"The art of history lies in the debate" is an adage that Arron lives by. One can be as well read on any particular topic as possible, but it is through discussion that facts are made concrete and we can fully understand a topic. It opens our minds to opposing viewpoints that challenge what we believed, and either helps to reinforce or reassess our positions. And what better way than to do that in a freeform conversation?
Join Arron and Hayley this week as they dive in to some history discussion topics, ranging from interesting thought experiments such as "Can we ever truly know history?" to more controversial questions like "Should the British Museum return artifacts to their countries of origin?", as well as mixing history with modernity and ask "Is the modern United States an imperialist power?" This was great fun to record, and we'd love to hear what you all think about either these topics or the answers we've given!
This episode was hosted by Arron Keegan and Hayley O'Connor. The intro and outro music - Strollin' Along - was recorded by David Renda. Follow us on social media! Just search for "That's Old News" on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, or head to the linktr.ee in our bio!
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Chapters:
(00:00) Intro
(03:52) Can we ever truly know history?
(11:18) Did the French Revolution need to be so bloody?
(19:20) Should history include ethical judgements?
(28:28) Is the modern US an imperialist power?
(33:03) Should the British Museum return artifacts to their countries of origin?
(42:38) Should history lessons focus on the history of your own country?
(53:53) Should British people be proud of the British Empire?
(01:02:00) What was the main cause of World War I?
(01:11:46) Did the fall of the Berlin Wall symbolize the definitive end of the Cold War?
(01:20:29) Post Show Banter
