Wednesday, October 22, 2008

When History Becomes Personal

During the week I was formulating my post for Blog Action Day about Roosevelt's Fight Against Poverty, I found myself hearing quite a lot about the Great Depression. Not only was I doing my research on it, but I found myself watching part of a History Channel program about the Dust Bowl. On top of that, I finally listened to a podcast I had downloaded a while ago and guess what it was about? It was about the Great Depression!

This podcast, called Desperate Times, is from Dan Carlin's Hardcore History program. In it, he wonders if tough times somehow make better people. He specifically discusses the Great Depression and how we think of those that lived though it as people who are stronger, even though they suffered in horrible conditions. Carlin goes on to talk about how the tough economic times during the 1930's led to the rise of radicalism, because people were more open to those ideas. He states that suffering has a way of lighting a fire under historical events.

I heard all of this right after the week where the stock market had that record breaking plunge, and the government passed the $700 million dollar bailout plan. Adding to that, my employer had layoffs that week. Not only did this get me thinking about my own situation but also about what could happen in the country because of this. Carlin's closing statements about thinking that the Great Depression could never happen again kept going through my mind. History became personal for me in a very real way because of what happened that week.

Do you agree with Carlin's points about the Great Depression? Has history ever become personal like that for you?

Links to Learn More:

Blog Widget by LinkWithin
Bookmark and Share
Posted by Rebecca at 2:11 PM

12 Comments:

  1. I love Dan Carlin's podcasts. His episode on the great war is my favorite. It is funny in this century the problems have been in reverse first came the war then came economic troubles.

    ReplyDelete

  2. I really like Dan Carlin's podcasts too! Thanks for sharing about that on your blog. What's this podcast about the Great War? I looked for it in the archives and I couldn't find it. Sounds really interesting though!

    That's a good point that economic troubles came after the war. I've never thought about that before!

    ReplyDelete

  3. I don't know that I could say that history has become personal for me in quite the way that I think you mean, Rebecca, but,I do think Carlin's idea of tough times strengthening people has a ring of truth to it. I know that whenever things in my life get easy and comfortable, I swear I lose my 'edge'!

    Also, about one hour before the first plane slammed into the first of the Twin Towers, I actually had the thought that America could never be attacked on its mainland, we were so safe...as events unfold in the world, I now believe anything could happen again, but for the staying hand of God.

    ReplyDelete

  4. I know what you mean about tough times. Carlin actually mentions in his podcast how America has become comfortable in its wealth and we begin to think that an economic crisis like that couldn't happen again.

    That podcast made quite an impression on me, especially the timing of when I listened to it. It still has an impact on me! I've listened to it 3 times already! :)

    Thanks for your comments!

    ReplyDelete

  5. I'm not sure what a podcast is? Really, I'm still in the Stone Age 1/2 the time...but I'm guessing I need sound on my computr, and I should have it but 4 some reason, I don't...I think I need to buy a special power pack cord, or whatever its called...

    ReplyDelete

  6. Christina,

    A podcast is like a blog post about a subject in audio or video format. They usually more ind depth than written posts, at least the ones I've listened to are.

    I really would recommend Dan Carlin's Hardcore History program. It's too bad you don't have sound on your computer!

    ReplyDelete

  7. Rebecca,
    Thank you for writing about this.

    I do think tough times makes us stronger- on many levels.

    Causes us to reexamine ourselves, make wiser choices, rethink our priorities and ask better questions.

    I'm a big fan of good questions .I think they're
    underrated.

    ReplyDelete

  8. Sherri,

    I'm also a big fan of good questions. I like to ask them a lot!

    Thanks for stopping by!

    ReplyDelete

  9. I think I will become a good fan of your blog. Great post

    ReplyDelete

  11. Hi Rebecca,

    hard times indeed - but as the old saying goes, "when the going gets tough...". Thanks for the heads up on the Dan Carlin podcasts as well, going to enjoy getting stuck into listening to them.

    Ollie.

    ReplyDelete

  12. Dan Carlin has some great history podcasts about different topics. I'd definitely recommend his Hardcore History program! Thanks for visiting my blog!

    ReplyDelete

I love getting feedback on my posts and I appreciate your thoughts, opinions and questions. However, any comments that are of a perverse nature or include obscene language will not be published. Any comments that contain links to another site will be deleted unless it adds to the discussion. Please read the full Comments Policy before posting. Thanks for visiting!

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)