As the older generations die off, will the young people know the truth in modern history?

Question

or will they only be aware of what is NOW, and have no sense of how things got that way?

I was told that the link provided by the user named Yahoo is a VIRUS. Not wise to click on it

V I R U S - D O NOT C L I C K O N W E B S I T E A B O U T A L I E N S

Answer 1

That's a good quesiton, one that I've pondered often from reading Yahoo Answers. I am astounded at how misinformed younger people are about history, and about how things got to be the way they are. Their understandings are so heavily influenced and impressed by commercialism, and the larger than life impact of the mass media, TV in particular. It seems like the analysis of true cause and effect on events is replaced by whatever is popular, fashionable, or what gets talked about the most.

It's not happening by accident either. Schools are teaching herd mentality much more comprehensively now. From mandatory uniforms, to rewarding those who excel at learning the conventional wisdom as "gifted students". The education research complex has hijacked independent, analytical thinking for political revisionists agendas. I think that a movement through the arts could be the way to get back to understanding how we got from there to here (ie: history), because the arts, and artists, have still maintained their perception of independence in the minds of the youth.

Answer 2

Your question explains why there is an academic discipline called history. As one generation dies out the historical events associated with it begin to free themselves from the interpretations the movers and shakers of the day gave them. Ofcourse even as things are happening people have different views about their causes and meaning. Take the War in Iraq for example. It has already become something different from how it began. How will people view this war when 50 years have elapsed and it can be looked back on in perspective? An American academic called Philip Bobbit has rewritten history in the light of the end of the Cold War for example, in which he calls the First and Second World Wars 'The Long War'. Who knows perhaps in another 50 years time the expressions First and Second World Wars will no longer be used.

To sum up - there is no TRUTH in history, only interpretations and counter interpretations, one interpretation might be the dominant one for years - but nothing lasts forever, just as well for historians or they would have nothing to talk about! Most people are only aware of the times they live in, we don't really question the historical processes that led to the invention of the car or the exploitation of generations of plantation workers when we pull into the super market car park to buy some sugar. Thats why history exists as a subject - to help us question change and to better understand the present, how things came to be this way and why.

Have a read of E H Carr's What Is History? Only a thin volume and well worth a read if questions like this interest you.

Answer 3

The younger generations will know if they ask and then listen. And then pass over their family's history to their children. Then they would know what has been truthfully recorded and what has been twisted. Believe me, after 45 years of "real communism" my county's society has experienced, I know what I'm talking about. My grandmother was telling me things we would not hear on the news or at school. Then when the Cold War was over, everything fell into place. As long as there are no restrictions or politically correct writing, the truth will find its way.

Answer 4

I don't think so because I'm 39 and have a hard time finding wise people now days, I hang out with retired people to get their view point of things I have interest in. Seems like young people don't seem like they care to learn anything, hip hop music generation. I like young people but when they open up to you they seem confused and scared of the present time they live in, me too considering I have a thirteen year old son. But I guess people have always been like that, a few are smart and the rest just exist.

Answer 5

No I think there are very credible history books out there that tell history. You can ask your grandmother about the depression but all she will tell you is how it probably affected her and her family's life...not how if affected and impacted the nation. You can ask your mother about Woodstock but the only memory will be her own...not how it impacted a culture. You can't always depend on oral histories. Even though they are fun and entertaining, historical books and documents are very informative. A good example. The city I live in....NO sense of history...everything historical gets bulldozed down for a parking lot or new building. Though my grandmother's stories of how Charlotte used to be...going to the museum gives me an even better idea on how it use to be...

Answer 6

If they are interested in finding out there will definitely be books, CDroms, Internet sites etc to give them the information, But like our generation very few people are interested in finding out the truth and how things evolved to be what they became. As many a wise man (or woman) have observed humankind does not learn from history ....unfortunately!

Answer 7

What a great and pertinent question.

It's unfortunate, but the youth of today has little to no real understanding of history other than the revisionist, sanitized version that they are reading in modern "textbooks". Plus, they have an attitude of "who cares". Couple that with lax standards for education, social promotion, and a huge sense of entitlement instilled by permissive parents, and I fear for the future of our society.

PS. Everyone please report the guy with the UFO link...it's a virus.

Answer 8

The young generations do only care about today's information and they know very little of what the older generations know. In 20 years or so peole will not know what happend 5 years ago unless they go back to records and books.

Answer 9

Ever since John Kennedy was killed and the investigation into it was twisted into lies,I've not believed that future generations will ever know the real truth; it's happening yet today and everyone seems so complacent,not wanting to get involved to discover or uncover the real truths behind what is displayed in the media.I'm truly saddened that the future generations will not know the whole truth so help me God!

Answer 10

I am going to take a stab at your very confusing question. I believe by modern, you mean modern right now. No, of course they won't know the truth. Time and telling changes every story. Hopefully, they will understand enough of our mistakes to not repeat them however. I believe even in this generation we are trying hard not to repeat the mistakes of the past and to quash the factions that do repeat them. If that is not the question you were asking, I apologize.