History isn’t one-dimensional — it’s layered

[MeeCee]

This is actually the best way to look at human beings. No one is all one thing. We are what we need to be for the time, place and situation that we are in. And that is true for everyone. We are far more complicated than what we believe.

[Movement]

Really good points…

Layers don’t invalidate previous ones.

Humans are complex.

[ziggyai]

Layers don't invalidate each other, but they do form different impression

[alexandercook]

I think there needs to be more broadway musicals about our founding fathers. I wanna hear about Ben Franklins love for older women in a snazzy jazz number with a chrous line

[TheVafa]

In a way, history is a record of the evolution of human thought and activities. We can think of humanity as having different phases in its growth and development. At one time, it was a child, so it acted like a child. Currently, it is passing through adolescence and must learn to think and act like an adult. While slavery was previously an accepted practice, it is now unlawful and carries severe punishment. This does not diminish the contributions of the ancients; it places them in historical perspective.
So yes history has different layers, but these layers are evolving, so our criticism of past should have historical perspective.

[roycejha]

Thank you M., we seek perfection from our past heroes and loss the bravery and sacrifices that they made. Great lessons disregarded. We are so tough on our current achievers of excellence, let’s give our past heroes more understanding

[starkparker]

This guy is great. He should, whoever he is, write a book.

[charlestdennis]

I love the way he says this. It is so very true. It is about layers and you cannot legitimately throw out the whole based on one layer. And what is in one layer does NOT invalidate other layers.

[yeahsureb]

This is why Malcom Gladwell is the 🐐
He understands people are complicated

[jliller]

The USA is a country where the predominate religion teaches you simply have to so "I'm sorry" and all your misdeeds are supposed to be forgive.

Few people want to actually have meaningful standards applied consistently without hypocrisy to everyone because that might make them feel bad about themselves.

If you believe the goal of life is "happiness" then your standards for yourself and others either have to be hypocritical or so low as to constitute a trip hazard.

[chrisolmsted]

As time goes on, American mythology taught in grade school magnifies their virtues. It also glorifies the meaning of their words. This change in meaning makes them seem like hypocrites.
They could be many bad things but in the age of reason in their quest for legitimacy of government and after having rejected their king and for many the head of their church they could not live with themselves as hypocrites. We can know this because they were human.

"All men are created equal" does not mean all men are equal. The gender men does not include females, slaves, young boys or old boys. This reduced definition matches their actions.
The people is always a group making the decisions of governance. It doesn't include all persons or even the men which are in the ramble. This reduction is also required to match their actions.