The next couple of blogs will probably be rant-y. I am frustrated and freaking at the moment about my essays and socialization (something I am not very good at, obviously - I can't even talk to you guys). At the moment though, I feel like discussing my classes. I have come to the realization that I hate them. I love learning about history, but apparently I am no historian; because, these classes suck for two reasons.
One, there is no standard textbook, everything you are going to learn about the period is going to come from your professor's lips. And everything else, the stuff they actually want you to learn is all the opinion of some other a**hole historian. I don't like this, I like facts, I like putting those facts together to tell a story. Not constantly adding my own damn conjecture into things in order to make a name for myself. Which leads me to point dos.
2. Other historians. Yes this is what they want you to learn about, read about (at least ten books or articles per essay, by the way), and memorize. They want you to compound someone else's opinion (because you must engage with the other view points, or fail) into your own Frankenstein-ian amalgamation of actual historical events. I quite like what the professors at Alabama have taught me thus far: sure you have to take other people's opinions into account, but primary sources are the only thing that hold what is closest to the truth - bias, or no bias - and therefore are what you should take facts and view points from.
I am definitely thinking that I am not cut out to be an historian anymore, but that basically leaves my list of possible careers with one choice - Wal-Mart cashier (no joke, it's what I wanted to be when I was little) - and I don't know how okay my family would be with that choice. Oh well, I guess I should just write my essays and worry about choosing what I want to do with my life when I have a little more free time.
No pictures this time, sorry, just words.
Jessa, darling, a few things.
ReplyDelete1) If you're a Walmart cashier, I will purposely move to that city and visit the Walmart every week, your lane, just to see you, give you a hug and a smile. Let you know I support you whatever you want to do with your life. It is YOUR life and I support you 100%.
2) I seriously hate the history department here too. You've heard me complain about War & Society enough to know that. Your Alabama professors are like the ones I have at Carroll. Find your angle and back it up with PRIMARY sources, even then which can be (and usually are) corruptable. I don't think ruling out a career as a historian totally is fair based on two professors. That being said, grad school is ruthless and if you don't have your heart fully in it, then it's not for you. (Quoting my advisor there.) Challenge what you can, accept that this is only one year, only one department, only one school.
Historians are so easily swayed by words. I admit it fully. I can be swayed by something eloquently written even if it is so historically inaccurate the Terra Cotta warriors are rising from their graves to come and attack the writer.
Love and hugs!