Never before in history have you read this
What it means when you hear someone "historizing the present."
The other day, I heard an NPR segment recapping the news that unfolded over the month of July. As the host, Steve Inskeep, noted, “it is hard to believe how much has happened since July 1.”
It is hard to believe. Over the course of 31 days in July, we saw an election-shifting presidential debate, the attempted assassination of a former president, a presidential candidate drop out of the race, a vice presidential pick, a global cyber outage, the start of the Olympics, a hurricane, wildfires, and much more.
It all makes you wonder: Are we living in unprecedented times? It’s a powerful thing to consider that at this very moment, we are experiencing something like no one ever has before.
This reminded me of a recent study about how we tend to put the current moment in the context of history, a practice that researchers referred to as historizing the present.
What it means to ‘historize’ the present.
Here’s how researchers defined it:
emphasizing the historical significance of present events and viewing the present from the perspective of history.
Essentially, historizing the present happens when someone says something like, “this is a historic first” or “today we are making history.”
And it’s pretty common. In the study, researchers analyzed 156 speeches to show the different ways people historize the present. They identified four categories:
The present will shape history: “Emphasizing how present events will impact history (in magnitude or consequences) or will change the course of history (long-term durable impact).” Examples: “today we are making history;” “let’s make history;” “this will change the course of history.”
The present is a unique moment in history: “Framing present events as novel, unique, or unusual.” Examples: “never before in history;” “a historic first;” “this is a truly historic day.”
The present will be remembered in history: “Emphasizing how the present (event, actors, and their actions) will be remembered in history.” Examples: “history will not forget;” “history has its eyes on you;” “be on the right side of history.”
The present echoes history: “Making allegories and drawing parallels to other historic events.” Examples: “history is repeating itself;” “history teaches us;” “is happening again.”
The study cited several examples of famous people historizing the present, including presidential nomination and social movement speeches.
But historizing happens in a number of contexts today. For instance, here’s a recent message posted by Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI:
Google “a historic first” and you’ll find many more examples.
Why it matters.
You probably hear this all the time. So, why does it matter? Well, what’s interesting about the researchers’ analysis is less about what’s said when someone historizes the present, and more about the potential psychological response it evokes.
The researchers said that when you hear someone historizing the present, you may feel compelled to take an action, like donate money, join a cause, buy a product, book a hotel, subscribe to a service, etc. That’s because the practice leverages a few well-known psychological mechanisms that drive people to engage.
According to the study, historizing the present can evoke a sense of urgency, pushing you to act quickly. It can make you feel morally obligated to take part. And it can create a feeling of scarcity and FOMO.
“Framing present events as historic, rare, and unique may compel individuals to participate in and contribute to these once in a lifetime special happenings,” researchers wrote.
Keep things in perspective.
When you hear a historizing message, it’s worth keeping things in perspective. Ask yourself, is this really a historic first? Will I actually be part of history? Has this truly never happened before? Interrogate the statement, not to be cynical, but to be conscious of the devices being used to get you to do things. Because maybe the present really does deserve to be historized. But it’s easy to forget the many extraordinary events that took place years, decades, and centuries ago.
It’s also a good idea to keep in mind your personal context. As the study points out, when a Pew Research Center survey asked Americans to list historic events, the results varied based on the identities and perspectives of the respondents.
Interestingly, African American respondents were more likely to rate Obama's election as the greatest historic event in their lifetime compared to White or Hispanic respondents. Similarly, the civil rights movement ranked third—after Obama's election and 9/11—on the list of the most significant events for African American respondents, but it was absent from the top 10 list for White respondents. Rankings of historic events may also vary across generations. For example, the U.S. Supreme Court decision to legalize gay marriage made millennials' top 10 list, but was only occasionally mentioned by Gen Xers and baby boomers.
That’s all the history for today.
Thanks for reading, and see you next Sunday.
Eric