History Is Written by the Victors
Why History is a fabricated fiction
Since the dawn of time, the human race has had a unique obsession with history. Our entire lives revolve around the past with every decision being an intricate balance between our previous experiences of reward and pain. However many see the past and history as an invariable aspect of our existence. This is simply a lie. In reality, it is the past that is unchangeable whilst history is a fabricated construct that can be easily distorted.
Firstly history is usually communicated through two main mechanisms: speech and writing. Both of these mediums of communication are corruptible. Inconsistencies are littered across history because people alter the facts to improve their image. This is where the famous Winston Churchill phrase originates from.
“History is written by the victors” — Winston Churchill.
Despite this quote being flawed, it does contain an element of truth. Often we are so overwhelmed with selective truths that we forget that there are always two sides to the same coin. This idea links into selective exposure theory which is the tendency for people to favour information that backs up their views whilst avoiding contradictory information.
In America, they often praise their founding fathers for laying the base for one of the world’s most powerful democracies. However many Americans also forget that their country was built upon the genocide of Native Americans. In Britain, the ‘Great’ British Empire is often praised for advancing the nations they set foot in. However, again, people often choose to ignore Britain’s staggering involvement in the slave trade or the carnage their colonialism left behind.
More recent examples of this outside history are conspiracy theories which are built upon the back of selective exposure. The theory that the Earth is flat as well as the recent theories about COVID-19 being caused 5G all originate due to an unfortunate ignorance of fact.
These conspiracy theorists usually blatantly ignore the opposing side to the argument to formulate their arguments.
I feel the perfect way to encapsulate history is with this one philosophical dilemma. If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? In history, if an event isn’t documented or witnessed by many, it can become lost within the vast plains of time, forever forgotten.
Imagine all the incredible events in the past which have slowly vanished from our historical knowledge. This emphasises how none of us are above nature and time itself. Eventually, we will all be forgotten but it is those of us that recognise this who can live a fulfilling life. It is important to understand your mortality and not to become consumed by your limited fame and fortune.
So in life when you are in the pursuit of power, one must remember that everything is finite. You need to keep your morals to heart as the only thing worse than being forgotten is being remembered for the wrong reasons. Life is a battle where you are the loser.
