Indeed, history is written by those who control the narrative, and those controlling the narrative are typically the victors, and seldom the vanquished. That is to say, there are plenty of people who believe that when it is all said and done, that the history of today will be rewritten to reflect a more honest and nuanced view of the events that transpired, thereby vindicating those who were not accorded their proper place and consideration at that time.
As much as we might desire to believe that truth will always win out, in this world, it can be said with absolute certainty that truth is far too often superseded by those in authority who have their own agenda that they wish to propagate, and will not relinquish such, unless they are overcome or neutralized, somehow. So then, when we look upon history, even recent history, it has to be recognized that even in those countries that stand for free speech and the freedom to dissent, that without any true power championing their cause, their voice will be effectively silenced as if it never existed.
This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t pay attention to history, but rather we need to understand that even when it appears that multiple viewpoints are seeming to have their day, it still is not going to be the same thing, as the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, because even the most even-handed of historians falls victim to spinning their narrative in a way and manner that supports how they wish things to be projected and considered.
Therefore, when it comes to history, more people need to pay close attention to human nature, in which, many a person when their feet is held to the fire, are still not going to admit all that they have done which is wrong, because their own self-respect and dignity won’t permit them to do so, especially in consideration that in fairness to them they should be able to also proclaim the good deeds that they have done, as well.
Additionally, it has to be recognized in regards to history, that it’s difficult to place ourselves in another’s shoes when those shoes are a person who comes from a different era, a different background, and a different perspective than our own. In other words, too many people have the unfortunate habit of desiring to place the mores of today upon what has happened in the past, which isn’t fair to those events, because it doesn’t take into account the differences between back then and now, which means that our interpretation is going to be faulty.
All of the above signifies that as much as we might desire to see that our history is perceived the way that it really was, it just is not ever going to happen, but that isn’t so important – what is important though is that we learn from the past to thereby in the present create the type of history that is becoming of an intelligent and forward-thinking civilization, which will bode well for the future and the history thus created, so of.