Is there even a purpose in knowing history?

Question

basic history i can understand (july 4, 1776, WWII) and general

facts but why do schools try to teach you such in depth things about history? i dont see how i'll ever use that knowledge except on a test and i dont see how it will help anything really.

Answer 1

Kurt Vonnegut once said.."History is merely a list of surprises. It can only prepare us to be surprised yet again." In an odd way, that's so very true. Learning history is less about the dry, boring facts than about the events that shaped the world you live in today, right this moment. Learning trains the mind to look deeper than the surface, beyond what you touch, smell, taste, to explore the beginnings, and the future, of things. You may never again need to know that in 1773 James Cook was the first person to cross the Antarctic Circle, but its important to know what he found there, and how he coped with it. Why? Because at some time when you least expect it, you may have to make a decision and his exploits might be the key to the right choice. Not that you'll necessarily bring him to mind, but the information will be there, the knowledge you acquired, and your brain will relate that to the situation at hand.

Answer 2

Ok, let's say you become a lawyer. One of the things you need to know is history as historic cases may be able to help you find a means for defending your client.

What about becoming a diplomat? History is going to play a huge part in your job as you need to understand the history of the people you're dealing with. You wouldn't want to insult some nation's ambassador by saying their country did something that maybe they they didn't do or were forced to do.

Want something a little more realistic for you? Ok, how about becoming a relator. Most of the houses and places where those houses are in history isn't going to mean much. But there are going to be places where historic building codes will mean certain things can't be done to the house or the land. Which means if you've got a client looking for a fixer-upper you're going to have to know what is not going to be allowed for them to do. And it also means that if they are looking for a house with a little historic appeal you've got to be able to give that to them too. You may well need to explain to them a little about the history of the area if they ask you about it.

Answer 3

So you can have a greater appreciation of what our predecessors had to deal with to secure this land you live so freely on.  You don't have to understand how it will help.  You just have to do the deal and pay attention and pass.

Answer 4

I think that knowing about those who came before you can give you immense appreciation for where you've come from, where out country has come from and why we are where we are today.

Answer 5

if we don't learn history we will repeat the same mistakes we have before

Answer 6

Your ability to see into the future depends upon how well you understand the past.

Answer 7

you got me...i like history now that i am older..but i can do It at my leisure..i dont understand biology...like when am i going to dissect another frog

Answer 8

'To understand and grasp the mistakes that were made in the past, so we don't make them again in the future'.

History allows us to see where we fit in to the continuous time line of the world.

It helps us to have an identity, it helps us to identify with others.

Its a big thing in the UK, try this site and listen to all the arguments for and against history remaining on the school curriculum.

www.history.ac.uk/whyhistorymatters

And if nothing else, it gives you useless information to use on Yahoo Answers!

Answer 9

Learning the 'in depth' things about history helps us learn the scientific and 'in depth' things of the future.

Such as - did you know the Egyptions had irrigation systems?  That information forgotten, re-invented, and then found again and studied.

Medicines have been used, forgotten, and then re-used, studied and found that they could have prevented centuries of disease in dozens of countries.  

Think about how much futher along our society and the world's society would be if we didn't forget the 'in-depth' things.

The more we know about the past - ALL of it - the better we can prepare ourselves for the future.

Answer 10

It's about learning about the culture, really.

Answer 11

I think there is a purpose, but I agree with Santayana (sp?) "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

Henry Ford, of course, disagreed by saying "History is bunk."

If I hadn't studied history, I couldn't have given you those two quotes, much less had a rousing discussion (both for and against studying history) in my classes when I worked as a supply teacher.

(So, maybe you can tell me, why do supply teachers always seem to get asked these questions in the classroom?)

Answer 12

Well if they didnt teach in depth history for example ancient history then no one would know anything about the past. and if you dont know anything about the past all of the technology and comforts that we enjoy today never would have exsisted. They all came from knowledge passed down through the ages so without that knowledge being taught over and over again we would all still live in the stone age

Answer 13

It's used more as indoctrination then a concern that the bad things, like war, aren't repeated, which is the excuse they give for teaching it. When I went back to college and took history, I noticed the blatant rewriting of historical facts that I lived through and that the text book contained. I realized that probably everything I learned from first grade was full of lies and distortions done to control me.

History is not only useless but damages those who are told it's liesl. Our education's victims aren't only victims of our govt's violence for lying to us, but the victimes can't make accurate judgements about what our govt is actually doing in the present.

Answer 14

By knowing more about history, whether it's your own country's or the world's history- it helps you to be a more informed and more tolerant person. You're right- chances are you'll never need to recite facts and dates later on in life, but they provide reference points for understanding bigger issues that affect all of us.

Look at it this way: the last time you won an argument or a debate with someone: I guarantee you it was because you were able to cite the 'history' behind your argument in a proper, logical way.