Why I think that history is very important.

Many people seem to regard an understanding of history as unimportant or irrelevant. In fact, many times, I have heard/read people claim that "history does not matter because all those people are dead anyway." This troubles me greatly.

Don't misunderstand me, I am not saying that everybody should find history interesting, I am simply saying that everyone should have a respect and understanding of it. Why? Well, let me explain.

An understanding of history provides an understanding of the present. For example, I was recently on 9gag, and there was a picture of a museum replica of Hiroshima before and after the bombing. Many people in the comments claimed that the bombing was a war crime and that the United States are hypocrites for bombing Japan and calling it justice, yet calling 9/11 a tragedy.

See, if these people had a proper understanding of the significance of the historical events in question, they would have the sense to realize WHY things happened the way they happened.

And there are many examples of such ignorance, and I think it is a shame.

What are your opinions, OT?

Well there are interesting stories in history that history class doesn't deem necessary to teach. For example President Lyndon Johnson named his penis jumbo and whipped it out from time to time to members of his cabinet.

Iv probably on heard a tiny tiny minority claim that history isnt important or doesnt matter. The most frquent complaint I hear is that it is boring.

Im fascinated by history, boring is one word I would simply never use to describe the knowledge you can gain from looking at amazing events in the past. Ask my girlfriend however, and she would rather watch Friends back to back while I read a book on Stalingrad. Its different for everyone, Id laugh in someone's face for saying its not important but if they simply dont enjoy it then they have that choice.

I couldnt care less about economics for example, im aware its important, im aware people should take an interest in stuff that directly effects them, but do I give a single shit about learning economics despite that?

NOPE.

Like that Samurai man who made a wooden sword while paddling over and whacked the man of the head. Very history.

unfortunately this thread has now become....................................

History

I've never heard someone say that history isn't important.

History is very important yes; its just hard to make money off of it.

Anyone who thinks history is irrelevant or unimportant simply doesn't have the courage to learn from the past's mistakes.

So I guess you account for everybody then

It's hard to make money off any science these days.

It greatly helps when your major isn't LGBT studies however

History is written by the victors, so its not worth much.

@DaBrainz: was about to say that

I mean just take history as a fantasy and it's quite entertaining

I saw that on 9GAG too. They aren't exactly the sharpest tools in the shed.

I typed out a three-post rant explaining the significance of the bombing. I wonder if anyone acknowledged it.

History is great, it's full of fun facts and general knowledge and it makes a lot of things in the present funny. For example that one time a few years ago a US governor proposed returning to the gold standard. I had my lols. Or when banks gave away subprime loans to pretty much everybody. Hilarious.

Edit: In all seriousness, I think people underestimate the use of basic history knowledge, and it's a damn shame. At the same time, however, I think schools teach it incorrectly. Learning the flaws and errors committed in the past and how to avoid/rectify them is useful, memorising Kings, Queens and Constitutions, quite honestly, is not.

Maybe two people, LOL

I have a friend who once told me that she thinks that even if the Axis had won World War Two, the world wouldn't be all that different than it is now.

I couldn't help it, I laughed.

@Kevlar101:

I agree

I am not doubting that history is important but to some people it is a complete waste of time.

But the biggest thing is when you get into the career oriented world, everyone that is in the public school education are not all going to be historians of philosophers. Most of them will own businesses, become skilled trades people or do other jobs to help the economy. Historians and Philosophers do nothing for our economy, atleast not a large number of them

To be honest, we don't seem to learn from past mistakes.