Is history being rewritten or are historians wrong?

[Old Bookaroo]

neo:

Hmmm...could have been the notorious Treasure Hunter by Jenkins and Moore. Or Southweard Ho!; A Treasure Hunter in South America by William La Varre (1940). Or not.

A number of years ago I learned to never read just one book on any historical subject. Two is the minimum and three is much better. Start with the most general book and work towards the specific. It is eye-opening to see what one author caught and another missed; what one emphasized and another didn't think important. It is not that a writer is necessarily presenting a particular point-of-view on purpose, or intentionally distorting the story (although, of course, that certainly does happen).

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

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[Old Bookaroo]

You are too kind. I'm happy to have a place to share what I've learned.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

[neo]

I've read a ton but my memory isn't the best.

 

[Old Bookaroo]

Don't I know it!

Sometimes memory serves.

And sometimes it double-faults.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

[Old Bookaroo]

I would agree with you with the comment that it is possible to write accurate, unbiased accounts of historical events. With training and experience one can reduce the "human element" inherent in pushing a particular point of view. The fact that so many authors are unwilling or unable to do that doesn't prevent others from accomplishing the task.

It remains the job of the reader to apply critical thinking skills and evaluate the presented information.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

[ECS]

If you say so, Old Bookaroo, if you say so.
I posted an unbiased account on another thread and, my friend, have turned it into a major production of passing judgement on those involved.

 

[Duckshot]

An account of events can only be unbiased until opinion gets involved. Anybody that offers an "unbiased opinion" ain't being exactly honest about facts. Opinions are formed from perception, reason, and judgment. Well, eyes can be decieved, the mind can cloud with emotion, and not everybody has sound judgment all the time.

 

[Old Bookaroo]

Duckshot: While what you write is true, some opinions are objective and informed based on fact. Others aren't. When you go see a medical doctor with an illness or other issue you are probably going to get an opinion. Events will eventually show if that opinion was correct. Many times the advice from an attorney opinion. As my Dad used to say about the world of business, "Profit is an accounting opinion." Appraisers offer an opinion of value or, in the world of art, of authenticity. Does that make them worthless? I don't think so.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

[Duckshot]

Bookaroo, if I thought opinions were worthless I wouldn't offer mine here and I certainly wouldn't accept the opinions of others.

How do you suppose that opinion can be objective? Give me an example of an objective opinion which is not biased by emotions, if you can. Here is a hint to my line of thought- fact is not biased.

 

[Old Bookaroo]

Duckshot:

I have already cited quite a few in my previous post.

Are you familiar with the expression that an attorney who represents himself (or herself) has a fool for a client? Or that many medical doctors don't treat members of their own families? Why? Because that makes it very difficult to remove the emotions from the opinions.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

[Duckshot]

Maybe I am dumb today...

Nope, I don't see it.

Point to your objective opinion and I will point at your bias.

 

[Old Bookaroo]

Duckshot:

One of the ways I earn a living is to inspect commercial property. A month or so ago I was down in Silicon Valley, California, touring two new buildings (there's also a multi-story parking garage and a fitness center attached) with a combined $400,000,000 loan against them.

My job is to tell the people considering the purchase of a piece of that loan what is securing it. They have appraisals, structural engineer's reports, environmental studies (Phase I, etc.), market studies, financials on the tenant and the owner. They have a stack of documents. So why do they send me to look?

Because I have no dog in the hunt. I don't care if they buy or not. It makes no difference to me. I go down there, tour the building(s), examine the neighborhood and the local market, present some comparables, and call 'em as I see 'em.

I give an objective opinion based on three decades in the business. I was in LA a few weeks ago - 7 apartment properties in two days. Same thing. Next week is San Francisco and Fresno. Sacramento and then the Peninsula the week after that.

Post #49 has other examples. You asked for mine and I am not an attorney or a medical professional. Or a CPA.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

[Old Bookaroo]

I don't think "perspective" and "opinion" are the same thing. Although the later is based, in part, on the former.

Put it another way. After the game is over almost everyone who watched it will agree on the final score. One team won and one team lost (or both teams tied).

So what is there to talk about? Why that happened. There may be as many opinions as there are spectators. However, the fact that each person has an opinion does not give them equal validity.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

[Duckshot]

BOOM!

And there it is. Bias.

You said you give an opinion "based on three decades" experience, which of course is fact.

Here is your bias- You seem to place a lot of faith in experience and also in your own abilities. You base this belief on facts but it is, after all, just your opinion. Experience does not equate to competency- such faith in experience is subjective.

Edit- cool video Skippy.

 

[Old Bookaroo]

Duckshot:

"Just your opinion" - agreed. But not every opinion has equal merit. How do I know I'm correct and that my experience is paying off? They keep sending me out there again.

Experience does not automatically result in competency. But it's dang hard to become competent without any experience. When we had our first child I asked the doctor in the hospital how to pick a pediatric physician. He said "Find one with gray hair."

How does a person learn good judgment? Experience.

How does a person get experience? Bad judgment.

Or - If you think an expert is expensive, hire an amateur.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

[Duckshot]

That's a great question Bookaroo. "How do you know what you know?"

At a certain point in dissecting any opinion one will inevitablely find that some beliefs use to form a belief are based on faith.

 

[Old Bookaroo]

Duckshot:

Agreed. A great many beliefs are based on faith.

When it comes to history, I do my best to put my faith into facts. And when it comes to objective opinion, particularly when I'm getting paid, I do my level best to keep my beliefs out of it.

How do we know what we know? Partially when reality tells us we were correct. Real estate is more like bridge than poker. You can't bluff. Eventually all the cards get played.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo

 

[Duckshot]

When it comes to history, I do my best to put my faith into facts. And when it comes to objective opinion, particularly when I'm getting paid, I do my level best to keep my beliefs out of it.

If your faith is proven to be fact then faith is no longer required. Some facts can't be proved though.

Take our calendar or maybe a clock for instance. You can't point to clock and say " Its 2:00pm", you can even show that all other clocks agree, but you cannot prove that it is two o'clock with the measurement provided by the clocks alone, not unless the clock knows exactly where it is located and how fast it is traveling, and even then human constucts are involved. Time is a matter of faith if all you got is a clock.

 

[ECS]

When it comes to history, I do my best to put my faith into facts. And when it comes to objective opinion, particularly when I'm getting paid, I do my level best to keep my beliefs out of it...

Now that, Old Bookaroo , was a GOOD ONE!
You had expressed a less than objective opinion concerning a post on the Battle of Olustee on a KGC thread, and continued with subjective opinions for several posts all the while passing judgement on posters who did not share your personal subjective opinions.

 

[Old Bookaroo]

ECS: Your post is factually incorrect. All are welcome to read what I wrote - and see that you are mistaken.

I do not "pass judgement" on other posters here at TN. That's obvious nonsense. You persist in trying to make a discussion of historical facts personal. I have not.

I did offer an opinion on the actions of the Confederate soldiers at that battle who slaughtered (including clubbing to death) captured Union POWs who were Black. Some of them were wounded and helpless. I stated that was wrong and I'll stand by that view. I can't imagine why anyone would think otherwise.

Good luck to all,

The Old Bookaroo