History is like 'Chismis': Is it?

Most, if not all, are well aware of an issue that recently occurred months ago—the statement of a young actress likening history to gossip. Ella Cruz, a young Filipina actress, dauntlessly asserted that history is like “tsismis,” which greatly heightened the criticisms she received through social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and many others. While it is enticing to correct the young actress’ opinion for being ignorant and seemingly downplaying the experts and those present during a particular historical event. However, it is difficult not to find the issue interesting mainly because it seeks relevance to present-day issues, particularly historical revisionism.

Nowadays, social interaction, whether through physical or digital forms, is a significant contributor to opinions. It is undeniable that what the actress stated may be true because history is not accurate; rather, it intersects with the truth, bias, and hopes of a particular event. There are uncertainties of history similar to gossip and may have been fabricated, as they say.

Even so, there is one particular thing that the actress missed: the vast gap between the terms’ history and gossip. Unlike gossip, history is evidence-based. History cannot be termed as one without having to undergo the methodology process. In contrast, gossip is based on hearsays and rumors that have not been proven. Therefore, history cannot equate to gossip because the definitions of these terms are far different from another.

The controversy remains a critical eye opener for those unaware of fact-checking and is highly susceptible to historical revisionism. It represents the ignorance of crucial happenings that shaped who we are today. Most importantly, Ella Cruz’s statement did us a favor in solidifying social awareness and instigating the importance of preserving our history. She urges us to trace back our historical narratives to determine the truth. Through the controversy, we can stir away from anyone that wishes to distort the reason for our existence.

References:

https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/07/09/opinion/columns/history-and-gossip/1850309

https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/07/05/opinion/columns/chismis-and-history/1849750

https://interaksyon.philstar.com/trends-spotlights/2022/07/04/221191/not-chismis-how-historians-define-history-after-ella-cruz-likened-it-to-gossip/

https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/2022/07/05/2193199/history-vs-gossip-historians-react-ella-cruz-controversy