So blogging has already changed the face of journalism, the question is, will it change history? This question arose as an aside in an editorial I was reading earlier today. The piece was about the need for more museums that make an effort to focus on what have typically been the marginalized voices in our society. The point was that by having museums and history books that focus solely on warriors, leaders, and inventors we convey rather blatantly what and who we value in our culture. Such things preserve that which society deems should be preserved and so serves to shape the current culture by imparting values. Social history movements take the time to listen to the other voices – those of women, the poor, migrants, the oppressed. These voices often make up the backbone of a society, but are often ignored and silenced. They are not seen as important enough to listen to so therefore their perspective is not written down as part of history. Who they are and what they value slips away in light of the stories of those who have accomplished “great things.” Including their voices and stories will not only demonstrate that they are valued, but perhaps help demonstrate that society isn’t a monolithic structure that values violence and power above all else.
Listening to the voices on the margins and getting a varied perspective are the goals of this broader approach to how we do history. So given that blogging has in many ways allowed the voice of the average person to be heard (and often even respected), I wonder if it will serve to help pave the way for a shift in historical perspective. Such social history approaches have been present since the 1970s, but haven’t gain widespread acceptance in classrooms that continue to see history as a parade of great names and dates. But today it is easier that ever to explore multiple perspectives on a topic. One isn’t restricted to the party line fed to us by the commercial media or the government. On blogs we can often hear from the people affected most by cultural events (or about such events at all). We are getting used to valuing the voices on the margins and perhaps that will eventually help us alter how we approach history as well.