It often happens that we get so involved in our present, that we forget how much we can learn about the people of our past and their events. We can never understand how London or New York became what they are today if we do not go centuries back. Our lifestyle, culture, traditions, and everything we do have been passed down through generations and then molded according to the current times. We do not know about someone in the past whose heroic efforts might have saved our city or country from eternal devastation. And we can never understand how one nation became dominant over the other and the reasons behind it. There is so much we cannot learn if we only focus on the present and ignore history.
The knowledge of history has been passed on through generations by scholars and writers. Whatever we write and observe today will become a part of history in the future, and that is how we know about most of the past. Historians collect all the present old material and compile it all to give us a peek into the lives of historical people. Today it has become a discipline in which many people take a keen interest and study. Many universities like Norwich University, for example, had to cater to the increasing interest of people in past events. We will highlight the benefits of studying history in this article and how it can help you professionally.
Historical perspective
Philosopher George Santayana says, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Learning from historical mistakes will ensure that we do not repeat them in the present or the future. In today’s developed world, a small mistake can trigger a chain of events leading to disastrous consequences. Who would have considered that the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand would lead us to one of the biggest catastrophes we have faced, World War 1? Many military generals would have learned from the historical mistake of Napoleon Bonaparte to invade Russia in winters that led to his fall. These are just a few examples that give an insight into how important it is to have a historical perspective on everything. Having a historical perspective allows us to use the past to study the present, research claims. We have seen many rights movements emerging from many countries in the recent past, but we can never understand them if we don’t read about their historical backgrounds.
Analytical skill development
Everyone needs research and analytical skills if they wish to pursue an advanced degree. The best thing with history is, you will learn these skills on your own when you start studying it. Scholars quickly develop a deep insight into the long-term impacts of individual decisions. How would that help? Developing this perspective would allow scholars to predict future events based on their knowledge of historical events that mirror the current scenarios. To reach conclusions, the history scholars gather and analyze data, and that skill is crucial for the personality and career development of a person.
History is interesting
Some of us like gossiping, don’t we, and we can say that history is gossip about people who used to live in the past. We learn about their cultures, clothing, way of life, thinking, and almost every other aspect of their lives. What could be more sensational than getting to know about someone’s life? History gives a deep insight into significant civilizations. You might have seen the vast pyramids and wondered; how those massive blocks of stone made it to those heights without machinery. Studying history allows you to dig a bit deeper into millions of such questions. It is so compelling that people from other occupations usually have a hobby of studying history.
Learning about heroes
Learning about the great people from the past is equally important because that tells us how intellect and leadership skills changed millions of lives. We get to know the qualities of people who made them extraordinary so that we could emulate some of them. Many of these influential people have said some great thought-provoking words of wisdom, following which anyone can achieve some semblance of greatness. So, learning about history will allow us to look at the lives of people who changed the world.
Career option
Learning about the thing that interests us is fun, but we also want to make a career out of something we love. Learning history comes with many more career options than just being a history teacher. Many people who study history join civil services, become professional librarians, journalists, heritage managers, and so much more. Many famous people have a major in history, such as former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Some people have studied history on their own and continue to inspire many people with their knowledge. The famous author John Green comes to mind who delivers lectures about history despite having no educational background and develop the interest of millions of people in the subject.
Key Takeaways
Those who only live in the present will never have a broad horizon about the events that happen in the world. The answer to many questions about how things came this far lies in what the previous generations did. We can never understand movements like feminism and black emancipation if we do not know where it all started. Developing such understanding is crucial for opening your mind to different perspectives and ensures that we do not repeat historical mistakes. Countries that do not learn from their history can never make it to the comity of great nations.
