All of the above factors contribute to the potential biases or unbalanced nature of biographies.
Firstly, biographers must make choices when selecting the events to write about, which inherently introduces a subjective element to their narrative. They choose what to include and what to omit, based on their own judgments and interpretations.
Secondly, biographers often write long after their subjects have died, which means they have limited access to firsthand accounts and are reliant on secondary sources. They may rely on documents, interviews with people who knew the subject, or other forms of research, which can introduce biases depending on the sources chosen.
Thirdly, biographers are historians who did not personally know their subjects. This lack of personal familiarity can cause a disconnect and a lack of intimate understanding, leading to potential biases or missing important nuances.
Lastly, biographers must rely on their own memories of events, which may not always be accurate or objective. Memories can fade or change over time, and personal biases can unknowingly influence how events are remembered and portrayed.
Overall, these factors contribute to the vulnerability of biographies to biases or unbalanced perspectives, regardless of who writes them.
9.
Why might all biographies be biased or unbalanced despite who writes them?
Biographers must make choices when selecting the events to write about.
Biographers are writing long after their subjects have died.
Biographers are historians who did not know their subjects.
Biographers must rely on their memories of events.
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