Hey guys! So this is a new thing - TLP Rambles. I figured since I was in this thing we call a Journalism program, it was about time I start sharing a few of the pieces I've been working on. You don't have to read through any of it, but hey, if you're interested, I'd be really happy with that.
Here's something I wrote a few weeks ago during my internship at Muse Magazine. Hope you like it!
Story telling: If the Internet were around throughout
history and how it could change the way we present historical events today
We’ve seen it
all before. Friends updating their statuses and uploading photos of their night
out. Family members commenting on baby photos and news on who’s marrying whom.
Colleagues posting about their workplace woes and planning a little get
together after the day is done. This has become the world’s main form of
storytelling. By stripping down the walls that divide the rooms we’re in and
closing distances between people separated by oceans, social media has made it
so that we can tell our stories anytime, anywhere.
But what of the
voices of the millions of people who lived before the dawn of the Internet? The
men and women (among others) who experienced illnesses, wars and revolutions
and just about every other event that has shaped our world today? Sure,
historians and writers have published works – both on paper and online –
detailing their lives, and dedicated years to uncovering their secrets. But in
an age where we rely on getting information on the go (and for some in less
than 140 characters or less), who has the time to sift through all that? And
yes, museums have been dedicating themselves to increasing their social media
presence to keep up with the times and maintain interest, but surely there has
to be another way today’s technologies can be used.
Imagine if those
said millions of people who helped shape our world, had the ability to speak
their minds in the same way we can today. What if they, by some miracle, had
access to the Internet? And before you think it absolutely absurd and downright
impossible, think about it. Not in terms of how history would have changed with
the presence of the Internet (because let’s face it, a lot of the events could
have then be prevented had Twitter been available) but in terms of
storytelling. How would it impact our knowledge of the events that happened
years before we were born?
For one thing,
it may be more accurate. Instead of having to decide on which versions of
events are right, we would have someone tell us straight up how it happened.
Granted, there are always more than two sides to a story, but at least we would
know of all the details straight from the sources. Plus, wouldn’t it be
interesting to find out what such figures did when they weren’t busy saving (or
some may argue, destroying) the world? It would be completely entertaining
reading posts from the olden days – it’d give us not only social context, but
humour too. Imagine reading tweets from Albert Einstein or William Shakespeare.
But of course,
it is not possible to have firsthand accounts of the War of 1812 posted by
Laura Secord herself on Facebook or Twitter updates from Christopher Columbus
as he set sail to the New World. Well, not entirely. Search ‘if historical
events had Facebook’ on Google and you will find status updates and posts from
figures like Abraham Lincoln and Alexander the Great. Or better yet, just check
out the compilations over at College
Humor (fair warning, a few of these examples do contain some swearing).
This concept is
not entirely new. Some people have taken it upon themselves to set up profiles
posing as these historical characters and posting humorous accounts of what
happened years ago. Some are short status updates, and some take up almost a
whole Facebook timeline with comments from involved parties. Sure, the actual
people behind these profiles set them up as a gag and so they shouldn’t taken
be seriously. But as humorous and satirical as they can be, they allow people –
more specifically the younger tech-savvy generation – to understand the
catalysts of historical events and the sentiments surrounding them, in a much
more up to date manner. Just read the comments, and you’ll find users claiming how
they learnt more from these sarcastic posts than their history class.
It is an
interesting concept, telling historical events from a historical figure’s
perspective through the modern tools we have today – Twitter, Instagram,
Facebook and every other platform that exists out there. There is something
about reading these things in a more up-to-date manner that solidifies how real
these people are, the events they took part in and the repercussions that soon
followed. The disconnect between the people of yesterday and today could be
bridged in the same way we connect people on opposite sides of the world now.
So what if we
did take it seriously, and experienced members in the field did dedicate their
time not only to writing about these people for history books and online
publications, but also to step into historical shoes and educate from a somewhat
firsthand perspective? What if we could read about Charles Darwin’s life and
discoveries from the ‘man himself’ or the moment Julius Caesar #came #saw and
#conquered? By placing these historical figures in a more social and modern
context, we’d be able to connect with people – our regular, average folk – who
don’t have the same passion or decoding skills of museologists and historians.
Sure, sticking
to the real facts and figuring out the myths may prove to be difficult. So maybe
the people don’t have to be historically real per se. The Musée de la Grande
Guerre du Pays de Meaux in France for instance, created a Facebook page for Professor
Léon Vivien, a fictional character through whom the museum could educate
the public about the events during the Great War (1914-1918). Professor Vivien
served as a representation of the actual people and tragedies. Just because the
tales are presented in a more informal manner, does not mean they are any less
valid. In Professor Vivien’s case, 66,320 people did not think so.
If more museums
adapted such a practice, they would do so much more than just increase their
social media presence. They would be reaching out to audiences from all over
the world, educating all ages and clearing up any historical misconceptions,
while both making history fun to learn and providing entertainment. The posts
don’t have to be written in colloquial language with cuss words thrown in here
and there to fit in with the youths. It doesn’t require much effort, it doesn’t
cost a thing and it benefits everyone involved.
It is not meant
to be a shortcut or cheat sheet like SparkNotes for students trying to complete
history reports, nor is it an easy substitute to actually stepping into a
museum and immersing yourself in the replicated yet accurate worlds they
present. But it could inspire future museologists, rekindle interest on the
past and show everyone that you do not have to pour through mounds of history
articles and documentaries to learn and understand the basics.
Sure, social
media doesn’t exactly have the educational environment that reading books and
visiting museums evoke, but it sure is a more entertaining and captivating way
of attracting the interests of a generation whose eyes and minds are constantly
glued to their smart phones and tablets. And besides, wouldn’t it be cool to
have people such as Henry VIII and Viola Desmond appear on your Twitter feed?
What'd you think?
Arianna x
