Christo Snyman

I came across Gresham College’s lectures on YouTube during the COVID-19 pandemic. My first love is history, because it is a subject that teaches us who we are and what mistakes we may make in the future, if we do not learn from the past. 

I was immediately hooked by a lecture on the Russian Revolution. The speaker did such an excellent job in bringing the stories of ordinary Russians to life. I was struck by how many in this period were so fearful they would even confess to crimes they hadn’t committed. The lecture was a fascinating study in political manipulation of the masses. 

Since then, I have been watching Gresham College lectures online for five years. I love the rigorous academic approach the speakers take to their lectures. Facts come first and foremost, with opinions following on from their findings. I take comfort in how the College offers a platform to promote the pursuit of knowledge and share it with everyone. This is especially important online, where nowadays so many narratives and counter-narratives have free passage, irrespective of their accuracy or honesty. Also, the recordings’ excellent audiovisual quality allows me to soak up the atmosphere of the live audience, although I’m not in the room with them. 

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