I think it's important to remember that Ken Burns is first and foremost a film maker. His grasp of history has always been somewhat shaky, and underscores how frequently journalists and filmmakers are confused with historians in the public mind. Burns seems especially unaware of the dangers of both race essentialism (and identity essenti…
I think it's important to remember that Ken Burns is first and foremost a film maker. His grasp of history has always been somewhat shaky, and underscores how frequently journalists and filmmakers are confused with historians in the public mind. Burns seems especially unaware of the dangers of both race essentialism (and identity essentialism, which is gaining momentum these days) and othering, both of which played directly into what the Nazis were able to do and the relative ease with which they were able to do it. When people are defined only by labels (based on race or self-proclaimed identity) it becomes very easy to marginalize and dehumanize those outside a particular label, and equally easy to blame every problem under the sun on those same labeled groups. Burns of course also chose to ignore events that didn't fit into his particular political message, which diminishes his claim to be any sort of historian. We should be wary of anyone claiming to be "on the right side of history"...history has no sides. Only those spinning it have sides.
Unfortunately, professional historians are often just as partisan and unreliable as Burns in their commentary on current events and their attempts to lecture us on the supposed lessons of history.
Some certainly are, but they don't often get the "pass" people like Burns and Hannah-Jones do. Far too many journalists are being mistaken for historians these days. At least within the historical community there can be room for debate grounded in actual sources. Journalists all too often don't feel constrained by simple things like accuracy and source attribution.
The same is also increasingly true these days when it comes to science and medicine. Case in point Dr Fauci yesterday proclaimed he is not "political."
I think it's important to remember that Ken Burns is first and foremost a film maker. His grasp of history has always been somewhat shaky, and underscores how frequently journalists and filmmakers are confused with historians in the public mind. Burns seems especially unaware of the dangers of both race essentialism (and identity essentialism, which is gaining momentum these days) and othering, both of which played directly into what the Nazis were able to do and the relative ease with which they were able to do it. When people are defined only by labels (based on race or self-proclaimed identity) it becomes very easy to marginalize and dehumanize those outside a particular label, and equally easy to blame every problem under the sun on those same labeled groups. Burns of course also chose to ignore events that didn't fit into his particular political message, which diminishes his claim to be any sort of historian. We should be wary of anyone claiming to be "on the right side of history"...history has no sides. Only those spinning it have sides.
Intellectual honesty and consistency are not values of Ken Burns
Agreed. Over the years he's gone from accomplished documentarian - to a self-important, narcissistic scold.
Unfortunately, professional historians are often just as partisan and unreliable as Burns in their commentary on current events and their attempts to lecture us on the supposed lessons of history.
Some certainly are, but they don't often get the "pass" people like Burns and Hannah-Jones do. Far too many journalists are being mistaken for historians these days. At least within the historical community there can be room for debate grounded in actual sources. Journalists all too often don't feel constrained by simple things like accuracy and source attribution.
The same is also increasingly true these days when it comes to science and medicine. Case in point Dr Fauci yesterday proclaimed he is not "political."
Historian Michael Beschloss went completely bonkers and apocalyptic this past election season. Totally bonkers.
Another example is Timothy Snyder, a very capable historian of Eastern Europe who detects Hitler in Trump’s every brain fart.