The Power of Writing History

[Theatricality]

Those who control the present, dictate the past, and can control the future.

This phrase is pretty self-explanatory. Say, after a major revolution or war, a new leadership comes into play. They are in charge of writing what has happened over the course of their rise to power. Thus, they can create whatever image of the past that they wish. Editing and ommission come into play, and it is no wonder that history itself hasn't collapsed.

In 1984, Winston is a worker at the Ministry of Truth. Ironically enough, his job is to create and edit propaganda. To rewrite the past as to keep people loyal in the present. Now, this seems to be a little far-fetched, don't you think? But we are guilty of this ourselves today. Our American textbooks may say that we had a nice Thanksgiving meal with the Native Americans, but where do we read the part where we come to slaughter them the next day?

Now, not only does the ruling party dictate the past and present, but they also control the future. Every piece of history that is taught in school gives us a date, place, and how it happened. But do they ever tell us why? No, instead students have facts crammed down their throats without knowing the slightest bit of legitimately useful information. If we don't know why, we can't prevent it from happening again. Who's to say we won't fall victim to another war? Another wave of slavery? Or even a second Holocaust?

Going back to the novel, 1984 is a perfect example of leaders controlling the future. Because they throw all pieces of information that could pose a threat to them if in the wrong hands into the incinerator, they eliminate all chances of a revolt or revolution. They control the present, so they rewrite the past, and therefore dictate the future.

So all in all, is this warning from Orwell? His writing seems to forecast to us need for reformation. A sudden change for the better.

We need to grab ahold of the present, so we can fix our past, and make way for a better future.

[Mohammad Ahmad]

Let me start from the ending, as you are American citizen and have declared in the last line:
"We need to grab a hold of the present, so we can fix our past, and make way for a better future"
When you take into consideration to all what happened in the world, and not only to look for America interests, no doubt, you find the mutual respect everywhere and you will support America future as well as the present time.
As I am one of the Iraqis nation I always hopped the good relation with US, however to protect my country.
Now we the Iraqis in the place of the entire world we struggle the terrorism.
Someone said it's the hand of America who does it, because sometimes as we watch the facts on the ground we see something is debatable to discuss, however this is something of war secret—that obliging me not for openly discussion.
The matter is the mutual trust, without this trust people never accept on any foreign interference, and thus the matter will be determined into these levels.
I don’t work with the American but I had talked with them face to face in the period of occupation as the aftermath of 2003, I show most of them are simple enough to be dealt with and always have the opened- opinion as they reviled in their speech.
For politics, it showed always the coin of two faces and always maybe on a contradictory position.
The matter to discuss the future which it is furthermore depending on the past and the present, is not closed circle but it is rather depends on any prerequisite given out from the country itself- masses and the outer- world, and hence the matter is rather difficult or not easily to be explained and determined.
Thus, you may look to the shadow you reflect on the limited area you controlled on and thus the history of a nation can be written and can be taught to other nations.
I hope that I shed a bit of light helping you in discussing history.

Good luck from MMA