054 History teaches us only one thing: knowing

[tovik]

054: “History teaches us only one thing: knowing about the past cannot help people to make important decision today.”

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History is the documentation of our cultural and technical development and it reflects the image of a social.

In the above sentence the speaker refuted the universal saying that people learn from previous mistake. A society can learn many things from its’ past documentation. I would like to controvert the statement that knowing the past cannot help people to take important decision today.

 

First example I would like to cite to support my argument is about naturopathy (A method of treating disease using food and exercise and heat to assist the natural healing process). We have achieved great success in medical science. We have many modern diagnostic system and treatment. Allopathy has achieved a new dimension. But after knowing the side effect of many diseases, it gives rise to a new complexities and then some people started looking back and suggested naturopathy for certain diseases and for good health of the people. Recent surge of tourists in Kerala (a coastal indian state) is because of this naturopathy. The people of kerala have preserved its old techniques and now people are looking back to a old age techniques. Yoga is still relevant and giving solution to many psychological problems of modern life style.

 

History teaches us about success and failure of past. Success gives us a way to do the thing and failure warns about the mistake of past. Today war strategy has changed and we are using modern technology to fight the war. But still strategically planning and war gambits are influenced by old age technology. For example Engaging the enemy in some front and attacking from other fronts are still relevant strategy. Our age old “Chanakya Niti” (a old Indian political thinker helped the Great king Chandragupta to establish his kingdom) still influences the modern political decision and considered as base4 of modern political saga.

 

Also history is the documentation of our culture, which gives us a sense of pride. It influences the moral of new generation and compels them to excel in every spectra of their life to keep their tradition of excellence.

History is window to look in the past and know our culture and societal development.

 

In some, I concur to the point that, even though some technologies, literatures, customs of yesteryear may not be relevant today but still many things from history enlighten us today and give a way out to solve modern problems

 

[Gayatri]

054 “History teaches us only one thing: knowing about the past cannot help people to make important decision today.”

 

What is history? Probably quite a few people today would claim that history is a portrayal of facts as they happened in the years gone by. But, in reality, history is a story. A story from where we can learn so many valuable lessons. Every lesson that we learn in life affects us. These lessons, oblivious to one self, influence our process of decision making.

 

In mathematical terms, I would say, learning is equal to reading plus assimilating plus implementing. People today probably specialize in reading history and hence make the claim that 'knowing about the past cannot help people to make important decisions today.' But history is best learnt if it is read, assimilated and implemented. Mere reading without assimilation leads people into believing that learning history is of no consequence. Let us consider two analogies to highlight the importance of history in our lives.

 

During our childhood, our parents tell us so many stories. Stories about valiant heroes, stories about simple men who had high thinking and so many other stories. Are these stories of no consequence? Every story that we hear, imbibes in us the belief that the values that the protagonist upholds are the ones that we should always stand up to all our life. Narrating stories is one of the simplest ways by which our parents mould our character by very subtly enabling us to differentiate the right from the wrong. Stories are what history is all about. When learnt properly each story in history will teach us so many valuable lessons.

 

 

Why is the habit of reading books considered to be so beneficial? Because, from each story that we read, we subconsciously tend to pick up many small lessons. These fine points, which we pick up, are definitely going to be utilized at some point or the other in life. Our tryst with history is also of our similar nature. It teaches us so many things, unknown to ourselves, that affect our decision making process when we mature into adults.

 

Just like grandma's tales imbibe values in us and give our ethics and morals a fine-tuning; history elucidates the fine nuances of decision-making. The important decisions made in history are characterized by their capacity to uphold morals, to have the guts to make the decision and stand by it. It may so happen that in life, we may not have taken decisions with as much consequence as those taught in history, but definitely, the underlying principles behind the art of decision making remain the same. Even today decision- making requires guts. Even today we are supposed to stand by our morals when decisions are made.

 

History has been very wrongly represented as a bundle of facts. History in reality is a storehouse of valuable lessons. These lessons not only teach us the morals on which our decision- making should be based, but also helps us to inculcate in our self the strength required to take decisions by way of numerous examples.

 

 

 

[Tania]

it is not advisable to start an essay with a question mark..like

what is history?

 

[Tania]

054 “History teaches us only one thing: knowing about the past cannot help people to make important decision today.”

 

 

Simply put, history is the story of our collective past. The human race has been in existence for over a million years and much has happened that has shaped our present. What we are right now, is a direct consequence of the actions of our forefathers. By our actions, we are in the process of making history. Our mistakes and accomplishments can change the future for our descendants. Hence there is no doubt about the fact that our history is a huge textbook for infinite learning. Knowledge about the past, is indispensible in the making of today's important decisions.

 

It is wrong to assume that history teaches us only one thing. Whoever made this statement has ignored the fact that our current style of living and sophisticated technology owes a lot to our forerunners. Their inventions brought about the industrial revolution. For instance, we cannot imagine life without electricity which was discovered in the 17th century by Italian scientist Alessandro Volta. Without electricity, there would be no light bulbs no computers. Humans would still be relying on oil lamps to illuminate their homes. Thus, history has taught us how to use electricity for our welfare. Several centuries before the birth of Christ, the Greeks had a democratic government. It was the citizens who made important political decisions. Great thinkers like Plato and Socrates influenced young minds with their pioneering philosophy. Further on, during the French revolution, reformers like Voltaire and Rousseau laid down the foundation for the diffusion of ideals like liberty, fraternity and equality. Without these contributions, we would still be ruled by domineering kings who executed innocent people as they pleased. It is history which has taught us that even kings had to bow down to the will of the people. Thus, it would be erroneous to assume that history teaches us only one lesson.

 

The lessons of the past enable us to avoid making past mistakes. It is easy to underestimate the importance of such lessons. History show us how humanity suffered because of the arrogance of the people in power. For instance, Adolf Hitler founded the Nazi party in Germany in 1935. They advocated anti-semitism and racial purity and ethnic superiority. A decade later, Hitler's action resulted in a genocide which still scars our present. Similarly, in Cambodia, the rise of the Khmer Rouge went unchecked and their throne of power was built on their reign of terror. By looking at these incidents in history, our leaders are wiser and would never allow such incidents to happen again. But, history is not just a pointer to the mistakes of our forefathers. The story of King Arthur teachess lessons of courage, fairness and justice. Similiarly, it is evident that the freedom of the people can never be compromised. History is replete with instances of the successful struggle of oppressed people against freedom and slavery. Even in the present, several nations are still being denied freedom. History inspires them to continue their crusade against tyranny. Thus,the lessons of the past are instrumental in decision making. Whenever our rights are compromised, history encourages us to fight for them.

 

It is impossible to accurately estimate the importance of the past. Discounting the past can have dire consequences. Knowledge of our history shapes our present and future.