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Should I read Howard Zinn’s “ people’s history of the United States”?

Posted on 3/6/23 at 8:32 pm
Posted by selfgen
youngsville
Member since Aug 2006
1052 posts
Posted on 3/6/23 at 8:32 pm
(no message)
Posted by TAMU-93
Sachse, TX
Member since Oct 2012
907 posts
Posted on 3/6/23 at 9:41 pm to
Zinn's interpretation of history is intentionally biased, and he is upfront about his perspective being informed by Marxist ideology. He focuses on the struggle between different social classes and believes that marginalized groups have been systematically oppressed by powerful elites throughout American history. Rather than striving for objectivity, Zinn presents a deliberately partial perspective that seeks to illuminate the experiences and struggles of these marginalized groups. As Zinn himself acknowledges in the introduction of the book...
quote:

I prefer to try to tell their [the oppressed] story with as little subjective distortion as possible, but with my own ideology: not neutrality, but the will to power of the subjugated.
Posted by LSUfan20005
Member since Sep 2012
8825 posts
Posted on 3/8/23 at 6:42 am to
Yes, it’s OK to read biased histories to gain a wider perspective. I think it’s completely possible to read the accounts of atrocities/injustices while stopping short of vilifying the entire US ideology.

Ideally, you’d contrast his stories with the struggles of the “bad guys” as well. Along with the atrocities committed by “people’s governments.”

It’s a delicate balance to understand viewpoints of history without getting indoctrinated.
Posted by Roaad
White Privilege Broker
Member since Aug 2006
76779 posts
Posted on 3/8/23 at 9:08 am to
quote:

Should I read Howard Zinn’s “ people’s history of the United States”?
I mean, not all of it is dogshit.

But it is important to note that it is a work of historical fiction.

If you read it, make sure to use this as a quick reference
Posted by el Gaucho
He/They
Member since Dec 2010
53463 posts
Posted on 3/8/23 at 10:43 am to
No bruh

They should change the name to “Israel’s history of the United States”

It’s all anti American propaganda and it’s disgusting they made us read it in high school

ETA: check out the first line of Howard zinns “early life” section on Wikipedia lol
This post was edited on 3/8/23 at 10:46 am
Posted by John Coctostan
Member since May 2018
571 posts
Posted on 3/10/23 at 10:49 am to
No, read this instead:

Posted by tigahbruh
Louisiana
Member since Jun 2014
2858 posts
Posted on 3/13/23 at 11:12 pm to
Yes. But also read several different points of view. In my humble opinion, Zinn's take is not only existentially horrific, it is intellectually weak af, based on documentation.
Similar to Said's Orientalism, Zinn is important in understanding the Leftist ideology toward history, and the foundational texts it is based on. Regardless of your personal ideology, it is important to understand where they are coming from.

Posted by Kafka
I am the moral conscience of TD
Member since Jul 2007
143037 posts
Posted on 3/14/23 at 5:21 pm to
Da, Comrade
Posted by bayoumuscle21
St. George
Member since Jan 2012
4645 posts
Posted on 4/2/23 at 5:25 am to
I read half of it and threw it away. It’s absolute bullshite, I don’t care what Will Hunting says. Lol
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