Present History
Once again, I was glued to CNN today as my back recuperated. Hurricane Katrina was all over the screen, and little dramas played out continuously. No doubt we will have more over the next few days. This happens to me every time a major event happens, and, being my usual, introspective self, I began to wonder why. It happened during 9/11, it happened during Dianna's death, and I have no doubt it will happen again. I think it has something to do with the fact that I am an historian by training, and also a huge sci-fi fan. In other words, I rather like the past and the future - but I'm not too keen on the present. Except when major events like this happen.
Upon reflection (and I do a lot of that) I think it's because this is the time when I can actually "touch' history. It is unfolding right before my eyes, and I want to get as much of it, from as many different perspectives (or sources), as I can. And even then, I know I will only ever get a portion of the true story, or perhaps better, the whole story. So by extension that means that I will only ever glean a portion of what actually happened when I study any other aspect of history. And that it will be subjective, given who is reporting it, or what sources I choose to study.
This became clear to me as I was completing my PhD (little hints about Bast continue to be dropped, no?) . The more I studied and discovered about my topic, the more I believed I didn't know really anything about it. I think this is a rather general discovery of the PhD process, but it still left me feeling my limited intellectual capacity acutely.
Back to the future then, for it is not yet written.
Once again, I was glued to CNN today as my back recuperated. Hurricane Katrina was all over the screen, and little dramas played out continuously. No doubt we will have more over the next few days. This happens to me every time a major event happens, and, being my usual, introspective self, I began to wonder why. It happened during 9/11, it happened during Dianna's death, and I have no doubt it will happen again. I think it has something to do with the fact that I am an historian by training, and also a huge sci-fi fan. In other words, I rather like the past and the future - but I'm not too keen on the present. Except when major events like this happen.
Upon reflection (and I do a lot of that) I think it's because this is the time when I can actually "touch' history. It is unfolding right before my eyes, and I want to get as much of it, from as many different perspectives (or sources), as I can. And even then, I know I will only ever get a portion of the true story, or perhaps better, the whole story. So by extension that means that I will only ever glean a portion of what actually happened when I study any other aspect of history. And that it will be subjective, given who is reporting it, or what sources I choose to study.
This became clear to me as I was completing my PhD (little hints about Bast continue to be dropped, no?) . The more I studied and discovered about my topic, the more I believed I didn't know really anything about it. I think this is a rather general discovery of the PhD process, but it still left me feeling my limited intellectual capacity acutely.
Back to the future then, for it is not yet written.
Comments
As for the history of today, here's hoping you're getting your news from various sources (and enjoing the CBC strike that has resulted in us getting BBC news instead -- 10 pm-ish on weeknights. Yaay, BBC!)