“False Yellow Gossip, False History” Critique

Until the present-day, a lot of people still debate between two or more sides
that mainly involves politics, since in history, politicians are one of the main
influences of a country’s welfare, and it can still be observed even at the present
time. In the article “False Yellow Gossip, False History” written by Rigoberto Tiglao,
it mainly talks about history and politics. It all started with a statement by Ella Cruz
saying that “History is like tsismis. It is filtered and dagdag na rin... Andoon na iyong
idea, pero may mga bias pa rin talaga.” Many citizens were alerted by her
response which made this viral. Therefore, a lot of people were giving their
comments and, as usual, it has two sides, the people who agree and those who
do not. One of them is a historian named Ambeth Ocampo who stated that
history must not be confused with gossip since history is based on facts and not
opinions. However, it can be well-observed that in the article, Rigoberto Tiglao
opposed Ocampo's statement.

With that being said, we must consider that history is not just some gossip
that came from every corner of the Philippines. Crucial is the word that can define
history, since it is not just simply passed down through one mouth to another but
it is like an artefact that is written in every detail possible by historians. Indeed,
some information in history can be facts or not. History can be a fact when you
are doing research, and history can be a gossip when you just impulsively conduct
information from somewhere or someone without doing any research. But, it also
includes the "What" questions, which call for thorough word definitions, unbiased
data collecting, meticulous statistical treatment, and careful summarization in
order to obtain a fair representation of the situation that paints a realistic image.

Research includes analysis in addition to description, searching for

connections, analogies, predictions, generalizations, and theories, it answers the
"Why" and "How" questions. Ella Cruz's claim cannot therefore include the word
"Parang" following the word History. Years of inquiry and study by experts were
required to establish the truth. The study discovered that gossip promotes social
interaction and aids in indirect world learning based on other people's
experiences. Everyone can become great and finest via gossip. The propagation
of unfavorable information in gossip, however, tends to drive individuals apart,
destroying the social fabric of the society. After unfavorable rumors about a victim
of gossip have circulated, it is challenging for individuals to deal with that person
in a way that is trustworthy or open-minded.

“False Yellow Gossip, False History” is a phrase that highlights the

importance of being cautious about the information we consume and share. In
today’s world, where news spreads like wildfire through social media or websites,
it is essential to verify the authenticity of the information before accepting it as
true.