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demon
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Topic: What is the importance of History? Posted: 21-Aug-2004 at 15:02 |
What do you think?
I've heard a quote saying that: "A country without history does not have future".
It intregued me since
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Grrr..
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Cornellia
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Posted: 21-Aug-2004 at 15:12 |
I agree with Livy -
The study of history is the best medicine for a sick mind; for in history you have a record of the infinite variety of human experience plainly set out for all to see; and in that record you can find for yourself and your country both examples and warnings; fine things to take as models, base things rotten through and through, to avoid.
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Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas
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Jr_Capablanca
Janissary
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Posted: 21-Aug-2004 at 16:06 |
*Agrees with Livius*.
"A country without history does not have future". Good luck to eastern Timor!
/Capa
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Guests
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Posted: 21-Aug-2004 at 22:44 |
Basically the importance of history is not to make mistakes of the past.
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Roughneck
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Posted: 21-Aug-2004 at 23:01 |
History also serves as a unifying factor for a people. Every American can identify with Washington, and knows him. the history he gives us is passed on, even in those areas not under American control in Washington's time, or for American's whose families had not yet come to America. every Frenchman can identify with Napoleon, every Englishman with Victoria. It allows one to justify calling oneself a great nation, as the land where an idea was born, the land where a device was invented, or a key historical battle was fought. The British can take pride in having stopped Napoleon, the Russians in stopping Hitler, and the US in Japan. These things allow a certain national pride, and they are obviously all history.
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Cywr
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Posted: 21-Aug-2004 at 23:44 |
"A country without history does not have future". |
Intresting quote, but all countries had beginings, before which there
was no history, so how then do so many of those countries still survive?
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Arrrgh!!"
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Imperator Invictus
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Posted: 21-Aug-2004 at 23:50 |
I think the most important reasons are:
1. For entertainment. History has a lot of very interesting stories. Unfortunately, this leads to accuracy.
2. For politicians to spread propoganda. (sometimes, unfortunately)
3. To understand human culture.
4. As an academic subject, so people are more educated in general.
I think people are too reliant on history to judge the future, therefore making more mistakes.
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Guests
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Posted: 22-Aug-2004 at 00:09 |
Not really, what if Hitler had corrected Napolean's mistake of attacking Russia in or near winter?
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Cywr
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Posted: 22-Aug-2004 at 00:16 |
Hitler's mistake there was to split his army and to try and achieve two
objectives at once (take Stalingrad AND make an attempt to grab the
Caucasus oil fields).
Though there are many who would say that invading Russia was a mistake, period.
Edited by Cywr
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Arrrgh!!"
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Imperator Invictus
Caliph
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Posted: 22-Aug-2004 at 00:27 |
lol. I'm not sure if you're trying to prove me wrong or prove yourself
right. There are many examples of both cases being correct. The key is
still how one interprets history that's important - both points still
agree that history is important in judging the future.
Hitler's mistake was not attacking Russia early enough. He wasted a few
weeks putting down a coup. Getting the head start before winter
could've made a huge difference.
Edited by Imperator Invictus
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Kalevipoeg
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Posted: 22-Aug-2004 at 04:08 |
I also have thought about what is the meaning of history. When i am reading a history book of some sort, my big brother always laughs at me. It is like:"Why are you reading all of those different history books, don't they all have the same dates and story to tell?" People don't know that history is a science which has dozens of possible theories for just one event in history which needs to be studied. "It has already happened, why go over it again." say the ignorant ones. By their standards, we should all forget the efforts of our ancestors and the pride they give us.
Well, i am still searching the meaning for history.
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There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible than a man in the depths of an ether binge...
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YusakuJon3
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Posted: 22-Aug-2004 at 08:35 |
What was that saying that I've heard attributed to Muhatma Ghandi
(which may have its origins in someone else)? "Those who do not
learn from history are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past"?
To which I could paraphrase a more recent saying that's been making the
rounds: "The only thing we learn from history is... that we don't learn
from history."
On the other hand, we do have a lot of lessons in history. Such
as the caution against attempting the invasion of a country like
Russia. Or expecting instantaneous resolution to conflicts within
countries occupied by the invading forces (it's never happened in 5,000
years of trying). Or even expecting your own country to remain
unchanged in as much as 200 years of its own history (China comes to
mind; why not the US?).
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"There you go again!"
-- President Ronald W. Reagan (directed towards reporters at a White House press conference, mid-1980s)
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Tobodai
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Posted: 22-Aug-2004 at 12:42 |
Not only is it usefull for understanding why people are the way they are, its also good to know for dealing with other countries in a foreign policy realm.
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"the people are nothing but a great beast...
I have learned to hold popular opinion of no value."
-Alexander Hamilton
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TheDiplomat
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Posted: 23-Aug-2004 at 04:59 |
Hello guys/gals
i want to make a suggestion to you,
Pls investigate conflicts of history in order to create a better future,not to regenerate the hatred among publics like those narrow-minded politicians.
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ARDA:The best Turkish diplomat ever!
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Rebelsoul
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Posted: 23-Aug-2004 at 07:06 |
History is a nice way to spend time with as a hobby.
History is the glue that keeps together whole nations.
History is the most falsified thing ever.
History is written by the winners.
History can teach us to avoid doing mistakes already done (and failes miserably at it).
History is the most interesting class subject, along with literature.
History is fun.
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boody4
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Posted: 25-Aug-2004 at 11:03 |
History is also useful to correct ignorant mistakes such as "Austrians and Germans are exactly the same people".
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Genghis
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Posted: 25-Aug-2004 at 12:33 |
Basically, isn't history all we have? The only things about the world of which we come close to being at all certain of are the events of the past.
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ihsan
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Posted: 25-Aug-2004 at 13:12 |
All these posts are history.
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Kalevipoeg
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Posted: 25-Aug-2004 at 14:17 |
Yes, history is fun. And it is fun to think how long ago something happened. As i did. A year is extremely short when it is over, but just think when you are reading about the Napoleonic wars, it wasn't that long ago. It seems to me that they are just around the corner which world history went past. Weird, dude
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There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible than a man in the depths of an ether binge...
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General_Zhaoyun
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Posted: 26-Aug-2004 at 03:22 |
History is a mirror for us.. It reflect our past and allow us to gather valuable lessons from it.
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