HISTORY
WHAT IS IT & WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Definitions: The word History; Comes from the basic idea of to "know" or "see"
In the Greek language the word ἱστορία - historia, meaning inquiry, knowledge acquired by investigation, this definition has been widely adopted as the essential meaning of the term History.
The Concept 1: History has been written by the victors;
Nb; if anyone can tell me the actual and not speculated origins of that phrase
please pass it on.
The Concept 2: His Story; from feminist considerations history is simply man kind’s attempts to tell of the development, of patriarchal society to ultimately replace matriarchal societies.
Patriarchal societies being those governed by, and predominantly in the interest of men.
While matriarchal societies being those governed by, women and in the general interests of all.
Remember these concepts as they tend to recur ad infinitum.
Today in 2021 it may be common to assume that while information is freely
available via for instance the World Wide Web/internet, it’s possible to know all their is to know for instance about the worlds history. Well just how much can this font of all knowledge be relied on for absolute accuracy?
In early society people had to rely on actually witnessing an event, to know it had really happened. This eye witness would have to convey, what they had seen to others perhaps by taking them to the scene. Or showing them an object from the scene. With language they could embellish their description, always provided that whoever they told could understand their language or dialect.
With writing this description could be further enhanced, providing this eye
witness knew how to write. And that anyone they told, could read what they had written.
When technology becomes involved in the spreading of information, from the
printed word in leaflets; books; magazines; newspapers. Though radio; TV;
cinema; computers, the capacity becomes available both to inform and misinform. This is where the consideration of who actually owns and controls the technology, can become equally if not more important than the actual information it conveys.
We can never simply assume that our internet acquired knowledge, is any more accurate than early humanities sources. For how far can we really know, that the information we receive is actually true?
The guideline must be never simply accept any source as gospel, always take
everything seen or heard with at least a pinch of salt.
This for instance is only meant as an outline of historical events, at the very least all sources will be named to enable checking for accuracy.
This page was inspired by the consideration, of placing a chronology of events
that effect these islands. In an accessible form, and this is the preamble to it.
When researching events it is all too easy to become lazy, and fall prey to the
use of sources that can lead one open to easy ridicule. Not of course that a
socialist worth their salt should worry, over much of the scorn of the conservative dilettantes. Who are simply wishing to prevent, any of their dirty linen being laundered in public. It is more a matter of due diligence, in ensuring wherever possible that one's sources are verifiable.
I don't believe in destiny of events being preordained, indeed I am more inclined to a notion of Serendipity. Of events occurring not as planned by some nebulous deity, but happening completely at random.
Does this then completely rule out any considerations, of events being controlled or manipulated to suit political or business interests? Not in the least indeed any cursory examination of humanity's progress, can't fail to uncover innumerable examples of such occurrences. Politicians and business associates using their clout to exert their will, on an unsuspecting populace is after all what helps oil the wheels of capitalism.
So much so that people immersed as they are in their own preoccupations, when alerted to this though initially phased are not entirely surprised.