This article emphasizes the challenging task of reconstructing history in the face of contradictory narratives. The perspective of the defeated can offer a more nuanced view, while that of the victors may be tainted by propaganda. The article mentions two historical examples: the questionable claim of Ramses II regarding Egypt’s victory in the Battle of Qadesh and the Bayeux Tapestry depicting the conquest of England by William the Conqueror. It posits that political and religious narratives can shape collective history by taking liberties with objective historical facts. The article warns against modern propaganda, facilitated by the digital revolution and information personalization, and highlights the importance of critical distance and diverse sources of information to combat algorithmic manipulation.
E. Krieger
Historians have become masters at untangling the tapestry of history using a bundle of sometimes contradictory accounts. While it is well known that history is written by the victors, the perspective of the defeated often provides a more nuanced viewpoint.
Certain parties even claim questionable victories, such as Ramses II asserting Egyptian triumph over the Hittite Empire after the Battle of Qadesh around 1274 BC. This victory is highly doubtful considering the territorial losses suffered by the Egyptians in the aftermath of the conflict. What is narrated in the two temples of Abu Simbel ultimately becomes more important than what actually happened almost 3,300 years ago, especially if your Egyptian guide is as biased as a Brazilian soccer fan.
A couple of millennia later, another propaganda work is considered the first comic strip in history: the Bayeux Tapestry, a magnificent embroidery measuring nearly 70 meters in length, remarkably preserved despite numerous tribulations. This artwork exhibited in Bayeux recounts the conquest of the English throne by William the Bastard, Duke of Normandy. Following the Battle of Hastings in 1066, he acquired a kingdom officially passed down to him and, moreover, the more enviable name for posterity, William the Conqueror.
The kaleidoscope of historical reality
Since then, historians have somewhat nuanced the narrative of this indisputable victory, particularly regarding the ambiguous role of Harold Godwinson, the short-lived Harold II of England, portrayed as having broken an allegiance oath to William. There is no consensus among historians regarding the exact circumstances that led a Norman to the English throne, but the tapestry presents a version that serves as a starting point for public education and historical research.
Throughout history, political and religious narratives have allowed for the creation of collective history by occasionally taking liberties with objective historical circumstances. This justifies even more the work of historians, who often tread on treacherous ground when their research challenges previously unquestionable dogmas.
The very term « propaganda » refers to « what must be propagated. » Such propagation is often carried out by media outlets, which are frequently controlled by political authorities or oligarchs who are not solely attracted to the cash flows associated with activities whose direct profitability does not always align with that of traditional economic activities.
State propaganda and individual passions
During the darkest hours of human history, certain totalitarian regimes even established a Ministry of Propaganda. Nowadays, brainwashing still thrives in countries that scrupulously implemented George Orwell’s famous dystopia. Under these absurd regimes, reality surpasses the fiction of « 1984. »
These totalitarian regimes no longer even need to plaster posters stating « Big Brother is watching you. » Thought surveillance is so effective that it becomes internalized by the entire population.
In our old Europe, we fail to fully grasp the extent to which freedom of expression is a precious commodity often hard-won.
The digital revolution is, in many respects, a considerable progress in the dissemination of knowledge and ideas… but it has also allowed for the sophistication of techniques used to propagate the most absurd ideas.
Social networks, battlefield of digital minions
Based on your expressed preferences on various social media platforms, it has become easy to reinforce your beliefs with « fake news » or even genuine information strategically distributed, which is even more formidable. The remarkable example of the 2016 US presidential election illustrates this.
It is astonishing to see people from all political backgrounds promote biased ideas, sometimes diametrically opposed, regarding the same reality, whether it be a political event or a social conflict. As electoral deadlines approach, passions run high, and we definitively step away from the pursuit of truth and into unabashed proselytism.
This is the price of democratic debate, but the increasing sophistication of influence techniques requires more than ever discernment. In the era of personalized propaganda, critical distance and diversification of information sources are the best remedies against algorithmic manipulation. If Ramses II were our contemporary, he would no longer have his victories engraved in the stones of a temple on the banks of the Nile but would send his followers to conquer the online realm to persuade the entire world of his military triumphs, no matter how contrasting they may be…
Adapted from Krieger E. « DeQadesh aux réseaux sociaux : bienvenue dans l’ère de la propagande algorithmique ! », La Revue du Cube #14, « Récit(s) », 5 Juin 2018. Also published on: www.ikigai-colors.com/index.php/2023/07/10/de-qadesh-aux-reseaux-sociaux-bienvenue-dans-lere-de-la-propagande-algorithmique/
