Everything We Know Is Wrong

Sometimes things happen in your life that really makes you think. Makes you think that simply, “everything we know is wrong.”

One of these moments happened on my very first day of high school. That was way back in 1983! I was a sophomore. I’ll never forget it. It was fourth period, American History. I can’t remember any other specific details about that entire year, except for that very first day. Of course, it was American History, so we went through the entire history of America from the colonial days all the way up to the Reagan politics of the time. The entire year was an American History blur. Yet it was that very first day that stood out very vividly, enough for me to write about it. Our teacher was Mr. Robert Martin. He was a distinguished looking man, wearing a dark blue suit, probably in his fifties at the time. He had pure white hair, not long but not military short either. As I walked into the classroom to find my seat, I noticed something was written on the blackboard. It had “Mr. Martin”, and underneath, it said:

“THE WINNERS WRITE THE HISTORY BOOKS.”

I remember sitting there quietly, as if waiting in church for the mass to begin, mesmerized by that sentence. It was, in a way, a 9/11 moment. It was an awakening. It was like the moment you find out that the Titanic, indeed, is sinkable. Like that inevitable moment when the president will go on television and say: “The question whether we’re alone in the universe or not, has been answered.” Yes, “everything we know is wrong” is really what that blackboard said. It was definitely an eye opener. All happening before the teacher even said one word!

After he took attendance, he introduced himself as Robert Martin, our American History teacher. For the next hour or so, he proceeded to tell us his amazing life story. It was a huge revelation! His life story actually supported the sentence on the chalkboard that had awakened us just as we entered the classroom. I honestly can’t remember too many specific things he said about his life, except for the fact that he served in World War II and Vietnam, and that his father and grandfather both served in the military. At times he would get very emotional, on the verge of being in tears. The last portion of the speech dealt with how history is written from a very subjective view. That no matter where you go, and what you learn, the winners, indeed, write the history books. No one said a word, and needless to say, the entire class was mesmerized, and for tenth graders to be that interested in a fifty-something year-old’s life story, he was absolutely captivating. No one before, or since, have ever spoken the way Mr. Martin spoke. He was always talking from the “I was there” standpoint. He was emotional, honest, and so very believable. What a way to introduce American History!

And then there’s the Mayan experience.

I vacationed in Cancun, Mexico in October of 2006. That was my third time there. In spite of all the bad reputation that place gets, I’d still go back there every year if I could. Not only are the beaches unbelievable and the getaway very affordable, but I’d return mainly because of the Mayan ruins. They are so incredibly fascinating! All three times I’ve been there, I’ve done pretty much the same things. Relax, relax some more, and visit all the Mayan ruins, Chichen-Itza, Tulum, Shel-ha and Excaret, among a few others. I visited Chichen Itza that last time and for some reason it was a different trip compared to the other two. The tour guides were so much more open and insightful. One of them kept talking about the end of the world, the year 2012 to be exact. For some reason, I had never heard of this fact until that time. The guide was telling us to not come there in December of 2012, specifically December 21, 2012. He said the place is going to be a zoo. My first instinct was to ask: “Why? And why the exact date?” He proceeded to tell the group about the fact that the Mayan calendar ends on December 21, 2012. Yes, the calendar ends! Some revelation that was!Now, I’ve always looked at the Mayans as very smart, reliable people. Their calendar, supposedly is more accurate than our calendar. They invented the zero, for heaven’s sake! I can’t really get into it because we don’t have that much time, but do you realize the true significance of inventing the zero concept? They were also the first true scientists. They were the first people who “looked to the heavens” for answers. And their calendar ends on a specific day? Only six years from that moment? And just a couple of years from now? Again, is everything we know wrong? Did they disappear somewhere else? I guess time will definitely tell, or at least we hope it will. Or maybe it won’t matter?

“Everything we know is wrong.”

For some reason, the last few years have really made this statement ring true. Just look around. Read the news! The climate change is real. Capitalism is under trial. Our black president is named Barack Hussein Obama. And recently this week, I read that the richest guy in Russia is about to purchase an NBA team! In 1983, I would have never even imagined these things!

Everything we know is wrong.

Robert L. CalixtoSeptember 25, 2009

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