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How Is 9/11 Taught?

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Clarissa

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Here’s a great analysis of history textbooks that cover 9/11.

I can’t tell you how often students ask why I teach history only through literature but the answer is contained in the article. History writing is the most ideological and manipulative of all. But it’s also almost always derived of pleasure because the writing style is dry, pseudo-scientific, and boring. If I’m going to be manipulated, let it be by somebody like Octavio Paz, who is quite open about the manipulation but also a great poet.

4 responses to “How Is 9/11 Taught?”

  1. Chris Franklin Avatar
    Chris Franklin

    Yea I remember some stuff on 9/11 when I was in school in the first decade of the 2000’s but I remember the day it happened in 2001. But I don’t know how it’s taught nowadays

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  2. el Avatar
    el

    Mike called this the best thing written on 9/11 :

    The Falling Man
    An unforgettable story.

    By Tom Junod
    Sep 9, 2021

    https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a48031/the-falling-man-tom-junod/

    Wislawa wrote a poem on this photo:

    Photograph from September 11
    BY WISŁAWA SZYMBORSKA
    TRANSLATED BY CLARE CAVANAGH

    They jumped from the burning floors—
    one, two, a few more,
    higher, lower.

    The photograph halted them in life,
    and now keeps them
    above the earth toward the earth.

    Each is still complete,
    with a particular face
    and blood well hidden.

    There’s enough time
    for hair to come loose,
    for keys and coins
    to fall from pockets.

    They’re still within the air’s reach,
    within the compass of places
    that have just now opened.

    I can do only two things for them—
    describe this flight
    and not add a last line.

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  3. David Gendron Avatar
    David Gendron

    And if this had occured in 2020, the vast majority of GOP/Trump’s electors (including yourself) would pretend that it was a false flag…

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  4. Post Alley Crackpot Avatar
    Post Alley Crackpot

    “… it’s also almost always devoid of pleasure because the writing style is dry, pseudo-scientific …”

    FTFY.

    And yes, if I’m going to be manipulated, it’ll be for considerably better stakes and results than these.

    I’m holding out for the next Sinclair Lewis or Thomas Wolfe myself. 🙂

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A conservative literary critic and college professor

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