Why history is always political

Re:Why history is always political by ajuc on Friday December 27, 2024 @02:59PM (#42525505)

I am Polish. I know this from experience. The parts of history we focus on are the parts where we lost. When a society loses political power - it focuses on history and culture to survive (as opposed to "integrating"). Which influences the culture in a self-reinforcing way. Very easy to end up with martyrdom complex.

That's what Jews have been doing for 2000 years and their history is one of the best studied out there.

When a society wins political power - it looks into the future. A few eggheads will write the history but nobody'll read it.

Soft power is secondary - it comes FROM losing and focusing on history. Victors go split the loot, losers go write how they were the "moral winners".

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Re:Why history is always political by AlotOfReading on Friday December 27, 2024 @03:59PM (#42525983)

> When a society wins political power - it looks into the future. A few eggheads will write the history but nobody'll read it.

Afrofuturism didn't come from winning any kind of political power. It came from the opposite. Similarly, white American males aren't fascinated by Rome, the American Civil War, and WW2 because they collectively lack any representation or political power.

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Re:Why history is always political by ajuc on Saturday December 28, 2024 @02:23AM (#42529253)

Black people in USA certainly gained political power over time and white people lost it.

There is still white privilege, but the direction is obvious.

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