Tuesday, 25 February 2014


"This is the reality of history. This is just the reality of how all these countries came to be." False.
"There just isn't any records of anyone else who built the country." False.
"History sucks." *ding, ding, ding* True.

Recently, I dropped history class. That doesn't mean I can eliminate it's everlasting voice and presence in my life, but nonetheless I don't have to study the conquests of a bunch of old dudes, remember dates & regurgitate pointless information onto a exam sheet. So, it's still somewhat of a win.

It's important to know your history. It's important to know your past, and where you come from. But, something in me doesn't believe the things I'm being taught. I don't like how glorified these people who "discovered the new world" are. Actually I hate it.
Let's talk about this. How can Christopher Columbus "discover the new world" when every where he "discovered" had people ALREADY LIVING THERE. Why do we praise this man for discovering places that were obviously clearly inhabited. Why don't we teach about how he barbarically killed the previous inhabitants of all these places, rather than calling the previous inhabitants the "barbarians". How do we justify calling the groups of people that NO LONGER EXIST the barbarians?

Recently, I was also learning about the history of Canadian journalism and my professor says, "I know I've been teaching you about a whole bunch of old white guys, but that's just how it is." Before he proceeds to show us a slide with a few women who made contributions to what Canadian journalism is today. Admittedly, I'm no expert on the topic, but I'd still like to call bullshit.

Like all other parts of history, the "achievements" of "old white guys" is all that was documented. It's all we have records of. I can't say for sure any other groups of people had a huge influence on Canadian journalism, but I strongly believe there are other groups that did. Not only history of journalism, but history in general.

I guess I'm just sick of the invisibility of so many people. Sick of feeling as if I personally know the people who had stories to tell, but never got the opportunity.

If a tree falls in the forest, and no-one is around to hear...I guess it doesn't make much of a noise.

x Leah Symonne x



  1. Preach it sister! Perhaps you will be in history books one day

  2. It's actually quite sad when you think about it, that history is told through this lens full of exaggerations and adaptations of the truth. I guess it's true what they say about history being written by the victors...
    Saadiya x

  3. Loving this! Awesome appreciation... I feel the same way about history....
    my advice to you is to stop worrying about what others did and START writing your own awesome one!
    kisses from Miami,

  4. Ugh I feel the exact same way but I still have to finish the requirements for my history classes and I'm not finished yet. You are incredibly lucky to not have to take it anymore. I completely agree, it is important to know and learn about the past but I just don't enjoy learning about the majority of it.