Is his history just an ostensible truth?

Canada may be known as one of the most democratic countries through its
unadulterated history. In truth, there lies a series of detrimental events that has been
camouflaged through historical developments. Citizens must always critique history because
a majority of the time, events that defies history are from a perspective of a dominate force.
In Logans article, he uncovers many dark events concerning Canadas cultural genocides of
the aboriginal culture through the methods of critiquing history. While Patrick explores on the
ideology that we must use the collective memory of today to critique the history of the past.
Through critiquing mundane history, our everyday lives will become more purposeful, and
we will continue to seek for self perfection and appreciate the conditions we currently have.

The truth is often skewed so that a dominate force maintains authority. A primary
example would be how North Koreas Supreme Leader writes the history for his nation. A
totalitarian oversees the entire country, limiting the citizens abilities to think for themselves.
They never bother to question if all of the information provided is legitimate. North Koreans
are exposed to lies, such as the country has won the world cup and other false facts. Citizens
from other nations can obviously see right through the lie, but in the North Koreans
perspectives, winning the world cup is just one of the many great achievements their country
has done. North Koreans live a regimented life where they are told what to do and how to
think, this does not give them an actual purpose in life, by critiquing the dictatorship they
are able to break out of a bound from the dictatorship. Me speaking from a perspective of a
developed country, I can clearly witness how their dictator controls a series of coordinated
lies. Logan points out many of key turning points of history is filtered pervasively and
sometimes insidiously overlooks portions of a historical narrative in favor of a dominant
narrative. Hidden in plain sight. (Logan 149) We must step out of our comfort zone to

critique history, we can not let another force control how we think, thus living a life with no
purpose.

From a young age, children learn their knowledge from teachers. With the assumption
that everything provided by the teachers is correct, there has never been a doubt that children
are learning inaccurate information. During my elementary years, I was taught that this
great explorer, Christopher Columbus, sailed the high seas in search of the Indies but
landed in North America instead. After all the years being deceived, I looked at the situation
critically, realizing the truth has differed from what I was taught. Columbus has actually
colonized the land with European settlers, while eradicating the aboriginals. The actions of
Columbus is highly relatable to our current discourse in Canadian society. Logan expresses
that many of the aboriginals perspectives have been suppressed as he states Indigenous
communities wisely fight to retain control over their own stories and histories. (Logan, 155)
Leaving out key information is deeply rooted in politics, this is what countries would do to
glorify their righteous status in relations to North Korea. Joyce depicts the creation of
history is a political matter- this statement deeply implies for the political framework,
teaching young minds what they want them to be taught (Joyce, 89). Through the course of
history, the dominate force will most certainly have an upper hand in writing history. To
critique history we must first listen to the dominant perspective, after collect information
from different perspectives to gather a holistic view. Acknowledging this, future generations
must practice critiquing history, and not allowing themselves be susceptible to influences.

One of the benefits of critiquing history is that we are able to learn from mistakes in
the past. Edmund Burke once said Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it,
through this quote I am able to extrapolate that if we do not seek to the past we cannot perfect

the lives of today. The society we currently live in is polished through the mistakes of
yesterday. Logan depicts how the Canadian government in the past has enforced residential
schools, this practice was done to encourage cultural genocide. Now, by critiquing the past
Canadian histories, we are able to witness how fortunate we truly are. Critically learning from
mistakes in the past also provides many advantages, one of them being safety. After the
incident of 9/11, airport security has been relentless in determining possible treats. From an
optimistic point of view, mistakes made in the past can be seen as gifts that highlights the
flaws. Patrick define the past as a gift, a gift that we build upon to for a better future. The
gift of the past involves the gift of the past to the present, and to the future. (Patrick, 96) As
our society builds from the gift of the past this relates to my second point that critical history
enables, the gift of appreciation.

When was the last time you have stopped and appreciate the plumbing systems that is
so necessary to maintain a sanitary lifestyle? To the recent great recession of 2008 that causes
a mass chaos globally, this event would not have recovered so quickly if we had not trekked
through the great depression of the 1930s. There is a decline in countries going into a full
scale war due to international laws that hinders such actions. When we look critical in past
history, the lives today are improving due to the mistakes of yesterday. This happens too often
when teenagers complain about food to a slow reception, critically think about the history of
the past. Dating back just a few hundred years ago, a mass majority of citizens barely has
enough eat, and teenagers are here complaining about a slow signal? People had to wait
months for a single letter to be delivered. By critiquing history, our so called first world
problems will be seen as gifts in contrary to the past. In relations with Canada, Logan
depicts the Canadian Department of Heritage wish to construct a museum in recognition of
Canadas past history, (Logan, 156) this museum will give recognition to the aboriginals who

have been neglected through the course of Canadian history. In this manner, critiquing history
allows for a more appreciation towards today's society.

There is not an omniscient view on history, nor will that ever happen. However,
critiquing history will be the closest form of divine perspective that we can achieve. Patrick
views the past as a gift for our society to perfect, and Logan presents that even one of the
most harmonious country is susceptible cultural genocide. The past allows a facelift for today,
we must examine critical mistakes of the past to build new ideas for the future. For our
society to live a more meaningful life, critiquing history allows individuals to appreciate the
present rather to hold grudges against, as today is shaped by the mistakes of yesterday. Thus,
with the analysis of history, citizens can improve their life accordingly and choose the path
they want to believe instead of blindly accepting what is being told.

Works Cited

Joyce, Patrick. The Gift of the Past: Towards A Critical History. Manifestos for History.
Ed. Jenkins, Keith and Morgan, Sue and Munslow, Alun. New York: Routledge,
2007. 88-97. Print.
Logan, Tricia E. Memory, Erasure, and National Myth. Colonial Genocide in Indigenous
North America. Ed. Alexander Laban Hinton. Durham, NC: Duke University Press,
2014. 149-165. Print.