General question

[oldham1]

Is there a definitive answer as to "Why is it important to study history?"

[JustSia]

So we don't repeat it. But we are never that smart.

S.

[oldham1]

Thanks

[jno]

not all history is bad! You can also learn what you should do. But sometimes paying too much attention to the past blinds us to the present and future... Generals are occasionally criticised for fighting new wars with the tactics of old ones, for instance.

[noxlumos]

Because if you don't, you don't understand who you are and why you are, and as that applies to everyone we'd all have a much better understanding of one another if history ( particularly recent social) was taught extensively and properly.

[waimarie]

Hi oldham1, You are what you are and we are all where we are today because of what happened in our past. If we do not understand or try to recognise how this has been achieved we become complacent of our freedom and liberties which can be readily frittered away. Sadly, it doesn't appear we have learnt very much from the past and our lives are becoming more and more controlled by faceless central government. This obsequious acceptance is best illustrated by the appallingly low turn out at elections thus playing into the hands of government and leaving us without any redress. The end of Empire comes down to 'bread and circuses' it seems.

[maxximus]

yes oldham1 it is important to understand history, but unfortunatly spoon fed history is always written by the winners and a lot of the time some of the pertanent facts are glossed over as they sometimes can be very unflattering. so it is in your own best interest to try and get the point of view from both sides depending on the given topic before forming your oppinion and always keeping your oppinion subject to change, sometimes this can be difficult, but if you are genuinly interested the information is out there. having a well rounded understanding of history goes a long way in developing understanding relationships with your fellow man/women by not having negative preconcieved notions of people, places and things. i suppose there is something to be said for the native indian oral tradition (no history books) from preventing the son from not fighting his grandfather's battles, as time had past and he was only told what his father wanted him to know about matters. grudges and ill will being left behind as life moved forward.

[Paul22118]

If you don't know where you've been,
you can't know where you're at.
If you don't know where you're at
You can't know where you are going.

Mandinkan proverb.

[Littlejohn]

History teaches us that we learn nothing from history.

[gradytwins]

you don't know where you're going till you know where youve been.