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Grex > History > #1: Welcome to the History Conference! | |
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polygon
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Welcome to the History Conference!
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Jul 20 04:02 UTC 1991 |
Growing up as the son of a professor of American history, I picked up early
an appreciation of the long view, a degree of appreciation for the people
and the forces which have made us what we are.
This is an aspect of thinking which seldom gets exercised in computer
conferencing environment. The immediacy of telecommunications forces us to
breathless attention for the newest and latest information. Even ancient
history becomes late-breaking news, as with the recent fiasco over the
alleged assassination of Zachary Taylor.
But I think a lot of us still hunger for a broader understanding, for a link
with the past that formed our world whether we attend to it or not. This
shows up in almost silly ways at times: for example, M-Net's user community
clings to its traditions as tenaciously as the House of Lords. Anyone who
can dredge up nuggets of history that bear on the present is treated with
undue deference.
I hope the History conference will become a place where antiquarians and
historical analysts can mingle to mutual benefit. The past is a big place,
and we have a lot of things we can talk about. Just a few random thoughts:
o U.S. political history. Was the 1876 election stolen? What kind
of president would Sam Tilden have been? Who would you have voted
for in 1912? Was FDR a devil or a savior?
o The history of everyday life. It's been said that women spend as
much time (on the average) doing laundry today as before washing
machines were invented -- standards of cleanliness have risen and
kept laundry effort a constant. How much has technology really
changed housework?
o Economic history. What caused the Panic of 1893? What did we use
for money before Federal Reserve Notes were introduced in 1913?
In the past century, physicians rose from being merely middle-class
to the top of the socioeconomic scale -- how did they do that?
o Local history. Where did Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti get their names?
How does the University of Michigan get away with claiming it was
founded twenty years before Michigan was a state? Which downtown
Ann Arbor street used to be lined with livery stables?
o Architectural history (my own specialty). What is wrong with common
terms like "Victorian" and "pillars"? What was the connection between
octagonal houses and the Underground Railroad in the 1850's? What
style is Hill Auditorium? How does the change in glass technology
help to estimate the age of a house?
o World history (an especially weak area for me). How close to the
truth was the film "The Last Emporer"? Who were the most interesting
Popes? Has anyone seen Freud's old digs in Vienna?
o Historical research. How does one go about finding out ...
o Movies. I mentioned "Last Emporer" above. I have sometimes noticed
astonishing inaccuracies in cinematic portrayal of historic events
and periods. You too? What about especially well-done examples?
That's just a few ideas. However, there is one thing I'd rather we not spend
a whole lot of time on, because it could come to dominate the conference:
the intricate details of battles and military encounters. If you really want
to talk Pickett's Charge to death, please go start an Avalon Hill conference.
But in any case, welcome!
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| 89 responses total. |
mythago
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response 1 of 89:
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Jul 20 11:50 UTC 1991 |
Ah, an incentive to get causabon to learn to type!
I'm particularly interested in 'ancient' (i.e. pre-Greek classical period)
history, mostly Bibilical and Mesopotamian. I don't know scads about
otyher periods of history, though my husband (John) is going back to
get his master's and doctorate in British history, and is a fascinating
source of knowledge.
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arthur
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response 2 of 89:
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Jul 21 05:46 UTC 1991 |
I'm really looking forward to this! History is a favorite hobby
of mine (if you can call reading books about the past a hobby).
I'm interested in the history of ideas, East Asian history,
economic history, the Dark and Middle ages, the Renaissance, the
Enlightenment, Classical history, .....
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remmers
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response 3 of 89:
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Jul 21 12:55 UTC 1991 |
If you do it for pleasure and don't make money off of it, it's a
hobby.
I'm looking forward to participating in this conference also.
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polygon
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response 4 of 89:
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Jul 21 14:50 UTC 1991 |
Re 3. After all, it was your encouragement that led to this conference
being started! <grin>
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shannara
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response 5 of 89:
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Jul 21 21:33 UTC 1991 |
looks to me like Larry has big hopes for this conf...B-)
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ty
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response 6 of 89:
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Jul 22 20:47 UTC 1991 |
I'm glad he does. I'm a history major.
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fes
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response 7 of 89:
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Jul 23 02:43 UTC 1991 |
"History major" - isn't that something you become after flunking out of
engineering?
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mythago
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response 8 of 89:
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Jul 23 03:25 UTC 1991 |
No, that's what engineering majors take when they realize that they
DO want to have lives someday.
(sorry, I just resent the implication that liberal arts majors are a
default, rather than a choice--I skipped Inteflex for Mythology.)
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fes
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response 9 of 89:
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Jul 23 15:43 UTC 1991 |
I'm not knocking liberal arts - it's just that everyone I knew as an undergrad
that decided to bail out of engin ended up as a history major.
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arthur
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response 10 of 89:
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Jul 23 16:50 UTC 1991 |
On the other hand, I know liberal arts undergrads who decided to
get their engineering training in graduate school. I think that
order works very well.
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mistik
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response 11 of 89:
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Jul 23 19:43 UTC 1991 |
One might not like engineering after seeing the way it works. It is not
necessarily a 'flunking' effect. I studied engineering, completed my studies,
got my degree, worked at high tech companies. I still don't like the
human factor in the engineering field, that is the engineers' attitude.
May be it is the lacking human approach, and clumsiness in human relations.
I am not saying I changed it for better, after all, I studied engineering
after high school. That shapes you somewhat.
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