Question Two

In Wikipedia: The Truth in Numbers the message seems to be: no longer do the victors write the history books, we do: you, me, and everyone else. How is social media (twitter, blogs) forwarding this idea? What gives someone authority to "write history" and why should we listen to them? Is there a hierarchy of authorities? ie. is what someone like Seth Godin says more important? What should be taken as canon?



While I agree that there is truth in numbers and that collectively we can ‘fill in the blanks’, I do not believe that we can write history. We might be able to contribute, but for the most part, at the end of the day, it’s a personal opinion – or based off one book we might have read. Simply put, we don’t have the credentials.


The development of social media has both positive and negative effects. It creates an easy form of communication with people all over the world, the exchange of idea, beliefs and information. However, this can be a negative thing as well, as some people have some very biased opinions and sometimes, very damaging and influential viewpoints that cannot be taken as truth, no matter how many people may support them. To give these people authority is to cause more problems in the long run.

So what gives people the authority to ‘write history’? I don’t think it can fall on one person, no matter how educated they are. I think educated individuals who have studied a certain topic have more of ‘a right’ to comment and write about human history (including: war, technology, science, lifestyle, social issued etc.) however, even they will have a bias. The most appropriate way for to write history is to allow educated professionals in the field with different viewpoints to work collaboratively to create a historically accurate document. Unfortunately, this may be easier said than done, look at the Israelis and Palestinians for example.

I think that the whole point of social media is to get across individuals personal opinions on any given topic, however I don’t think that can be taken as fact. I won’t take the average Joe’s opinion on health care as fact, I want to see the statistics and talk to the professionals.

So yes, there is a hierarchy of authority, and those who write history are those who have all the facts.

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