BS: News of the day

Subject: News of the day
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 08:40 PM

As a guy who likes to read history, I have often asked myself this little question:

How much of the news of today will be included in the history books we read tomorrow?

Will Monica get a mention in a US high school History textbook in 2075? Will Bubba be more than a footnote; is he more than a name on the long list of US Presidents, along side Fillard Millmore and William Henry Harrison (or was that George Harrison?).

If you think a news story of the past 5 years is truly HISTORIC, I'd like to know what story and why. And, please, don't limit this to the US news. This may be a chance to shed some of my parochialism and learn something about what's going on outside the neighborhood.

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: kendall
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 09:50 PM

Nelson Mandella went from many years in prison to president of South Africa.

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: Racer
Date: 25 Apr 00 - 10:42 PM

I'm in college history right now, and my history book mentions the whole Lewinsky scandal. The author of the book actually gave it three paragraphs. I don't know why he thought this was necessary, it was less than four years ago.

I figure in seventy-five years, the scandal probably get one paragraph.

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: kendall
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 08:09 AM

maybe not even that much..after all, Warren Harding was caught in the act with a white house maid but, it wasnt in my high school history book.

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: Spider Tom
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 08:22 AM

They'll write about the Berlin wall coming down or the disintergration of the USSR, but we seem to be going through a period of the Historically mediocre,
History books need a world War, a plague or some such to stimulate their pallet.
Maybe history books should just use misleading headlines like the newspapers e.g.President Saves Aid From Choking! (this makes him seem more of a hero than otherwise would be expected.*BG*

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: GUEST,james
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 08:44 AM

When looking back on the 20th century the big news will be The Wars, the rise of ethnic nationalism, the success of terrorism..The new philosophy that only money matters and the decline in moral values....at all levels.

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: AndyG
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 08:54 AM

Given that none of us can know the future, merely predict it, all times will seem to be, to those present, periods of Historical Mediocraty.

Key points can be recognised but many historical movements have their beginings in small events that are hard to spot from current knowledge.

The Berlin Wall coming down is a clear symbol of the end of the Soviet Domination of Eastern Europe. (Photographs will be used in the historical accounts.) However, I suspect that's all it will be for future historians. The key event(s) that made it happen will be found in some Kremlin/CP archive and it's importance recognised later. (Paragraphs will be written in historical accounts.)

Motto:
You can learn from history but you can't see it happen.

Andy "always oversimplify" G

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: SINSULL
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 12:35 PM

Elian Gonzalez will return to Cuba, take over from Castro, unite Cubans in America and the world to create a new dictatorship. And the cycle will continue. Warm and fuzzy beats cigar smoke and fuzzy every time.

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: Amergin
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 12:40 PM

Amergin will be rated as one of the finest poets and fiction writers of all time. Schoolchildren will be forced to read, study, and memorise several of his most famous works, such as: Let us Dance!!, Goodbye Gnome Man, I Ain't Got No Job, and many others. Remember, boys and girls, you all heard it here first.

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: GUEST,T in Oklahoma (Okiemockbird)
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 12:44 PM

Historians of Constitutional law will note the impeachment and aquittal of President Clinton for several generations to come. Somewhere in the footnotes of their scholarly tomes they'll have to explain what the charges against the President were.

T.

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: Whistle Stop
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 12:50 PM

I agree that the impeachment will make the history texts. But it will be interesting to see whether, in hindsight, it is viewed as more of a reflection on the ethics of President Clinton or the Congress.

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: Petr
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 04:10 PM

I think the key political changes in the last 20yrs of the 20ths century will be the disintegration of the communist countries, the emerging economies of east asian states, and the backlash to western culture and influence (ie. Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq and others). On the technology front definitely the rise of the internet will be one of the key developments in communication since Gutenberg and will probably change everything. There is also the advent of biotechnology and genetic science (for better or for worse) and finally a shift toward environmental awareness which will need to happen if we want to survive. that and other things we cant even imagine. Petr

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: Willie-O
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 05:34 PM

Agree with all Petr's items, and I'd add that it's quite possible that the so-called Battle of Seattle was a significant event. I hope so. People, especially young people, are tired of how global capitalism ignores their real needs and are finding ways to express this--and it's finally caught the media attention. As this generation of activists matures and develops its power, watch out!

When you ain't got nothing you ain't got nothing to lose.

W-O

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: Peter T.
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 06:23 PM

In one hundred years the textbooks will curse this generation for being so greedy and stupid for not doing something about global warming when there was a chance. They will bitterly resent the permanent loss of thousands of species, and the diminishment of the planet's environment for no good reason. All the rest of the history will seem childish and petty.
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: Petr
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 09:22 PM

Yes Willie-O exactly. The other (and major) point that I neglected to mention is the rise of globalism (borne out of organizations such as IMF World Bank WTO etc. )and the erosion of the nation state. It seems that capitalism may have won the cold war but is it necessarily the best option. IE. multinational corporations that are not really subject to any laws. The concept of patent and copyright which gives the owner protection but no responsibility. The fact the life and genetic material can be patented (how did they ever manage to sneak that through the court systems). I think the battle in Seattle is symptomatic of a backlash to that system and just shows how there is a huge population that very little or no voice. Another is the failure of Gen modified foods - many producers are turning away from GMOs because consumers dont want them.

There are other things- the emergence of the third world the tribal warfare in Africa and even in the former Yugoslavia. How do we explain that? I think its something that happened in Europe too except they sorted it out some time ago. After a change in balance of power there is usually some adjustment - witness the USSR. The USSR should not be ignored, while the economy may be a 10th of what it was there is huge potential there too although it may take a couple generations. Bear in mind that in the 19th century Russia was the worlds largest grain producer. Petr

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: JamesJim
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 10:52 PM

"In the year 2525, if man is still alive." Our ancestors will be reading about the conquering of space and space travel to other solar systems. We will discover that we are (were) all a part of something much bigger than we ever imagined. Will find others not unlike ourselves, living in vast colonies all over the universe. Our world history will become ancient history. No one will care what Bill Clinton did in the Oval office, much less reflect on any part he had in the history of the universe. If he only knew how small and insignificant he really is, he'd go into a deep depression.

Subject: RE: BS: News of the day
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 27 Apr 00 - 03:43 AM

Elian will go back to Cuba grow up, develop a 98mph fastball, an incredible curveball, with a decent change up and maybe a knuckleball. Then he'll come back to the U.S. and sign with the Red Sox for billions of dollars, beat the Blue Jays every time out, and really piss off Rick Fielding, who will think that Canada should have grabbed the kid when they had the chance and made him into the first great Cuban-Canadian hockey player/banjo-picker of all time.
But I'm only guessing...
All the best
Seamus