Comments on: Should a Man Be Inspired by History?

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 01:26:41 +0000

This is a great article! As a recent History graduate, I have often been at odds with both other students and professors when it comes to varying interpretations of history. It is very in style at the moment to focus only on the flaws of many of our nation’s historical figures, while totally ignoring their positive attributes. This comes down to your “pendulum” analogy. What is shocking is the unwillingness many people have to consider a balanced approach, which takes into account both positive and negative characteristics. Of course, alot of that comes down to the issue of “generational snobbery”, and the commonly held belief that the youngest, newest generation is the most ‘enlightened’ and intelligent, something which is not unique to our time.

By: Everett Hartman

Everett Hartman — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 03:01:30 +0000

Leo Tolstoy in War and Peace says, “The truth never presents itself to two people the same way.” Historical Research will always be deal with one’s perspective, whether it’s the subject’s or the historian’s!

By: Virginia

Virginia — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 01:42:05 +0000

Brett and Kate,
You are amazing writers. You fleshed your point out beautifully. You have expressed so clearly what I have often felt about historical person’s as well as people of today. I have just never been able to put my finger exactly on it and appreciate you helping me to think about this more clearly and perhaps to convey the complexity of our fellow human beings better myself. Thank you.

By: bashir

bashir — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 13:36:51 +0000

I think the imperfections of great men only adds to their greatness

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:35:45 +0000

Here is an article we did on the manly-man ancient Greek warrior Dioxippus – http://thephilandrist.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/manly-man-1-dioxippus/

Enjoy!

By: RICHARD K. MUNRO

RICHARD K. MUNRO — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:42:43 +0000

GREAT ARTICLE. I haven’t read much on this blog (though I am familiar with it) but hatred of TR seems incredible to me. It is true that TR was more liberal than, Harding or Taft or Coolidge I also think he was a great and effective president. I consider him one of the top five presidents of all time. He was also a very manly man perhaps the manliest of all presidents along with Jackson, Washington, Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy. Whatever your opinion is of these man they were manly men.
I am writing on the anniversary of JFK’s tragic assassination and Stephen King has just published a book 11/22/63 about it. I believe it was a turning point in American history.

By: DW

DW — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:52:33 +0000

The cynicism of modern-day historians is aggravating, especially when it comes to men Americans honor and love. It’s like they want to make sure no one thinks anyone is great, when sometimes some people are just better.

I recently wrote a long historical article on my blog, specifically about generations and how greatness must arise or the nation will fail. Check it out here.

http://www.theincendiaryinsight.blogspot.com

By: Joh

Joh — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:04:01 +0000

Though I see where you are coming from the one thing I’d disagree with is in Western Civ historiography the Middle Ages were more about teaching morality because historians of the time would focus on one solider who was living up the the Christian faith. The Greek and the Roman’s were not looking at morality. Herodotus really wanted to understand the past he believed that you have to engage in some sort of historical evidence. Thucydides took a similar approach. Yet both Thucydides and Herodotus believed that the Gods were involved to help or hurt one side or another. The Roman’s were similar, but were more moving to lessing the affects of the gods and the writing of “true” history.

As for the article well written and I agree with you Brett that we can look up to our heroes even with their faults because they are human. I’m sure there are people we look up to now that 50 or 100 years from now and people will wonder why looked up to them.

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:45:59 +0000

Excellent article. I just downloaded The Rise of Roosevelt on my Nook and was thinking about all the negative comments your articles about him get.

By: Robert

Robert — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:14:01 +0000

I think a lot of people here are missing the point and conflating a bunch of issues that aren’t addressed in the article. Maybe I’m reading a different article, but it seems like Brett is pushing a balanced, gray study of history that still allows for learning from great men “heroes,” who were still very much human but did great things anyway. I don’t get the impression anywhere that he’s defending blind hero worship, just saying we’ve gone too far in the other direction from where we were in the 50′s when Washington couldn’t lie, etc. I can’t help but point to the following bit from the above article in response to those accusing the McKays of blind Hero worship a la 1950′s America:

“When you’re a kid, you tend to see things in black and white. Heroes are super good. Bad people are rotten to the core.

As you get older, you start to see things in shades of gray. You learn that people are more complicated and complex than you once knew. This maturing perspective has its drawbacks—it’s harder to be passionate about things and have heroes when you know they’re not perfect, but it’s also essential to learning, growing, progressing, and being effective in the world.

Men who cannot be inspired by history are stuck in the black and white children’s view of the world. A famous man can have a multitude of great traits, but if he also had a big flaw, then nothing can be learned from him. Out goes the baby with the bathwater.”