An axcellent definition of history, Lilo. I frequently tell my students that history is written by the winners and it's their perspective that drives the narrative.

"Everyone agrees the events occurred, but no one agrees on just how or why, or which aftereffects were caused by a particular event."
[D. Buchanan]

Pidge, history is often written by the losers, and when that happens things are likely to become even more distorted than when the winners are writing the chronicles.

I was speaking in a more general sense, Andie, but of course you have a good point. There is plenty of revisionist stuff around, including Holocaust deniers, etc., that is downright dangerous. What I meant was that, in general, most history is written by the people who determine cultural perspectives, in particular white males, and until very recently not women, poor people, POC, etc. On that level, it's been the "winners" who tell the story mostly about themselves. Fortunately, that situation, like the literary canon, is undergoing significant change.

Stereotyping all white males, are we?

"Sterotyping ALL white males." Isn't Pidge talking about only those who have,in the past, documented and written history,and done it from their own perspective which of course would be the case,just as women would do if they had been the ones to write our history Where is she talking about all men and where is she stereotyping? Please can you be more specific as to which part of her statement you are referring?

"in particular white males", no other qualifications....

Take it in perspective, Dorph. That would be sort of introspective and pertain to this country. In other countries, it would be brown males, black males, red males and yellow males and every variation in between. There have been matriarchal societies, but for the most part, education and literature have been the exclusive dominion of the sex/caste/race with power and that would have been almost exclusively males. No discrimination intended in the least. It's just the way it was/is. To be honest about it doesn't infer any type of discrimination.

If this weren't the case, George Eliot, Currer Bell, Isak Dinesen and J.K. Rowling would have used names like Mary Ann.

It sure would be nice if Dr. Pidge and I, two educated and intellectual equals, could disport without anyone else's approbation......

LOL..a private conversation on an Internet forum? I think Pidge might not agree with your statement ( guess which part) but she'll have to address that.

Then, why not let Dr. Pidge speak for herself? She's quite capable, you know....

Hmmm, does the fact that you choose to speak for her tell us more about you than it tells us about what Dr. Pidge thinks?

Suzy, as usual, you state your case brilliantly

LOL! How nice to start the day with a good laugh.

I would LOL at the LOL crowd,
But then I'd be not proud,
'cause to LOL is in truth,
sometimes simply
being Loud.....

Methinks upon musin you protest too much,
about LOL,being noisy and such,
your own posts tend to get quite loud,
when attempting to attract the GP crowd.
LOL means laughing,and showing much glee,
while exclamation points simply mean
Look At Me!!!!!
I'm Mellllllltttiiiinnnggggg !
Drat!!!!
Double Dog Rant !!!!
Comet !!!!
I Woke Up To Cold Weather !!!
etc. etc. etc.

Out of Kindergarten now,and back to the real world. LOL

I haven't got personal with you Marda. Nor will I step over that line.

No? I rather think you already did Michael. I really tend to make a point of not commenting when threads get like this, but you did imply that the rest of us weren't "educated or intellectually equals", and thus unfit to share in a public discussion on an internet forum, which I found pretty darned offensive. And then the rhyme about laughter being nothing but 'loud'??

Michael, I don't know what's bugging you today, but I think your responses weren't fair or constructive, which surprised me.

So, let's all cool off, forgive each other, and hope for a better day tomorrow, eh?

What's for dinner?

Oh for Pete's sake, let's get over this. When I wrote that most history is written by the winners, in particular white males, I was stating what I think is generally the case in a patriarchal culture. There was no sterertyping of "all white males" going on, only that most (a word that is a qualifier) of our history books were and probably still are written by white men. I also noted that "until recently" there were few women or POC, etc., who were writing the history books---which implies that now there are, as in my statement that "that situation is undergoing significant chenge." I have no idea how my statement has been somehow turned into an attack on white males.

I also don't think "Dr. Pidge" (where the heck did that come from?) needs to be forgiven for anything.

I'm proud of my high school diploma, can I still post here?

You know, paintings, poems, essays, thoughts and ideas, philosophies, arguments and even silly little limericks stand on their own merit. Credentials are only needed if they're weak and need support.

The discussions following quotes are usually very thought provoking, and interesting. Once, someone who posted a quote resented even getting responses. Quotes beg for responses, and they should be from people looking at life from other angles, the more the merrier.

Acorn, I love the quote about Gods and Demons from your poem! What inspired that and how did you mean it? Yes, please do post the whole poem if you get a chance. I'd love to read it all!

calliope, you came close to the intent of "Dreamtime" with only two lines. When I get home I'll post the whole thing.