Is history the future?

I’ve always believed that the reason History is a Curricula fixture across the world is largely because it’s important that children, the future of every nation be taught about significant events that may have occurred in the past or even during their lifetime for obvious reasons. To create awareness and secondly, to serve as a channel for these children to disseminate these historical facts and accounts to their own offspring. When things are documented, it helps those who may not have witnessed them learn about them and that’s how history, good or bad is preserved. Certain events touched specific countries while others like Slavery and Colonialism spread across the World and changed many people’s lives. I still remember some things I was taught in school and stories my parents and grandparents told me when I was younger. Who hasn’t watched Roots and at least one movie about World War I or II? So yes, not all historical events are good and while we commemorate and celebrate events like the Moon landing and all the ingenious discoveries and inventions that led to modern medicine and have allowed us to enjoy the amenities and comforts of our time like electricity and air travel that our forefathers didn’t get to enjoy, some other historical events negatively impacted the world. Most people would have hoped that the world would never witness such horrors as the Holocaust ever again and yet now more than ever, nobody is sure that such horrible chapters won’t be repeated. I was of the school of thought that if the generation that perpetrated such dreadful crimes passed on, their misdeeds and beliefs would too and the world would be a much better place. I was wrong. It’s sad to see young people seemingly eager to repeat history, even the notorious bits. I’m not sure if it’s a sense of entitlement or ignorance because some people just refuse to learn lessons that need to be learnt. More unnerving is that most of the time, bigots, supremacists and extremists are not oppressed. I don’t condone violence of any kind but I would understand if someone who’s genuinely downtrodden speaks out. It’s different when a group of people who by general standards are considered privileged say they are marginalized. Often, these are people who have good jobs and wealthy parents and I wish they would just take a moment to count their blessings because there are people in many parts of the world who struggle just to get through the day. None of us chose our heritage or race. You could easily have been born Black, White, Pink or whatever and I wish people paid attention to that. It’s ridiculous to hate people just because they’re a certain sex or colour. It’s also important to remember that someday, we’re all going to die so you can make people’s lives hell and say they don’t belong “on your land” which you weren’t born with by the way but know this. Eventually, you too will leave this world and other people will come along.

Lifestyle

Is history the future?