History
February and very, very cold. I'm writing from Redwood City, where I found that affordable rent I called out for in my last posting. My partner, my kitty, and I are now cuddled up in a cute, but small and cold apartment. I spent January and the first week of February in Mexico and still have some unpacking to do. I am behind schedule for submitting a conference paper, so it seemed like a great time to write in my long neglected blog.
I'm a historian in training so I think alot about the records of life--the records created by individuals, groups, events, cities, activities--these kinds of records. I personally work with old manuscripts--mostly from the 17th and 18th centuries. My personal favorites are the ones that come bound in beautiful leather, but many of them are faded, worm eaten, scorched, or water damaged. In general, however, they are pretty damn well preserved given how long they have been around and what they have been through. At any rate, I think all the time about how different the records of our lives is and will be: online journals, discussion boards, all of the electronic forums for expression---such a rich and extensive record, unlike anything we have had before, of the thoughts of so many people--but will there be anyway to access it? Will much of it last? In 50 years, 100 years, will there be anyway for historians to know about what we imagined, felt, and did? Even institutional records are disappearing--online job applications, resumes, portfolios, company records, databases....... I'm not bemoaning the loss of paper trails, though I do love paper. I'm just very curious about what people with my job will do in the future.
I'm curious....What do you all think about history? When you think of the word history, what do you think of? I would ask more specific questions, but I don't want to limit your answers. I have lots of thoughts and I have lots of experience with people with thoughts very different from mine, but I won't share any of that just yet, because I don't want to influence the responses. Share, share, share.....
I'm a historian in training so I think alot about the records of life--the records created by individuals, groups, events, cities, activities--these kinds of records. I personally work with old manuscripts--mostly from the 17th and 18th centuries. My personal favorites are the ones that come bound in beautiful leather, but many of them are faded, worm eaten, scorched, or water damaged. In general, however, they are pretty damn well preserved given how long they have been around and what they have been through. At any rate, I think all the time about how different the records of our lives is and will be: online journals, discussion boards, all of the electronic forums for expression---such a rich and extensive record, unlike anything we have had before, of the thoughts of so many people--but will there be anyway to access it? Will much of it last? In 50 years, 100 years, will there be anyway for historians to know about what we imagined, felt, and did? Even institutional records are disappearing--online job applications, resumes, portfolios, company records, databases....... I'm not bemoaning the loss of paper trails, though I do love paper. I'm just very curious about what people with my job will do in the future.
I'm curious....What do you all think about history? When you think of the word history, what do you think of? I would ask more specific questions, but I don't want to limit your answers. I have lots of thoughts and I have lots of experience with people with thoughts very different from mine, but I won't share any of that just yet, because I don't want to influence the responses. Share, share, share.....
posted by RandomWriter at 9:09 PM
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