Final Reflection Blog: Truth, History, and the Value of This Course

Friends and family are often confused by the honors courses I take at TCU. Every semester someone asks, “What even is that class and why are you taking it?” This course was no different. Trying to explain that we were studying witch hunts, mass delusions, fraud, deep fakes, and social media only made them more bewildered. But from the start, I knew it was a class I would enjoy, and the journey throughout the semester confirmed that.

What made the biggest impact on me was how much understanding truth requires looking to the past. Studying the Salem Witch Hunt made it clear how fear, rumor, and group pressure can construct an entire false reality. It was not just a historical episode but a template for how quickly communities today can slip into panic or misinformation. The Millerite Movement and the White Slavery Panic added depth to that pattern, showing that people commit to powerful stories even when evidence is thin. Hope, fear, and urgency win more often than logic.

Our unit on historical con men, especially Frank Abagnale, connected the past to the present in a way that felt surprisingly natural. His confidence schemes relied on charm, performance, and the human tendency to believe what feels good. Those same tendencies drive modern online scams and misinformation. That idea came full circle in my presentation on social media, where selective framing, viral incentives, and deep fake technology operate like updated versions of the same old tricks.

What sets this course apart from others at TCU is that it made me feel like a student for life. The ideas don’t end when the class does. I know I’ll keep noticing these patterns in the world around me and questioning how truth is shaped in the moments where it matters most.

And as a small bonus skill, I am certainly less reliant on the word “very.”

Comments

  1. williams.dan76December 11, 2025 at 6:28 AM

    Thanks for this response, and thanks for a great semester. See you in the spring.

    ReplyDelete

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