Shoulders of Idiots

The Shoulders of Idiots project revolves around whether political parties should have the right to erase their historical records, focusing on the UK Conservative Party's 2010 decision to delete a decade’s worth of speeches from their website. The debate highlights the tension between transparency and the right to evolve.

Remembered
Concept: Displays the deleted files openly, arguing that these records should remain public to ensure transparency and accountability. Implication: Prevents parties from manipulating their legacy and holds them responsible for inconsistencies between past and present positions.

Forgotten
Concept: Hides the documents, suggesting that parties should be allowed to move beyond outdated statements. Implication: Supports the idea that focusing on past errors may hinder growth and shift focus from present issues.

The debate questions whether society benefits from a permanent digital memory for accountability or if selective forgetting is necessary for progress and adaptation, emphasizing the tension between preserving history and allowing change.