The "Performative" Memorial

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My problem with memorials is that they are inherently biased. This in itself is not a problem, as without it a memorial could not exist; but without balance it can make memorials into focal points for propaganda and misinformation rather than commemoration and reflection. Let me explain—when Maya Lin’s chosen design for the Vietnam War memorial was released to the public, she received immediate backlash for its simplicity. It did not seem to reflect the scope of the war that had spanned decades and an unprecedented number of presidential terms. This may have been influenced by the public’s perception of the Vietnam War as a blunder in U.S. history, a black hole of money and manpower whose protests regarding it were perhaps more notable than the war events themselves. You might argue that these details are more suitable for a museum. But without them, a memorial just looks like a piece of history taken out of context. To prevent this, many memorials have informational signs or tour guides to teach visitors about the events they represent, but they can be easily overlooked or are inaccessible due to prices. My point is that memorials are first places to commemorate over than places to educate, when they should be fused together. When I visit a memorial I am sucked back into the past, but return to the present with no clear lessons on how to move forward—maybe that “war is bad,” and “soldiers should be honored,” but back in the real world wars rage every day and soldiers are sent on death missions without those in command even batting an eye. So the title was clickbait—I have nothing against memorials, but everything against the unfortunate fact that in our current world, remembering the past is more of a slogan than a lesson taken to heart, and too often separated from the present and the future as we repeat the same mistakes from history and create more memorials in a vicious cycle of stagnation.

Comments

  1. Katherine ParkSeptember 7, 2025 at 1:20 PM

    I really like your perspective of memorials and can relate to feeling a little unclear on what I should've learned after visiting one. I like how you clearly expressed your opinion in your writing in a way that shows your tone. I could feel the frustration and it kept me engaged while reading your post.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nami YangSeptember 7, 2025 at 6:42 PM

    I found your perspective on memorials really insightful and I totally agree on your point about remembering the past is more than a slogan. As we move forward in history the number of memorials will continue to proliferate, and it would be critical to make sure they teach lessons rather than just mark events.

    ReplyDelete

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