Читать книгу Start & Run a Personal History Business - Jennifer Campbell - Страница 7

With technology changing our world so rapidly, we are realizing the need to capture the “old ways” — before everyone forgets what they were like. We’re honoring the past like never before, and are hungry for firsthand accounts of people who were there and who themselves are living history. Before they pass away and their stories are lost forever, we are interviewing and recording Holocaust survivors, war veterans, refugees, workers whose jobs are disappearing, and others. Their stories are being preserved in hundreds of institutions, museums, and archives and produced in documentaries, movies, television programs, and books.

The stories behind heritage buildings and objects are gaining respect, too. If you watch Antiques Roadshow, you’ve probably noticed how the value skyrockets when the item has a story behind it. Buyers are willing to pay handsomely for “provenance,” which refers to an object’s origin, because it gives the item authenticity and a place in history. Auctioneers have known and capitalized on this for years.

It’s happening in the business world, too, as more and more corporations honor their history, appeal to nostalgia, and leverage their stories. Grainy black and white photos of the first hamburger stand or gas station abound in advertisements. Some personal historians specialize in corporate history books, which because of their scope and high quality can easily run upward of $40,000 and well beyond — a lucrative niche market.

Part of the reason we are getting better at documenting our history is because it’s easier to do so, thanks to the Internet; digital cameras and recorders; and computers and software programs. It’s ironic that advancements in technology are fostering this passion for preserving the past.