Difference between revisions of "Distorting History"

Revision as of 08:57, 12 May 2013

Description of the pattern

Altering history by the manipulation of stories, facts, and data is a means of promoting specific ideologies and agendas. This can be achieved by creating events that did not happen, altering events that did happen, or omitting events altogether.

Why the pattern is good (i.e. bad)

Distorting history is an effective method of erasing events from the minds of the population, of glorifying events and people in support of state ideals, and vilifying events and people in conflict with state ideals.

How it Works

Presenting history in a way that supports the agenda of the state, and reinforcing it through public education and the media can be used to control the perceptions of the populace in ways that prevent dissent and promote nationalism.

Evidence

"More than we would like, our texts are based on warmed-over tales of the nineteenth century such as Patrick Henry’s “Liberty or Death” speech (written by William Wirt in 1817, forty-two years after the fact) and Paul Revere’s Ride (popularized in 1861 by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who distorted every detail of the event to make his story better). Although many historians know better, these stories work so well that they must still be included, regardless of authenticity or merit."

"The Valley Forge story, developed during the prelude to the war of 1812, effectively conceals the harder times soldiers had to face two years later at Morristown — the coldest winter in 400 years — and the mutinies that ensued. That story receives no mention at all in twenty-one of the twenty-two texts."

both of the above from http://hnn.us/articles/7219.html

Links (to other anti-patterns)

Semantic Manipulation, Denialism, Cultural imperialism, Ultra-nationalism, Dumbing Down, Xenophobia

Notes and Suggestions