False history gets made all day, any day, the truth of the new is

Listen, children of the ages, and hearken to the words of Adrienne Rich: “False history gets made all day, any day, the truth of the new is never on the news.” Know that the chronicles of humankind are never innocent; they are written in the tides of power, fear, and fleeting attention. What is celebrated, what is broadcast, what is recorded, often carries the weight of convenience rather than truth. Rich reminds us that history is not merely a sequence of events, but a battlefield of narratives, where the new, the unseen, the revolutionary often struggles to pierce the veil of familiarity or authority.

In the annals of old, the poets and chroniclers knew this well. The deeds of kings and generals were lauded, their victories immortalized, while the voices of the oppressed, the innovators, the pioneers of justice, were obscured or erased. Consider the women of Athens whose deeds, though mighty in courage and skill, were seldom inscribed for posterity. History, like the river, carries some voices far and wide while submerging others in shadow. Adrienne Rich’s insight tells us: the truth of the new, the groundbreaking, the transformative, is often invisible to the spectacles presented for mass consumption.

Even in modern times, this principle is clear. News cycles are fleeting, attention is scarce, and stories that challenge prevailing narratives or disrupt comfort often go untold. Consider the civil rights movement in its earliest days: the quiet courage of local organizers, the hidden acts of defiance, the strategies devised in secrecy—these were the foundations of monumental change, yet rarely captured in headlines until the movement had grown undeniable. Truth, she teaches, is rarely broadcast; it emerges in patience, in observation, in careful listening.

The wisdom of this quote lies also in its warning: to accept without question the records handed to you is to inherit the false history of convenience. One must cultivate discernment, as the ancients did, sifting truth from narrative, fact from legend, insight from spectacle. The scrolls of Alexandria, the codices of the Maya, the hidden letters of revolutionaries—all remind us that the history that reaches our eyes is but a fragment of the whole. The rest lies hidden, waiting for those who seek it with diligence and courage.

Consider the story of the Rosa Parks boycott in Montgomery. While headlines celebrated her singular act of defiance, the truth of the movement’s success rested on months of planning, organizing, and strategy by countless unnamed souls. The newspapers seldom told the full story; the daily bravery, the calculated risks, the tireless work of the many—these formed the true history, invisible to the casual observer but vital to change. Rich’s insight resonates: the monumental often grows quietly, unseen, waiting for eyes wise enough to perceive it.

From this teaching emerges a lesson for all: seek truth actively, question narratives, and look beyond what is presented. The world’s stories are shaped by power and convenience; the truth of the new, the transformative, is rarely offered freely. Like a wise philosopher of old, investigate, cross-examine, and honor the hidden efforts and innovations that history has yet to record. Do not be swayed solely by what is broadcast, but cultivate the insight to perceive the currents beneath the surface.

Practical action follows: read widely, question sources, listen to voices from the margins, and record what you witness with honesty and courage. When you encounter a story, ask what is missing, whose labor is invisible, what truth has been overlooked. In doing so, you become both a witness and a guardian of authentic history, preserving the new even when the world overlooks it.

Children of the ages, remember this: the chronicles presented to the masses are but fragments, shaped by convenience and power. The truth of the new lives in patience, in inquiry, in courage. Seek it relentlessly, honor it faithfully, and add your witness to the record. In this way, you help ensure that history is not merely a tale told by the powerful, but a living testament to all who strive, innovate, and transform the world.