karl Marx, who's ideology fed his historical narrative, and vice-versa. I don't think it's coincidence that we never heard of Columbus' villainy prior to ~2005 and we never heard of his Jewishness until 2024.
- lazyeye 2y agoWell everybody in all of history is a villain by contemporary standards. For example people are now considered villains for thinking biological men shouldnt be allowed in women's change rooms. Historians like to say the past is a different country. Judging historical events by todays standards makes about as much sense to me as discovering life on Mars and judging their behaviour by our own standards. For me, its just a way of signalling virtue that assigns zero cost on the signaller. It's historical so you dont have to do anything (it doesnt cost you time or money) and the people being judged arent here to defend themselves or provide any nuance. Its lazy and cheap.
- cafard 2y agoIf you look at Samuel Eliot Morison's writings about Columbus, you will see that a lot of people made a lot of claims about Columbus's origins. You will also find that a lot of people had their reservations about his treatment of the people he found.