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Marchak's View Of History

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Our lives are divided periodically into three segments of time: the past, present, and the future. These segments are ordered in this particular way because the events from the past lead humanity towards an unpredictable future. The first segment is proclaimed to be a subject of history. History by definition has occurred in the past, comprising individuals or an entire society. To obtain a better understanding of the relationship between these three interconnected periods, it is important to recognize that history is derived from the past. However, in our daily lives we learn new perspectives from our successors who are creating history. That being said, the people who have been known to have influence in history have significance or relevance …show more content…

Marchak’s reading analyzes the different ideologies such that she was able to target the time where they were “dominant”. Marchak does this by providing us the evolution of ideology over a continuum of time. For example, liberalism in the 20th century maintained that belief which relates back to Orwell’s quote and demands that the past control the future; this is evident as the underlying system is still followed in today’s society. “But if the past is an indication of the future, it will not be a case liberalism as an ideology imperceptibly becomes corporatism, nor that socialism becomes totalitarianism, but rather that both are superseded by new ideologies emanating from a new society that has already grown within the old and destroyed its foundations” (Marchak, 24). This quote indicates that liberalism and socialism, which were one dominant ideologies, are overcome by other uprising ideologies. However, this certainly acknowledges the repetition of the past, relating back to Orwell’s claim that the past will shape the …show more content…

Other parts are more casually conveyed through example; the unspoken assumption and attitudes of those around us” (Marchak, 1). This quote by Marchak portrays society as how much it relies on the past. As a child, we grow into an ideology taught from our parents, teachers, friends and the media. Thus, our thought of the past is influenced by present thoughts. This is evident when relating back to Zinn’s piece on Columbus and Western civilization, as we consider the discourse of today’s society to distinguish the past since it is the “ideology” we were born into. As a result, I can attest and agree upon the fact that the present is in control of the past with the understanding of the “current” ideologies which have a huge impact on our future.

The past, present, and the future are all inter-related with one another. How history is told comes down to the “ideology” you are exposed to and I believe that is is important to seek the truth in the story so that you would not be locked into one ideal perspective. Zinn, McNeil, and Marchak demonstrate that history is written in favour of the historians and as a result, society is tied down to one-sided information and a partial truth. We as a society should not be overthrown by dominant ideology, which is a set of false

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