Airbrushing History.

[Parasondox]

Daaaaaaaaamn its Hot.

You know, there is a certain something that I keep seeing in the past decade. Certain images and logo changed in historical pictures. Airbrushing history. What do I mean?

Well as a fan of F1, tabbaco companies were the big and high spenders in the 80's, 90's and early 00's. Making the cars look beautiful with unique livery's and styles to them. However, when you see these cars in the flesh, right in front of you, you notice something is missing. The sponsorship that were part of the fun and beauty of the cars back then. Yes this is because any tabbaco advertisement has now been banned. Is certain countries I think. Similar now with alcohol, that has also been banned but only in a small number of countries. That's just F1. There isn't a huge fan base here at the Escapist.

Winston Churchill and other historical figures or celebrities are having past photos of them airbrushed so they aren't seen with a cigarette in either their hand or mouth. Is that really needed?

Another would be companies. Many, in the past century, have had their names changed due to past events that they wish to not associate with. Many linked to slave trading. Not just that but also many who were link to historical wars and battles. Some haven't changes but are looking towards the future and apologised many times about what went on.

The main question is, if its part of history, should anything or some things be airbrushed out? Or doesn't airbrushing just cover up what happened and hide it away? I bet many of us, including myself, who uses an everyday product, wouldn't know about the full history of those brands.

So what do you think? Thank you for reading contributions.

 

[Dragonlayer]

All I know is that there has never been any such individual as "Leon Trotsky" and you're a counter-revolutionary to even suggest such an individual existed.

>_>

<_<

*Sweating nervously*

Seriously though, I'm thoroughly against airbrushing any kind of history: what's the bloody point of recollecting things that have happened if we're just going to cross them out because of some sense of moral outrage?

 

[davidmc1158_v1legacy]

I suppose part of the problem is that we, that is to say humanity in general, rewrites history with every generation. We rewrite our history to make ourselves seem better, try to avoid things we fear/dislike, highlight the things we are proud of, etc.

The grand irony is that we do this on a personal level as well. We unconsciously edit our own memories as time passes. Those things we would rather downplay are changed in our memories to be less important and inconspicuous. Events and people that are important to us are exaggerated in our memories as well.

As a historian, I realize both things happen. However, at least from my own perspective, knowing the latter happens means it is even more important to be honest with recorded history to avoid the sort of editing you mentioned. Hiding something away is not the answer. Using it as a teaching moment and coming to grips with why something is no longer acceptable/preferred is the much better way to go.

 

[Bertylicious]

F1 cars from the 80s and 90s were the dog's bollocks; big, meaty, death-carts with huge tyres and spoilers you could go hang gliding with. All spitting fire from their massive turbo chargers as they blaze down the track. All breaking down when the engine exploded and Nigel Mansell passing out from trying to push his car over the line.

The cars today look like anteaters and the drivers have only read about personality in books.

Airbrushing history is a fool's game, there is so much of it and so many people involved that it rarely amounts to anymore than a net-curtain around a toilet trench. Dragonlayer alluded to it nicely; that picture of Josef Stalin where he was walking by a river listening to a discussion between his cabinet and senior staff. As the purges went through anyone indicted was airbrushed out of that photo until eventually it was Josef walking alone along a river bank, a look of quiet concentration on his face.

Attempts at airbrushing history tell you more about the people involved, not less.

 

[Parasondox]

The grand irony is that we do this on a personal level as well. We unconsciously edit our own memories as time passes. Those things we would rather downplay are changed in our memories to be less important and inconspicuous. Events and people that are important to us are exaggerated in our memories as well.

Yeah, you aren't wrong there. A university recently published a study about how many who uses social media sites, only want to show and wish to show the good and perfect things about them. They won't show the bad or something that isn't near perfect and if anyone linked them or tagged them to an embarrassing photo, they often lose their minds. Social media can really change people.

 

[Nimzabaat]

The grand irony is that we do this on a personal level as well. We unconsciously edit our own memories as time passes. Those things we would rather downplay are changed in our memories to be less important and inconspicuous. Events and people that are important to us are exaggerated in our memories as well.

Yeah, you aren't wrong there. A university recently published a study about how many who uses social media sites, only want to show and wish to show the good and perfect things about them. They won't show the bad or something that isn't near perfect and if anyone linked them or tagged them to an embarrassing photo, they often lose their minds. Social media can really change people.

This is a pet peeve of mine, well maybe more than that. "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." - George Santayana (though others have said basically the same thing). This is a great concept but how the fuck are we supposed to remember the past when it's all lies? Our history, even recent history, gets changed all the time. Remember why the US invaded Iraq? I guess now it's because they wanted to "plant the seeds of democracy". It's really weird to be able to recall events and how they transpired only to hear in the news that they've ret-conned real life.

-rant-

Sorry. Now to lighten it up a little bit, here's an oldie but a goodie.

 

[TheIronRuler]

Daaaaaaaaamn its Hot.

You know, there is a certain something that I keep seeing in the past decade. Certain images and logo changed in historical pictures. Airbrushing history. What do I mean?

Well as a fan of F1, tabbaco companies were the big and high spenders in the 80's, 90's and early 00's. Making the cars look beautiful with unique livery's and styles to them. However, when you see these cars in the flesh, right in front of you, you notice something is missing. The sponsorship that were part of the fun and beauty of the cars back then. Yes this is because any tabbaco advertisement has now been banned. Is certain countries I think. Similar now with alcohol, that has also been banned but only in a small number of countries. That's just F1. There isn't a huge fan base here at the Escapist.

Winston Churchill and other historical figures or celebrities are having past photos of them airbrushed so they aren't seen with a cigarette in either their hand or mouth. Is that really needed?

Another would be companies. Many, in the past century, have had their names changed due to past events that they wish to not associate with. Many linked to slave trading. Not just that but also many who were link to historical wars and battles. Some haven't changes but are looking towards the future and apologised many times about what went on.

The main question is, if its part of history, should anything or some things be airbrushed out? Or doesn't airbrushing just cover up what happened and hide it away? I bet many of us, including myself, who uses an everyday product, wouldn't know about the full history of those brands.

So what do you think? Thank you for reading contributions.

.
I would be outraged if they airbrushed cigs from the next Hellblazer comic or tv show... John Constantine without his fags (cigarettes) is no John Constantine!

You can't airbrush history and change it. It's a long road to 1984, but the past is the past and we must be able to compare between the two and remember. Remember promises and lies, remember atrocities, remember false claims and responsibilities. Remembering is all we have. We can't change the past to benefit anyone, it must remain as it was without alteration, to be looked up at its naked flesh and known by all of mankind.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Of course not! How are we supposed to learn for these events and therefor prevent them from being repeated if we brush them under a rug and pretend like they never happened. All of history should be brought out into the light of day, even the unpleasant parts so that we may learn from it.

 

[Parasondox]

I would be outraged if they airbrushed cigs from the next Hellblazer comic or tv show... John Constantine without his fags (cigarettes) is no John Constantine!

Erm... You may need to look at this,


http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/JoshWildingNewsAndReviews/news/?a=102748

NBC do not want a smoking John Constantine on network TV. It's such big BULLS***!!!

 

[Saltyk]

Wait! This is a thing? They have airbrushed cigarettes and other such things out of historical pictures? Seriously, what the fuck!?

I don't care what you think about these things. Be they wars, alcohol, cigarettes, or anything else. But you don't rewrite history! That's literally what they did in 1984. That was the main character's job as an employee of the Ministry of Truth. That book had a lot of meaning in it.

The truth may be ugly, but sweeping it under the rug and pretending that it didn't happen is the last thing anyone needs to do. It's absolutely disgusting that someone would try to change history.

 

[Parasondox]

Wait! This is a thing? They have airbrushed cigarettes and other such things out of historical pictures? Seriously, what the fuck!?

I don't care what you think about these things. Be they wars, alcohol, cigarettes, or anything else. But you don't rewrite history! That's literally what they did in 1984. That was the main character's job as an employee of the Ministry of Truth. That book had a lot of meaning in it.

The truth may be ugly, but sweeping it under the rug and pretending that it didn't happen is the last thing anyone needs to do. It's absolutely disgusting that someone would try to change history.

Yep its happening. I'm just surprised that it happens with the most littlist this as a cigar in someone's mouth. Sad time we are living in.

 

[briankoontz]

Only people with no ability to forgive or receive forgiveness could ever want to rewrite history on a personal level.

Corporations in their mandate need to maximize profits, and that includes rewriting history if that benefits them. In order to change this we need to modify the definition of a corporation.