- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
History buffs: Dan Carlin
Posted on 9/27/14 at 3:01 pm
Posted on 9/27/14 at 3:01 pm
I'm a huge history buff and Dan Carlin kind of blew my mind a little bit this week on Common Sense with a simple comparison with regards to the reliability of our sources for ancient history.
I'm a 19th and 20th century historical buff so not Earth shaking for me but regarding historical knowledge of antiquity is was pretty great and although I've known the core concepts are true, I've never heard it put so perfectly.
He said the reliability of history in extreme antiquity is basically completely unreliable because it is dependent on what happens to be brushed away at an archeological site.
His comparison that is brilliant is that if a cataclysmic event occurred tomorrow that turned Manhatten into a pile of ash, an archeologist in 1000 years could define 21st century history for his age based on whether he found an accessible form of Fox News reporting or MSNBC reporting.
Tl/dr but the concept is fascinating.
I'm a 19th and 20th century historical buff so not Earth shaking for me but regarding historical knowledge of antiquity is was pretty great and although I've known the core concepts are true, I've never heard it put so perfectly.
He said the reliability of history in extreme antiquity is basically completely unreliable because it is dependent on what happens to be brushed away at an archeological site.
His comparison that is brilliant is that if a cataclysmic event occurred tomorrow that turned Manhatten into a pile of ash, an archeologist in 1000 years could define 21st century history for his age based on whether he found an accessible form of Fox News reporting or MSNBC reporting.
Tl/dr but the concept is fascinating.
This post was edited on 9/27/14 at 4:08 pm
6
Posted on 9/27/14 at 3:16 pm to Scoop
It's true to some extent--mostly when you're dealing with written records, which were generally laced with spin. But artifacts can be interpreted independently, and events that involved multiple civilizations are usually recorded in both sets of chronicles which allows them to be reconciled.
In the Manhattan example, the archaeologist would use whatever New York artifacts were outside of Manhattan, along with records from the Financial Times, Guardian, Chicago Tribune, etc. as such an event would be widely reported throughout the world.
In the Manhattan example, the archaeologist would use whatever New York artifacts were outside of Manhattan, along with records from the Financial Times, Guardian, Chicago Tribune, etc. as such an event would be widely reported throughout the world.
Posted on 9/27/14 at 3:38 pm to Scoop
quote:
He said the reliability of history in extreme antiquity is basically completely unreliable because it is dependent on what happens to be brushed away at an archeological site.
Ironically, this is what the anti-evolution crazies don't understand...i.e. discovered fossils are the rare exception and are in no way the rule. We are lucky to have the ones we have, much less a perfectly laid out script of every iteration of every species that ever existed.
Posted on 9/27/14 at 3:44 pm to Scoop
From professional experience, I'd say Carlin is a bit of an idiot who shouldn't be taken seriously.
This post was edited on 9/27/14 at 3:45 pm
Posted on 9/27/14 at 4:00 pm to Scoop
quote:
His comparison that is brilliant is that if a cataclysmic event occurred tomorrow that turned Manhatten into a pile of ash, an archeologist in 1000 years could define 21st century history for his age based on whether he found an accessible form of Fox News reporting or MSNBC reporting.
I love thinking like this. Walking down the Vegas strip when Celine was at Caesar's Palace. A huge billboard of her in front of a giant, palatial structure. If there were a cataclysmic event, in 1000 years aliens or whoever followed us would think Celine was a powerful ruler we worshiped as a goddess.
Posted on 9/27/14 at 4:02 pm to Big Scrub TX
quote:
anti-evolution crazies
Now there is a twisted phrase.
Posted on 9/27/14 at 4:07 pm to AUin02
quote:
If there were a cataclysmic event, in 1000 years aliens or whoever followed us would think Celine was a powerful ruler we worshiped as a goddess.
That would be Oprah.
Posted on 9/27/14 at 4:14 pm to TN Bhoy
quote:
From professional experience, I'd say Carlin is a bit of an idiot who shouldn't be taken seriously.
I would agree with if Carlin pretended to be a historian and behave as such.
He is very clear that he is not and goes through great pains to make that clear.
Posted on 9/27/14 at 4:22 pm to Scoop
quote:Fascinating in that the process in single source is unreliable. However, when coalesced among multiple unrelated sources, a much more accurate picture likely emerges.
an archeologist in 1000 years could define 21st century history for his age based on whether he found an accessible form of Fox News reporting or MSNBC reporting.
Tl/dr but the concept is fascinating.
Posted on 9/27/14 at 5:14 pm to AUin02
quote:
I love thinking like this. Walking down the Vegas strip when Celine was at Caesar's Palace. A huge billboard of her in front of a giant, palatial structure. If there were a cataclysmic event, in 1000 years aliens or whoever followed us would think Celine was a powerful ruler we worshiped as a goddess.
Entertaining. But that would happen only if the aliens were limited to a single data point. If they find several data points from the current era, they would know that giant palatial structures were frequently used for commercial purposes, and in that case they might correctly determine that she was an entertainer.
Posted on 9/27/14 at 5:27 pm to Scoop
Graffiti uncovered at Pompeii.
II.2.3 (Bar of Athictus; right of the door); 8442:
II.2.3 (Bar of Athictus; right of the door); 8442:
quote:
I screwed the barmaid
Posted on 9/27/14 at 10:53 pm to mauser
100% true. If you look at all the facts independently we don't even really know the damn pyramids and sphinx were for, but do know from climatologist that sphinx is 1000's of years older but that doesn't fit the narrative by Egyptologist or anthropologist. There are hundreds of pieces and whole cities that dont make sense. Some 5-7000 yaers old but we were olly supposed to we wandering tribes then. We are missing about 15,000 years of our history.
Posted on 9/27/14 at 11:01 pm to TutHillTiger
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News