The Burning Archive 1. Introducing a sense of history
Apr 14, 2021
A historian makes the case that the past stays alive and shapes how we live today. He teases themes like imperial rivalry, cultural decline, political breakdown and social fracture. There is talk of personal background, public service constraints and reclaiming a historian's voice. Future shows will start by unpacking great-power shifts and what they mean locally.
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Treat History As A Living Influence
- History is a living influence on the present and helps us live better by understanding culture and conflict.
- Jeff Rich urges curiosity and humility toward the past rather than purging it, citing Faulkner's line that the past isn't even past.
The Tragic Perspective Combines Gratitude And Humility
- The tragic sense of history combines gratitude for cultural inheritance with humility before history's overwhelming force.
- Rich frames tragedy as catharsis: we inherit complex cultures and will be humbled as events outlast our intentions.
Why Jeff Rich Writes From A Bureaucratic Past
- Jeff Rich shares his background: PhD in history, decades as an Australian government official, and experience writing blogs and poetry.
- He used a pseudonym (Antonio Possevino) on an earlier blog to protect free speech as a public servant.