Archives for 2021

“HISTORY, n. An account mostly false, of events mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostly fools.”

Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary (1911)

“Always the victor writes the history of the vanquished. He who beats distorts the faces of the beaten. The weaker depart from this world and the lies remain.”

Bertolt Brecht, The Trial of Lucullus

The Band performs “Tears of Rage,” by Bob Dylan and Richard Manuel, at Woodstock in 1969. The lyrics are by Dylan. Manuel is the lead singer and wrote the music:

(This is the latest in a series of arts- and history-related videos that appear in this space each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday)

“A generation which ignores history has no past—and no future.”

Robert A. Heinlein, Time Enough for Love

From 2005:

Ever since I was old enough to understand what it meant, seeing the Confederate battle flag on display has made me squirm—and the fact that it continues to fly over state houses in the Deep South makes me genuinely angry. That said, I’m also not fond of “debates” driven by self-righteousness, of which vast amounts have been evident on both sides of this particular fence. Nor do I usually think it wise to take action on anything in the heat of the moment, which is, needless to say, what’s happening right now.

But it’s also true that America is a country in which things tend to get done either in the midst of a crisis or (more often) not at all….

Read the whole thing here.

“A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.”

Dwight Eisenhower, first inaugural address

Donna Murphy sings Stephen Sondheim’s “Loving You” in the original 1994 Broadway production of Passion, directed by James Lapine:

(This is the latest in a series of arts- and history-related videos that appear in this space each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday)

“The history of every country begins in the heart of a man or woman.”

Willa Cather, O Pioneers!