What the Russian Revolution would have looked like on social media | Mikhail Zygar

TL;DR

This content discusses how history is often shaped by the winners and the rulers, but a project called Project1917.com challenges this by providing a social network where users can read the thoughts and experiences of ordinary people during the year of the Russian Revolution.

Transcript

What is history? It is something written by the winners. There is a stereotype that history should be focused on the rulers, like Lenin or Trotsky. As a result, people in many countries, like mine, Russia, look at history as something that was predetermined or determined by the leaders, and common people could not influence it in any way. Many Russ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🌍 History is often written by the winners, creating a perception that it is solely influenced by rulers, but this is not true. History is shaped by ordinary people's actions and choices.
• 💻 Project1917.com is a social network for dead people, allowing users to follow a news feed for each day of 1917 and read thoughts and feelings of various personalities.
• 📚 Understanding how ordinary people influenced history can help create a better future. It's important to know that history is not just about the genius ideas of leaders, but also their mistakes and weaknesses.
• ⚖️ Russia, despite its portrayal as an autocratic empire, could have had a different history and a democratic future, as shown by the posts from 1917.
• ♀️ Russia was forward-thinking in certain aspects of history, such as being one of the first countries to abolish the death penalty and grant women voting rights.
• 💭 Reading about historical events can help us understand how ordinary individuals can shape the course of history.
• 💻 1968Digital.com is an online documentary series that reimagines the year 1968 with the use of modern technology, highlighting the shared challenges and values of individuals across different countries.
• 💪 By presenting history in a democratic way through social media, we can show that people in power are not the sole decision-makers. Ordinary people, journalists, scientists, and philosophers also play a significant role in shaping society and making history.

Questions & Answers

Q: What stereotype exists regarding the focus of history in Russia?

The stereotype is that history in Russia should primarily focus on rulers like Lenin and Trotsky, leading people to believe that history was predetermined or determined solely by leaders, and that common people had no influence on it.

Q: How has this stereotype affected perceptions of Russia becoming a democratic nation?

Many Russians today do not believe that Russia could ever have been or will be a truly democratic nation because of the way history has been framed, limiting their perception of the country's potential.

Q: How did the creation of Project1917 challenge these beliefs?

Project1917.com, a social network for dead people, digitized and uploaded real diaries and letters from over 3,000 individuals in 1917. Through this project, users could follow a daily news feed and read thoughts and feelings of ordinary people like Stravinsky or Trotsky, highlighting their mistakes, fears, and weaknesses. This shattered the perception of demigod-like rulers and showcased how history consists of ordinary people's influence.

Q: How did this project impact the perception of Russia's history?

The project shocked many Russians who believed that their country had always been an autocratic empire where freedom and democracy couldn't prevail. By exposing the democratic moments and ideas in Russia's past, it showcased that the country's history could have been different and it, like any other nation, has the potential for a democratic future.

Q: How does understanding history and ordinary people's influence help shape a better future?

By knowing history and understanding how ordinary people influenced it, we can learn from the mistakes, fears, and weaknesses of the past to create a better future. History serves as a rehearsal of what is happening right now, and by recognizing the impact of individuals and ideas, we can shape society and reclaim history.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• History is often written by those in power, resulting in a skewed perspective that overlooks the influence of everyday people.

• The Project1917.com social network for dead people allows users to read real diaries and letters from 1917, giving insight into the thoughts and feelings of ordinary individuals, not just famous figures.

• By understanding the impact of ordinary people and their ideas throughout history, we can shape a better future and reclaim history from those in power.