Is History Relevant to the World

[LordTenaim]

"A general who has taken part in a campaign is by no means best fitted to write its history. that, if it is to be complete and unbiased, should be the work of someone less personally involved." Field-marshal Sir William Slim G.C.B, G.C.M.G, G.C.V.O, G.B.E, D.S.O, M.C.

 

these are the first lines of the introduction by the Field-marshal in his book about the Burma campaign in which he was one of the major allied commanders, he goes on to say that they can help to give a view of the campaign they were involved in for the historians. this is one way which some one who deals with history can mean by distance, of course we always long for many view points if we are trying to be as unbiased as possible but this can not always be done as documents can be destroyed (accidently or on purpose), altered (especially when being copied) misunderstood (biggest problem when being translated from another language as can be translated word by word or by translator trying to get the meaning!!!) or just edited (favourite of Governments esp. dictatorial ones).

 

Of course diaries are useful but who publishes those.

 

but all of this helps us because they show up mistakes (even if exagerated) thus giving us some idea of what could be done.

 

so even the bias helps because with certain things we can get more view points and see how certain groups react to certain things, like how one ethnic group will react to anothers doings.

[LordTenaim]

"History will repeat itself, Because everyone forgot to Listen."(!)

 

I think America is more comparible to Persia than Greece.

They were a Large super power, they had the Best economy, they varied in Culture, Women had Major roles and Equal Rights (unlike greece)...etc.

But I must Agree with Rome. they are comparible to Persians to they are comparible to Americans.

 

not really most official posts of the Persian Empire were given to men, as were most of the Magi and other groups but with the number of cultures under it at it's greatest extent if we believe what herodotus tells us (Egyptians, Persians (all seven tribes), Medes, Cissians, Hyrcanians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Bactrians, Scythians, Lydians, Mysians, Thracians, Cabeleans, Cilicians, Moschi, Tibareni, Macrones, Mossynoeci and several more) it was probably more diverse in its cultures then America is and has been. though probably much more restrictive to these cultures to some extent. only the royal consort and the harem had some political weight mainly because they could sneak their opinion on things when in the royal bed chamber.

[Ihoe]

"History will repeat itself, Because everyone forgot to Listen."(!)

 

I think America is more comparible to Persia than Greece.

They were a Large super power, they had the Best economy, they varied in Culture, Women had Major roles and Equal Rights (unlike greece)...etc.

But I must Agree with Rome. they are comparible to Persians to they are comparible to Americans.

 

not really most official posts of the Persian Empire were given to men, as were most of the Magi and other groups but with the number of cultures under it at it's greatest extent if we believe what herodotus tells us (Egyptians, Persians (all seven tribes), Medes, Cissians, Hyrcanians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Bactrians, Scythians, Lydians, Mysians, Thracians, Cabeleans, Cilicians, Moschi, Tibareni, Macrones, Mossynoeci and several more) it was probably more diverse in its cultures then America is and has been. though probably much more restrictive to these cultures to some extent. only the royal consort and the harem had some political weight mainly because they could sneak their opinion on things when in the royal bed chamber.

You're Right on that, But let's Not Forget that The only Democratic Nation of that Time being was Persia. Due to the First Charter Of Human Rights back in 550 BC by Cyrus the Great:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus_cylinder

Official Political Stances Were given to men Majorly, But in Terms of Art, Poetry and Craft, Women Were More Active. 75% Of Architects that Made the Blueprint of "Persepolis" Were Women.

We Also Have A Time Which one of the Major Politic Figures Was the King's Mother, But that only led to Breaking the 30 (or 40+) Year old Alliance With Greece, By the Time of Artaxerxes II. I Think that's why they never gave women any more Political Figures.

By the Way, The Word Harem is Arabic and These Structures Were Constructed By the Name of "Golestan", Mainly Different only in the name and Structure of Architecture.

But Still, a Harem is a Harem, but they Were Constructed By the Time of Artaxerxes I. Mainly After 108 Years Of Persian Rule.

[Lisnpuppy]

No offense but I dont think the last number of post have anything to do with the original topic of this thread.

[jaosals42]

Knowing our history to learn from the past is one thing and it is very important to know.

 

However, even more important than that is taking it into account when dealing with current issues. Many politicians nowadays, (as has always been the case) don't take that into account.

 

Simple as that.

[milogrim]

Someone once told me there is no such thing as an original idea. I think what they meant is almost every idea and every action we take is the effect of a previous idea or action. Like we are gliding along on steelrails unable to control our destination and free will is just an illusion of us processing this information slower than it unfolds. I think understanding history gives us a glimpse of what is around the bend because I dont believe the future is uncertain, only the past and present variables are not all taken into account. The better we understand history the better we understand the present and future.

[dragonpen61]

If nothing else past history gives us a mirror to our own era, our own era of happening history, and gives us ideas.

 

History also reflects for us the history of thinking, of developing ideas not just about history but about society and many other matters.

 

Sometimes we turn to recorded history simply to pick up on the wisdom, cleverness etc. of various figures in history, often being those who wrote the histories.

[wasder]

Oh definately. If the USSR paid more attention to America in Vietnam then they would have realised that invading Afghanistan was a bad idea. The two wars are mirror images of each other.

[LordTenaim]

"to recommend everyone to choose for study and welcome such treatises as the present, since men have no more ready corrective of conduct than knowledge o the past." The Histories of Polybius Bk 1 v. 1 Loeb Classical Library translated by W. R. Paton, so even the ancients thought history a major thing to know to help understand the present. the quote used is part of the very begining of the work of Polybius' work.

[Echo Icehand]

It is through studying past civilizations that we find out how they survived so long and what eventually killed they off.

 

The main reasons for any civilizations survival has been to give the utmost importance to farming, medicine and engineering. All the civilizations known that have ignored these three have not survived any longer than TWO generations (80) give-or-take.

 

The main reason behind the global economical collapse is the fact that trade in processed goods and virtual credits were its backbone since the end of the Second World War.