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Separating Myth from Reality in American History

Separating Myth from Reality in American History

FromAspen Ideas to Go


Separating Myth from Reality in American History

FromAspen Ideas to Go

ratings:
Length:
56 minutes
Released:
Nov 20, 2019
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

Two Pulitzer Prize-winning historians explain the difference between myth and reality in American history. David Blight, a professor at Yale, says we use myths to help process history, which can be dismal. “Much of history is dark because human nature is dark. We sometimes have to process the past in sentimentalism — in stories that allow us to wake up in the morning.” Annette Gordon-Reed, an American legal history professor at Harvard, says the point of history is to figure out how you got to where you are in present-day. Blight and Gordon-Reed sit down with John Dickerson, correspondent for “60 Minutes,” to discuss correcting America’s historical memory. They touch on historical events like the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, and whether reparations for injustice are realistic. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.
Released:
Nov 20, 2019
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Aspen Ideas to Go is a show about big ideas that will open your mind. Featuring compelling conversations with the world’s top thinkers and doers from a diverse range of disciplines, Aspen Ideas to Go gives you front-row access to the Aspen Ideas Festival and other events presented by the Aspen Institute.