Social Media and Model Making

The following, as in all my blogs, is personal opinion. Feel free to agree or disagree, comments below please.

A recent article in Airfix Scale World magazine makes, in my view, several inaccurate claims with regard to social media specifically You Tube (YT), and its use by model makers to create videos (You Tube Creators - YTCs), article titled 'The Cult of Modelling Celebrity'.

First of all, the article title tells you all you need to know about the author's opinion stating that there is such a thing as a Modelling Celebrity and that those who are belong to a Cult.

Secondly the article starts 'Back in my youth..' words akin to 'When I were a lad' or 'In the olden days'.. guaranteed to tell the reader the author think the past was better. Occasionally it was, but articles which use that phrase are, in my opinion, usually written by people who just don't like, want, or understand, the improvements that have occurred. Let's call them the 'We fear change' brigade.

Thirdly with no seeming sense of irony the author then goes on to name two well known model makers of the period who he hails as being extremely talented. Whether they were/are is immaterial, but he is treating them as Celebrities in an article he uses to castigate Celebrities. He states the models themselves were the stars not the modellers, yet names the modellers and not a single example of their models. In both these aspects the article is totally contradictory.

He claims that '.. Modern social media has flipped the script and instead starts with personality and brand first, the modelling an addendum to this.' Utter tripe. Does anyone search on You Tube for a specific person? No, unless that person is already a celebrity such as a musician, actor, comedian, etc. The search is not for an individual you don't already know it's for a subject that interests you, such as in this case scale model making. So the search is for a subject first, and then if you like the way that person presents the subject you may look at other videos they've done. You may even watch videos from people they like. Will you like those too? Maybe, maybe not. Do you like everyone who likes the same things you do? Some yes, some no. It's human nature and zero to do with a shared interest.

Social media he seems to treat as an evil sentient being. Social Media is none of those things; it is a bidirectional communication tool, as is a two-way radio, a telephone, etc. A hammer is a tool; can a hammer be evil? No of course not! The person wielding the hammer, or any tool, has that capacity, but the tool itself is just that.. a tool.

He refers to the videos crafted by YTCs insulting as 'bland'. The anachronism here is obvious. Model making is normally a solitary occupation. Its purpose is not to entertain, so of course any video centred on the subject is not intended to entertain either. YTCs do not spend literally hundreds of pounds sterling on the software and equipment necessary to make their videos to entertain, and to expect that is idiotic. There may as a by-product of the video be some entertainment value in it, but that is not its core purpose; that is to illustrate to those watching the video how they built a particular model, its good and bad points, and how they resolved the latter. They are not however instructional videos on how a model must be made, they simply illustrate one way to make it.

Are YTCs 'Influencers' (personally I hate the word, or maybe it's the fact that they seem to think their opinion matters more than other people) as the author insinuates. They are in that they produce inspiring content, a standard of modelling to aspire to. Do they demand I do things their way, think the same as they do? No absolutely not. They say 'This is how I do it, up to you if you do it the same or another way'.

The article though completely misses what to many is an equally important role of the videos and social media in general. The videos from one YTC are generally on one topic, so those who watch and comment on them all share that interest. The YTC has the opportunity to answer questions and respond to any criticism, to engage with the viewers and they can engage with the modeller, occasionally in real time, something completely impossible in the author's yearned for youth. Thanks wholly to this engagement communities grow of like minded individuals, from all around the world, all sharing their knowledge with each other. That growth of community to any degree is impossible without the YTC providing the catalyst and they are to be thanked for that, not treated like some sort of pariahs which is what this article seeks to achieve.

He singles out one YTer as his chosen paragon of what he thinks YT videos are for and seems to be claiming that person is somehow different from the others. I follow quite a few YTCs and frankly I don't know any who don't put the modelling first. Are they the automata the author seems to desire, model-making bots? No they are human beings and it's an insult to them not to treat them as such. They are human beings who also happen to be talented modellers.

The final nail in the coffin in which this article should be buried is with regard to his central claim that YTCs have or even want celebrity status. One fairly well known and recognisable YTC commented on the article that he regularly goes to Model Shows and not once has been asked for his autograph, and nor have many - if any - others. In fact he quoted one very well known YTC who attends Model Shows with a baseball cap on and hood pulled up to obscure his identity. The exact opposite of what a celebrity would do.

In summary, are YTCs celebrities, or even desirous of celebrity status? No, and the claim they are is ludicrous.

Sport As A Means Of Inclusion

Generally speaking, human beings become disabled in three main ways;

• From birth, with a consistent, unchanging disability.
• From birth, with a degenerative condition.
• Through trauma later in life.

In any demographic it is important not to generalise, however there will always be those who - whether born with their disability or who have it thrust on them through trauma, have varying degrees of self-confidence and strength of character. Participative sport, and especially that of a team based nature, has an important part to play in the recovery both mentally and physically of the individuals concerned.

It is self evident that those who have been victims of a recent trauma, and to a lesser extent those whose degenerative condition has advanced to a debilitating level, are likely to feel disenfranchised from the rest of society, as unlike those born with a disability it is not their normal condition. One who is born with a permanent condition has no recollection of, for example, being able to walk and thus is unable to miss it and treats the current status quo as normal, which for them personally it is.

Enter sport into the equation. It has become increasingly commonplace to involve a degree of sport in the rehabilitation of trauma victims to aid their physical recovery. However, whether the participant has become recently disabled or has been for many years, the introduction of sport into their lives can have a marked effect beyond that of the merely physical.

One study in particular highlights the importance of sport for the disabled in several areas,¹ namely;

(a) Performance accomplishments and functional efficiency
(b) Perceived self-efficacy
(c) Self-concept and self-esteem
(d) Personality disorders, mood states and locus of control
(e) Activity level and social acceptance.

All the above elements will be affected to a greater or lesser degree by the individual's participation in competitive sport, however it is likely that b, c and particularly e will benefit specifically from team sports.

It would be all too easy to look at the above list and compare them to how they would affect the outlook and ability of a trauma victim who is only recently disabled. However this discounts the previous distinction between those possessing a natural self-confidence and strength of character, and those who lack the same. Even those born with a permanent disability may be lacking in self-confidence and for a myriad of reasons may never have been able to integrate into mainstream society. It could indeed be said that for those individuals who have never known social acceptance for instance, that there is a greater benefit to be had than for those who merely - and it is not the intention to belittle the accomplishment in any way - wish to recapture their prior acceptance before their disablement.

Returning to the areas of importance though; firstly the person will, simply through their involvement in the sport gain increasingly in performance accomplishments, as through time they will become more and more proficient in the skills required in their chosen sport. Their increased activity will lend a natural increased functional efficiency to their daily lives; they may find for example an increase in their hand-eye coordination, dexterity or in their stamina.

This will lead naturally to a perceived self-efficacy as they become aware that they are neither constrained, nor defined, by their disability, and that in fact it has opened up possibilities to them which may otherwise never have been available. That is not to say the individual will embrace their disability - that is perhaps too strong a term - but their acceptance of their circumstances - whether recently altered or lifelong - is likely to be eased by the realisation that their life is not devoid of purpose due to their disability, rather it is an opportunity or challenge to be grasped and used to best advantage.

It is self evident that anyone, disabled or otherwise, who takes up a new interest - competitive sport or otherwise - will increase their activity level, whether it is Family History and they have to spend time visiting the library etc, or in more active pursuits such as cycling for pleasure. This increased activity in itself will lead to an overall increase in the individual's level of fitness and general health. Similarly, disabled or otherwise if one becomes involved in any activity outside the home there is a natural consequence that they will come into contact with others engaged in similar activities, and thus their social circle will increase.

This is particularly the case in participative sport where the individual concerned, even in single competitor events, will both train alongside, and compete against, others involved in the same sport. In team sports of course this is multiplied by the size of the team involved, and will introduce an element of cooperation into the picture. Common to every sport of course is the wider support team; the coaches, physiotherapists, doctors etc who provide additional input into the individual's development. For some it may be a considerable time since their condition has received more than an annual 15 minutes with a doctor to ensure there is no urgent problem requiring attention, and so the focused attention of the support team will bring its' own benefits outside the sport.

The greatest element particularly in team sport though will be the social element. As proficiency grows the individual will find a greater feeling of self-esteem with the realisation that there is a trust between them and the other team members, and a reliance on them to fulfil their tasks toward the common goal of winning at the event. Sportsmen and women who are not disabled socialise outside the sport, some team sports being rather well known for their off-pitch socialising, and disabled competitors are no different in this respect; they too will enjoy each others' company off the pitch as well as the comradeship on it.

An extension of this social element is the probability of crossing what may to some be perceived as a boundary between those who are disabled and those not. Particularly in a team which may mix those with congenital conditions and trauma victims, the latter will no doubt have friends and relatives who are not disabled who may be involved in any social gatherings; birthday parties; christenings; weddings. This will lead naturally to those who may not have mixed socially with those who are not disabled - since their disability has been an issue for them - and afford both sides to forge new links of understanding, once more imbuing the disabled person with a feeling of greater self-worth and belonging.

The feeling of belonging, and more importantly of acceptance by others for who they are, is a key element of why team sport in particular is a valuable tool or resource for those involved in the rehabilitation of trauma victims and for those involved perhaps in a less medical role such as those who may run day-care centres. They will be able to pinpoint those who attend their facilities who appear less inclined to engage with other visitors or members and be able to give guidance towards such activities that will aid the individual in achieving greater social awareness and involvement. Once involved in the sport, this role then transfers to the coach.

The basic role though of a coach at first glance is simple. Train their charge, whether that is an individual or a team, in the skills required to meet the goals of their particular sport. The picture becomes rather more complex on closer examination. Rainer Martens believes coaching to be more of a multi-disciplinary effort, including such diverse areas as education, physiology, business, and psychology. Of these physiology and psychology are the most important in the context of the disabled novice competitor.²

In military terminology the coach in a team sport becomes a 'force-multiplier', that is to say the effect of their actions becomes larger with the more competitors they have access to in the squad. Thus they are able to simultaneously positively enhance the abilities of all the team and develop all five of the areas identified in the study mentioned earlier.

To summarise then, irrespective of the genesis of the individual's current circumstances, there are those who will either find the transition back to their previous involvement in society difficult, or conversely have never had that involvement will find the prospect daunting. Team sports can in a very real sense act as a catalyst to the process of them (re)engaging in society and providing a true quality of life.

References:

¹ Hutzter, Y and Bar-Eli, M (2007), Psychological benefits of sports for disabled people: a review, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports [Online] 3(4) pp 217-228, http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119306906/abstract, Accessed 18.02.2012
² Martens, R, Successful Coaching-3rd Edition, (USA: Human Kinetics Publishers, 2004)

Thoughts on US Gun Law.

I first wrote a blog on this subject ten years ago here in the wake of the tragedy in Connecticut. Sadly in that time nothing has changed so there is no point repeating what I said in that. This blog is additional to the first one.

In general terms Americans all into three categories;

1. The type who bleat 'You'll have to prise my gun out of my cold dead hands'. It's pointless talking to them because they wilfully will not see sense.

2. Those who have campaigned for stricter gun laws in the US. Talking to them is called 'preaching to the converted' as they already agree with you.

3. The kind who cry and express upset every time there is a tragedy like this but ultimately do nothing to prevent it happening again. The blood of every victim is on their hands. The old truism states 'If you're not part of the solution you're part of the problem.'

Be part of the solution.

This blog is aimed at the last group, in the hope enough of them will join the second group to make a difference.

In the first blog I said three areas needed attention, but let’s just look at the first one, the US Constitution. The issue is the Second Amendment [SA]. Now pay attention to the second word. Amendment. That means the US Constitution as originally drawn up wasn't perfect (yeah I know, shock huh?) and it was amended at a later date. According to Wikipedia;

Approximately 11,770 proposals to amend the Constitution have been introduced in Congress since 1789 (as of January 3, 2019). Collectively, members of the House and Senate typically propose around 200 amendments during each two-year term of Congress.

So when SA adherents claim their right to bear arms is enshrined 'in the Constitution', well no it isn't. It's listed in the SA /to/ the Constitution.

Amendments can be repealed and there is a precedent for it (in 1933 the 18th Amendment was repealed).

Let’s look in detail at the wording of the SA.

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

First you must belong to a militia. the US legal definition of 'militia' is 'every male over the age of seventeen', so apologies ladies, but as the SA says you have to be in a militia to bear arms technically the SA does not cover ladies who own guns in their own name. Sorry about that. Secondly there is no definition of what constitutes ‘arms’. There is a belief this means a gun but does it not simply refer to any weapon, such as a knife, sword, bow and arrow etc? Where does it say you can carry a gun?

Is ‘the security of a free state’ contingent upon the individual bearing arms? Can an individual stop an insurgency or invasion for example? No.

The SA confers the right to bear arms. Nowhere does it say the bearer has the right to own arms. Thus you could be in a gun club, or in the National Guard etc. They own the weapon and you bear it when hired or removed with the owner’s consent, from their armoury.

We Fear Change

‘We fear change’
Garth – Wayne's World (1992)

Is it true though? Is it change we fear, or the challenge it represents? Some see change as a challenge to be avoided, while others view it as an opportunity to be embraced. Yes well before we disappear down that rabbit-hole, it’s not the purpose of this blog and may end up being one of its very own. As it is I will most likely lose an hour of my life writing this [ed: No I lost well over two hours], so thank you to the good friend who dared me. You may well find that to have been a tactical error on a par with ‘That valley looks quiet.. let’s trot over and see if we can find any Russians..’

So to business. I posted on Facebook that I was not going to comment on the George Floyd / racism issue as I have no trust that the originators of photos/videos/reports do so in good faith and that what they depict is a true reflection of the event(s). A good friend commented daring me to post. Be careful what you wish for, because here goes!

N.B. Another good friend, supervising my Masters dissertation, once commented that I was seeing connections everywhere and needed to narrow my focus. It’s happening again.. Nurse! Quickly.. my dried frog pills! Thus this blog far from being on racism is on the general issue of Prejudice.

Prejudice – which in this context is defined as ‘the fear of someone different’ - has existed for centuries, probably millennia.

As a disabled man I have in the last half century (shush I heard that!) encountered both sides, personally and via friends. I was very fortunate to grow up in the 1970s and 80s when attitudes were changing. Change needs a catalyst, sometimes a regular nudge in the right direction will give incremental change. Other times the catalyst may be a major event or a person. In the case of disability, and particularly disability sport, Chris Hallam, aka Shades, John Harris and Tanni Grey-Thompson among others were that catalyst. Some people are small pebbles thrown in a lake, and cause ripples; Chris Hallam in particular was something of a hand grenade; the force of his personality, and that of the others I have mentioned, ensured that the momentum they created continued and built faster and faster.

In the mid-1970s my Dad took me into Cardiff to a book signing by the English rugby player Bill Beaumont. We were at the front of the queue, little me in my wheelchair holding the precious book awaiting the arrival of the great man. As he sat down a thinks.. censor, OK Pick a polite word .. an individual pushed in front of me and put his book on the table for it to be signed. The great man – now knighted and not before time IMHO – looked at him, the book, then at me, and spoke;

I think you’ll find this young man was first..

With that he took my book and signed it! I have never forgotten that.. it was the first time anyone other than family and friends had treated me with respect, and as a person with a disability.

There have been other more negative incidents which occurred to me, and I regret that they are actually more recent than the above, but those are for another time. The incident below happened to a school friend.

The friend was celebrating being accepted to study for a degree at university and was leaving a fast-food restaurant with their mother. My friend is in a wheelchair, and a thinks, remembers censor … person approached them and said to the mother ‘I work with the mentally disabled, would she like a lollipop?’ Yeah.. that did not go so well for the enquirer, as my friend spoke on her own behalf, and took no prisoners. Suffice to say the enquirer’s shortcomings were explained to them in detail and the offer of a lollipop was not accepted. I’m pretty sure everyone reading this saw that coming.

However, the impetus created by Hallam, Harris, Grey-Thompson et al endured and built to the point where we have progressed from individual incidents such as happened to me and related above, to the London Paralympics of 2012 since when David Weir, aka the Weirwolf, Hannah Cockcroft and many other disabled athletes have become household names. Television programmes have been presented by disabled people such as Ade Adepitan.

This is an example of how change can happen when there is sufficient momentum behind it.

Other changes include the legalisation of homosexuality, women gaining the right to vote in general elections, both in the UK, and the abolishment of slavery worldwide. These too had catalysts but also the addition of legislation to formalise their acceptance, and indeed criminalise non-conformity to the change.

Broadly speaking change comes in two ways; rapid via Revolution, or gradual via Evolution. Where the desired change pertains to an entity such as a system of government or a law, change can be achieved rapidly. However where the change is desired in a thought or belief it is often more gradual. South Africa’s apartheid history is an illustration of both. Politically apartheid was overturned when the freed Nelson Mandela was elected President and the ANC was no longer a banned organisation. Racial segregation was no longer a legal precept. That was the revolutionary rapid change, the easy part. However many white South Africans would have spent their entire lives to that point with the belief ingrained in them by the law and by several generations before them that they were superior to black South Africans. That, is an idea, a belief, and can only be changed with education, willingness, time and consistent refreshing to maintain the momentum of change.

Child labour is another example, albeit a more complex one, and addressed in an earlier blog. In short, in the early 1920s my paternal grandfather began work at 12 years of age in the coal-mines of South Wales. Children even younger were employed by and as chimney sweeps. His sons left school at 14 years of age as by then formal education had raised the leaving age. His granddaughter worked as a teacher, and grandsons both have university degrees, indeed the elder of the two is a professor at a prestigious university. This change happened not overnight or in months, but over a century. Contrast that with other countries often castigated for their child labour. The simple, albeit not only, difference is time.

Apartheid then as detailed earlier, is/was a manifestation of racism, a legal framework built on a foundation of racism. Racism at its core is an idea, a belief, and as outlined they are harder and more time consuming to change. A willingness to change must exist and be accompanied by regular catalysts to maintain the momentum of that change. History has had its catalysts; Rosa Parks, Dr Martin Luther King Jnr, Malcolm X, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and doubtless many others. Occasionally the catalyst is a watershed event; Rosa Parks created such an event, the Red Tails in the Second World War illustrated that – contrary to belief of the white commanders – black pilots were capable of great things.

Too often though the issue is highlighted in a negative fashion which serves to retard rather than assist progress. Properly harnessed the George Floyd incident should have been a catalyst for further change. It should have been used by both sides, and community leaders, legislators and others to come together to devise a strategy that would prevent its repetition, through education and legislation. Instead it has been hijacked by rioters and looters as a smokescreen behind which they can ply their trade, allowing the leaders and legislators off the hook, letting them address that instead of the real issue.

MPs – Elected Representatives or Delegates?

The most common term I have heard to describe a Member of Parliament [MP] is ‘elected representative to Parliament’. However, is this accurate? I have also heard them described as delegates, so let’s examine both terms.

Elected Representative. The most common interpretation. Chosen by the electorate of the constituency to represent their views during debates in Parliamentary sessions. However this would entail every MP canvassing the electorate on every issue, and the electorate being fully informed on the issue to form a view. The most common example of an MP actually performing as a direct representative is the televised scene we have probably all seen where an MP asks something along the lines of ‘Can the Home Secretary assure me that she will investigate this issue on behalf of my constituent John Smith?’ However this is not by any means the whole picture.

Delegate. Chosen by the electorate to participate in debates on their behalf. In this context the electorate does not need to be fully informed on the subject. The MP is trusted to evaluate the available evidence and make a decision based both on it and on any relevant impact it may have on their constituency. For example a third runway at Heathrow; an MP from out of the area may vote on economic or environmental grounds, however an MP whose constituency would lie under the new flightpath ought to take this into consideration.

An MP then is both elected representative and delegate, depending on circumstances. However, both functions share one common aspect; whether the MP is acting as representative of an individual, or delegate of the entire constituency their decision is supposed to be for the benefit of their constituents.

More broadly their actions are supposed to be for the good of the country. Indeed as MPs they have a duty to act for the good of the country. Regrettably in the UK this faces two hurdles;

The Party Whip. This official’s function is in essence counter to that of the MPs. Whilst the MP is as above elected to act on behalf of their constituents, the Party Whips’ job is to make sure they act on behalf of the party leadership, in accordance with party policy. The two may coincide, but equally they may not, at which point, in my opinion, democracy ceases to function.

The second hurdle is the Party Leadership themselves. Whilst on some issues they may not enforce a Whipped vote, in others they may take a firmer tone, such as a ‘Three Line Whip’. This is where MPs are not merely expected to vote in accordance with party policy, but are ordered to do so and will face sanction if they disobey. In such cases MPs have a stark choice; bow to pressure from the Party Leadership, or do their duty and vote for the good of the country.

We can only hope that more do their duty than bow to pressure.

'The Four Worst Mistakes Of The Axis Powers During WWII': A Response

This blog is in response to the 'War History Online' article The Four Worst Mistakes Of The Axis Powers During WWII.

1. The Nazis did not ally themselves with Italy; although Italy had signed a prewar military alliance with Germany, the latter did not enter the war with a partner in mind. Italy only declared war 9 June 1940, 10 months after the commencement of hostilities; during the evacuation from Dunkirk, when it seemed likely the war would soon be over. A suspicious mind might suggest they only did so to share in the spoils.

2. They were not ideologically similar, albeit Mussolini did want an Italian empire, hence his invasion of British held territories in North Africa when he thought they were beaten. There is evidence that Italians openly defied German laws regarding Jews for instance, so there was no racial element to their goals.

0 for 2 in the first sentence.

The ill-fated Italian invasion of Greece was indeed a bad move for Germany. Its failure put the Ploesti oilfields in Romania within range of RAF bombers, the British having honoured their commitment to aid Greece if invaded. With Barbarossa so close Germany could not afford to have a major source of fuel disrupted – they would be operating thousands of miles from home at the end of very long supply lines. It was therefore not merely helping an ally – in fact that probably figured very little in the justification – but securing their fuel supplies for the impending invasion which was the German reason for counter-attacking in the Balkans. Hitler had previously advised Mussolini he required his forces in place by the beginning of May; they were only returned to launch Barbarossa on 22 June.

The advance of Barbarossa faltering due to bad weather just short of Moscow ultimately sealed the fate of the Russia invasion, albeit the nadir of German fortunes occurred at Stalingrad, and later Kursk. With this proving the turning point all the way back to Berlin in 1945 it must be wondered what that seven week delay ultimately cost Germany. It may be argued that it was not the German decision to launch Barbarossa that was in error, but to do so following a significant delay caused by Italy.

The rout of the Italian forces in North Africa similarly put Germany at risk – had the British advanced all the way through and also taken German territories in North Africa. Therefore Rommel and the - later famed - Afrika Korps were despatched to resolve the issue. However Rommel was again at the end of very long supply lines – across the Mediterranean before supplies even started to be moved to the troop locations. Yet another reason they could not afford to allow the Balkans to remain in British / Greek hands. Magnifying this was an abject failure by Italy to assist the ally who had come to their aid, not once but twice. Italian shipping had a capacity of just under two million tonnes in 1942, yet delivered less than 200,000 tonnes in the July / August period to Libyan ports with a capacity of 120,000 tonnes per month.

The above illustrates that an argument can be made for Italian misadventures being responsible, at least in part, for failure in North Africa and in Eastern Europe. In both cases Italian failure to support German forces, or cause them to be unavailable when required, had serious consequences for success in both theatres. Therefore, Italian misadventures caused problems – arguably lost the war if you take the Barbarossa argument to its logical conclusion – for Germany.

However there was even more. Just by entering the war Italy caused Germany problems before they even did anything.

The rules of war proscribed all combatants from overflying neutral territory. Had Italy remained neutral Germany’s southern border would have remained secure and the Allies could not even have flown over it. Subsequent to the invasion of Italy in 1943, Allied bombers were able to target southern Germany, and again the Romanian oil fields. Also Germany were of course obliged to garrison Italy not to defend the country itself, but their own southern border. That drew troops away from other theatres where they were required.

The role of Italy then was far more complex and deleterious to both sides than the article suggests, and although Nazi Germany did not declare war jointly with Italy perhaps the error lies with the earlier signed military alliance.

Finally, brief mention of the lack of an alliance between the Nazis, Spain and Turkey. Whilst this is technically true, it is also known that the Abwehr (German intelligence) operated relatively openly in Spain despite the officially neutral status of the country. Operation Mincemeat (the Allied deception of the Axis prior to invading Sardinia) was founded on the knowledge that secret documents found in Spain would end up in German hands.

Portraying History; Popular v Academic

I think there is more than enough room for both popular and academic history in literature and television, and the grey area in between the two.

To explain. In both literature and broadcast documentaries there are sub-genres, of academic history and popular history.

The former as indicated by its name is what is taught in academia - schools, universities etc. - and is written by academics – those who teach its content. It is the active side of history, in that it is populated by those who actively research the original source material, and who debate the relevance and import of their discoveries with others to discern what their findings tell them. Their interest is not merely the facts – although if they contradict previous studies they are of course important. Further than that interest is in the context, how and importantly why events occurred as they did.

Popular history is not as focused on research, in fact is not engaged in research or debate at all. In that sense it is the passive side of history. It takes the content of academic history and repackages it in a form that is more accessible to non-academics. For this reason the why is usually omitted often replaced with a human element such as identifying individuals to engage the reader in the narrative whilst still educating them on the historical topic.

Why is this important? Why indeed am I writing this blog? Simply put, even among consumers of popular history literature there seems to be a resistance to popular history documentaries. Those with greater knowledge bemoan the fact that parts of the whole may have been omitted or abbreviated.

A friend commented the other day that the average reading age in the UK is eight years old. How accurate that is I don’t know, and the specific is not relevant. The point is that more people are liable to watch a TV documentary on a subject than read a book on it. In the context of this blog it takes passive history one step further; not only are viewers consuming the content but – as many documentaries are based on books and presented by the author – they are having the book read to them in language they understand.

As with all television people will gravitate towards programmes presented by people they know. Popular culture personalities [PCPs] such as Dermot O’Leary and Chris Evans (both BBC radio DJs) who presented programmes for the 75^th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Jeremy Clarkson (Top Gear) presented a documentary on the Arctic convoy PQ17. The actor Ewan MacGregor and his brother Colin have presented documentaries on military aviation history. Similarly the actor Sir Tony Robinson has presented several history related series’ and documentaries. These are just a few examples.

Unlike author-presenters [APs] such as James Holland, Sir Max Hastings, Ben Macintyre and others, none of the above PCPs are experts on the subject, but that, I think, is their strength. They make the subject accessible to those with an initial passing interest – or possibly no interest who just watched because of the presenter. They provide an entry point into history as they take the viewer along their journey of discovery and education with them. That is not to suggest that APs do not do this too, but in the case of PCPs the viewer is likely to have been drawn in first by their involvement.

I recently saw a trailer for a forthcoming history series where the presenter asked a historian ‘How did Sir Walter Raleigh invent the potato?’ My initial reaction was ‘Err.. what?’ In the context of this blog though it is an important question. Not because of the answer – although I would love to know his response! It is important because she is asking what I can almost guarantee some people have wondered and would like to know. She is taking the viewer with baby steps into the world of history, and every journey starts with those first steps.

All the above provide a pathway to learning. From the simplicity of learning that ‘No Sir Walter Raleigh didn’t invent the potato, he brought it back from a journey of discovery to America’, to Ewan and Colin Macgregor taking the viewer enthusiastically through their exploration of military aviation, to – for example – James Holland presenting a documentary based on his book Dam Busters, and academics such as David Starkey on subjects such as the Tudor dynasty. Every stage increases the viewer’s knowledge of the subject, and it is likely - particularly when based on a book - that the viewer will read the book to delve deeper into the detail which was – inevitably – omitted from the documentary. It is only a small step then to academic history texts.

Opposing any of the steps in learning halts the process of learning, and itself is to be opposed.