As we move to the middle of History’s Hierarchy of Purpose, we come to Connection & Empathy. History can be used to create a connection to other people, to our past, and to ourselves. By developing these connections, history can help us develop empathy for others. Empathy is the ability to put oneself in the experiences of another, to feel what they feel. This is especially important when it comes to people who seem to…
What if you could rewrite history? Well, you can, although it won’t really change anything. There is an entire genre in writing, an off-shoot of science fiction, that is dedicated to alternate history. Alternate history involves authors imagining what would have happened if some historical event, usually an important event that had nationwide or international effects, had turned out differently. This Mental Floss article shares a list of 19 alternate histories, including those related to…
To challenge you in finding ways in which entertainment can introduce you to history, thereby educating you about various aspects of history, try this exercise. —–> Pick a favorite movie or TV show. Make it something you enjoy so you have a personal investment in watching it through to the end. No need to pick a documentary with obvious historical references. In fact, in terms of this exercise, it’s better if you select a non-documentary…