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♪ ♪ ♪ >> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY,
WE'RE BACK HERE WITH KEN BURNS.
YOU'VE SAID YOUR STUDY OF HISTORY AND YOU'RE TELL THE
STORY OF HISTORY, FOR ALL OF ITS DARKNESS, FOR ALL OF ITS PERILS,
MAKES YOU HOPEFUL ULTIMATELY.
IN THIS DARK MOMENT THAT WE'VE ALL GONE THROUGH AND ARE STILL
CONTINUING TO GO THROUGH UNTIL THIS PANDEMIC LIFTS WHAT, GIVES
YOU HOPE?
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S JUST THAT HISTORY DOES RHYME, AS
TWAIN SUGGESTED.
THAT YOU CAN SEE THESE ANTECEDENTS AND SEE THAT WE GOT
THROUGH ASPECTS OF THIS BEFORE.
YOU KNOW, DURING THE MELTDOWN IN '08, '09, FRIENDS CAME UP TO ME,
EVEN IN THE FINANCIAL INDUSTRY AND SAID, "THIS IS A
DEPRESSION."
AND I SAID, IN OUR DEPRESSION IN MANY AMERICAN CITIES THE ANIMALS
IN THE ZOO WERE SHOT AND THE MEAT DISTRIBUTED TO THE POOR.
WHEN THAT HAPPENS I'LL SAY WE'RE IN A DEPRESSION.
YOU KNOW, WE FOCUS, IN OUR MEDIA CULTURE, ON THE-- YOU KNOW, IF
IT BLEEDS IT LEADS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE OBSESSED WITH WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN BOULDER,
COLORADO, AND ATLANTA, GEORGIA.
AND WE FORGET IF YOU READ DEEPER OR YOU HEAR THE STORIES, YOU
HEAR THE PEOPLE WHO MANAGED TO GET OUT AND SOUGHT SHELTER IN
THIS STORE, AND THEN THAT PERSON LOCKED THE DOOR AND DROVE THEM
ALL HOME, COMPLETE STRANGERS.
AND YOU BEGIN TO REALIZE THAT OUR PERCEPTIONS ARE OFTEN JUST
GUIDED BY THE TOP LOUD EVENTS, AND THAT UNDERNEATH IS A
TAPESTRY, A WOVEN CONNECTION TO ONE ANOTHER.
IN OUR ROOSEVELT SERIES, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT, GEORGE WILL AT
ONE POINT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SCENE ON THE DEPRESSION SAYS,
"FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT WAS ARMED WITH THE CHRISTIAN SENSE THAT
THE UNIVERSE IS WELL ORDERED AND THE AMERICAN SENSE THAT HISTORY
IS A RISING ROAD."
IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE OUR ROAD IS RISING NOW, BUT IN ORDER FOR A
ROAD TO RISE, THERE HAS TO BE SOME DIPS.
AND THIS IS-- WE HAVE TO HAVE THE PERSPECTIVE TO BE ABLE TO
DEAL WITH SOME OF THIS STUFF NOW IN RAY WAY THAT DOESN'T TURN US
ALL INTO CHICKEN LITTLES.
HISTORY IS ONE OF THE GREAT TEACHERS THAT HELPS YOU
NEGOTIATE THE HUGELY COMPLICATED FORCES THAT ARE ROILING US AT
THIS MOMENT.
I MEAN, WE-- WE HAVE BEEN ROCKED TO OUR FOUNDATION.
I AM NOT A ROSY OPTIMIST IN THAT REGARD.
WE HAVE NEVER BEEN AS FRAGILE, I THINK, BECAUSE THOSE
INSTITUTIONS HAVE BEEN UNDER ASSAULT.
WE HAVE TO BE ON GUARD, AS YOU ARE EVERY EVENING, ABOUT THIS.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN ALSO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE.
THE FABRIC THAT-- THAT COMPELS MOST OF OUR DAYS IS FAMILIAR TO
US AND FILLED WITH GOOD PEOPLE DOING DECENT THINGS, EVEN IF YOU
DON'T AGREE WITH THE GUY DOWN THE STREET, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO
THROW HIM OUT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO.
>> Stephen: "HEMINGWAY" PREMIERES ON APRIL 5 ON PBS.
KEN BURNS, EVERYBODY!
THANK YOU, KEN.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
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