Does the Great Man approach to history still have use?

[FrustratedFool]

Doesn't seem that way to me. Celebrity worship perhaps. But no heroes anymore. Everyone's a winner.

[Anomalocaris]

much of what any great men can do is rigidly circumscribed by what the pervailing economic, technological, sociological and ethnological conditions collectively wrought by the masses.

That doesn't seem to go against the idea that many changes hinge upon the actions of peculiar minds, constrained though they may be.

it doesn’t go against it in a qualitative manner.   but quantitative it is a matter of relative importance of changes highly dependent on a single peculiar mind, and changes dependent on common conditions faced by many and thus relatively independent of any specific individual.   Intuitively the latter would dominate over the former.

[FrustratedFool]

I guess our intuitions differ.

[FrustratedFool]

Regarding the use of this approach, I think its intuitive easiness and human interest factor would be of fair pedagogical use as a great way to learn about history at an introductory and/or casual level. I wouldn't recommend it as the only way to think about history, but it seems a fun way to start and to maintain interest.

Perhaps start with looking at great figures, then look at social and economic forces, then go back to great figures. It appeals to me more than just avoiding the individual narratives and talking about general trends and stuff.

[Ahriman]

Regarding the use of this approach, I think its intuitive easiness and human interest factor would be of fair pedagogical use as a great way to learn about history at an introductory and/or casual level.  I wouldn't recommend it as the only way to think about history, but it seems a fun way to start and to maintain interest.

Perhaps start with looking at great figures, then look at social and economic forces, then go back to great figures.  It appeals to me more than just avoiding the individual narratives and talking about general trends and stuff.

Well sure it appeals to you more, because it's fictional. Fiction is, generally, more appealing than reality.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The Holey Bible proves that.