Are You on the Wrong Side of History?|5 Minute Video
Are you on the incorrect side or the right side of history? Is there even a” incorrect side” or a” ideal side”?
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Script:
” The wrong side of history:” it’s one of President Barack Obama’s preferred expressions.
He’s not alone, naturally. It’s a perennial favorite of liberal politicians and activists. Oppose gay marriage? You’re on the wrong side of history. Versus pot legalization? You’re stuck in the past.
It’s used a lot in diplomacy, too. In his first inaugural address, for example, President Obama said, “To those who hold on to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the incorrect side of history …”.
When Vladimir Putin began carving up Ukraine, the president insisted that America would not really do anything about it, but fear not– because Putin is on the incorrect side of history. In the meantime: Tough luck, Ukrainians.
You may not have noticed, but the phrase has opposite meanings when used in the house and abroad. Locally, informing somebody they are on “the incorrect side of history” indicates “You’re going to lose eventually, so why don’t you give up now?” However in diplomacy, it implies, “I’m helpless to stop you, however one day, long after I have any duty to do anything, somebody else will say you were wrong.”.
In other words, when used at home “the wrong side of history” signifies strength– our advocacy is vindicated; things are going our way!– But worldwide the expression suggests weak point– “you’re winning and I can’t, or won’t stop you!”.
What unifies both terms is arrogance– really, arrogance and cowardice.
The concept that History is moving in an inescapable instructions is ancient, however in contemporary times its primary champ was Karl Marx. Marx argued that socialism was inescapable according to some scientific principle. Any objection to its unstoppable triumph was not just ethically incorrect but anti-intellectual and even unscientific.
This is what the excellent historian of Communism, Robert Conquest, meant when he said that the phrase “the incorrect side of history” has a “Marxist twang” to it. It was the atheist’s answer to the spiritual concept that “God is on our side,” and it led to millions dying as socialists frantically tried to steam roll the future with the Wheel of History.
The idea has non-Marxist advocates, too. There is what the prominent Cambridge historian, Herbert Butterfield, called the “Whig School of history” which holds that democracy– though not always socialism– is inescapable.
This is a much better idea, to be sure. But being nicer does not make it anymore real (and, to be honest, lots of people have actually passed away in service to this concept too).
For the total script, check out https://www.prageru.com/videos/are-you-wrong-side-history.
source
Are You on the Wrong Side of History? Are you on the wrong side or the right side of history? Is there even a” incorrect side” or a” best side”? You’re on the incorrect side of history. When Vladimir Putin started sculpting up Ukraine, the president insisted that America wouldn’t actually do anything about it, however fear not– since Putin is on the wrong side of history.