Command Quote by Michel de Montaigne
“The only good histories are those written by those who had command in the events they describe.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “On the Education of Princes”, 1580
History written by participants may be biased, reflecting their power and perspective.
In simple terms: History by participants is biased.
Key Takeaway
Question who tells the story.
Themes
bias
power
historical narrative
Mood
critical
inquisitive
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic research
- media literacy
- political analysis
- education
Key Concepts
critical historiography
authorial voice
Questions to Reflect On
- Who are the unheard voices?
- How can we seek balanced perspectives?
A Different Perspective
Alternative accounts may be suppressed or lost.
![“Geometry, which should only obey Physics, when united with it sometimes commands it. If it happens that the question which we wish to examine is too complicated for all the elements to be able to enter into the analytical comparison we wish to make, we separate the more inconvenient [elements], we…” quote by Jean le Rond d'Alembert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0d9/jean-le-rond-d-alembert-26487_able_geometry-which-should-only-obey-physics_6945.jpg)
