Perspectives in History

Through the readings we have read I have come to the conclusion that history is not just bout facts. The role of interpretation and perspective is clear in the making of history and I feel as though as historians we must acknowledge this belief in order to make an arguement of the usefulness of history.  In Oakeshott's reading titled "History is a fable" he states that history is not objective that the truth is relative to time, facts involve our judgements particularly through our selection and choosing of them and that people write their own history and it arises from how they view things which in summary is the basis of a specific perspective. Oakshott affirms this notion on page 33 of his reading when he states "And not only do we as individuals observe fact differently from each other, but also each age, each civilization, has a point of view which it cannot discard try as it will." I agree with Oakeshott in this sense a clear example would be that my point of view and the views of others within my generation of Setember 11th would be different from the next. Our experiences, ties to events and way in which we think and view about the world all form are interpretations and perspectives. This relates to Becker's ideas of significance in his reading that everything one does draws upon our past experiences. We create our own significance of events based on our own ideas. In thinking about all of the readings and how my ideas on history, its nature and the job of historians change I feel as though my understanding keeps building more and more ideas of different authors rather than exactly changing. Through my analysis of the readings I've thought about the author's arguements, I have thought about them, and attempted to make sense of them but I have yet to to take a stance or define the job of a historian, and the nature or study of history. I agree tht everyone has the ability and skills to tell history. I disagree that we can teach history by just stating the facts. Within these two statements I have come to these conclusions just through the study of interpretation, and perspective.