NYC, September 28, 2009
Dear Val,
first of all, I would like to let you know that I completely agree with you on
the fact that it is important for all of us to study history. It makes us realize more
about our place in the world, and how we got where we are. It can also prevent us
from making the same mistakes we made in the past, by recognizing patterns of
history that are unfolding right now as well. Actually, I believe that most natural
phenomena (and humans do play by nature’s rules, whether we like it or not) are
adhering to consistent patterns. Wars are a good example of this: people have been
fighting each other over resources since prehistoric times, and even though these
days they like to hide behind motives like religion or ethnicity, the reason behind
these wars is the scarcity of resources like food and living space. Even if we humans
find it hard to see the truth and stand up against our nature, it is good to know about
our behavior, and know what signs to look for in order to avoid catastrophe.
We can try to learn from history, but that is not the only good reason to study
it. I think that the narrative component of history is a very important one. People
need entertainment in their lives, and history is the richest source of stories.
Personally, I love to hear stories about days long gone, from stories about the
medieval times to stories about what school was like in the beginning of the 20th
century. It is entertaining to listen to, and it also oftentimes lets you realize how
good you have it these days with all the comforts modern times offer.
These were my 2 cents on the importance of history, of course there are
many more reasons to study it, but I will leave it here at this point.
Yours truly,
Stefanie Akkerman