caldrail Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 My previous boss couldn't either. She knew I was into roman stuff and questioned the point of it all. My answer was... A man once said that to know nothing of history is to remain forever a child. You know who said that? A guy called Cicero, a roman, who lived two thousand years ago. If you don't learn from the past you just make the same mistakes all over again. How can you know where you're going if you don't know where you've been? I don't think I turned her into a historian, but she didn't question it again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmo Posted February 7, 2008 Report Share Posted February 7, 2008 When I was in high school there was a period of great change (early 90's after the fall of communism) and the school books were new. That left the techers of all human studies in confusion because they could not recite anymore their well rehersed lessons. Of course we knew much better the matters most of us being heighly interested in the "new" information available. I still remember when my romanian literature teacher called a book of memoirs, several hundred pages thick, an essay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adelais Valerius Posted March 13, 2008 Report Share Posted March 13, 2008 My previous boss couldn't either. She knew I was into roman stuff and questioned the point of it all. My answer was... A man once said that to know nothing of history is to remain forever a child. You know who said that? A guy called Cicero, a roman, who lived two thousand years ago. If you don't learn from the past you just make the same mistakes all over again. How can you know where you're going if you don't know where you've been? I don't think I turned her into a historian, but she didn't question it again! Don't get me wrong I love history(Why would I be here if I didn't?), but the question I would ask is, when in history has anyone ever learned from the past? We as the human race generally make the same mistakes over, just in new ways Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klingan Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 My previous boss couldn't either. She knew I was into roman stuff and questioned the point of it all. My answer was... A man once said that to know nothing of history is to remain forever a child. You know who said that? A guy called Cicero, a roman, who lived two thousand years ago. If you don't learn from the past you just make the same mistakes all over again. How can you know where you're going if you don't know where you've been? I don't think I turned her into a historian, but she didn't question it again! Don't get me wrong I love history(Why would I be here if I didn't?), but the question I would ask is, when in history has anyone ever learned from the past? We as the human race generally make the same mistakes over, just in new ways You may not find any direct anwsers in the past most of the time but for every page of history you read, you will know the human race and mens reactions a little better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornelius_sulla Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Don't get me wrong I love history(Why would I be here if I didn't?), but the question I would ask is, when in history has anyone ever learned from the past? We as the human race generally make the same mistakes over, just in new ways The people re-making the mistakes probably didn't read enough history! Or, they were arrogant enough to think that the lessons history taught did not apply to them. I think we all must learn from our mistakes; if you don't, then you are doomed to repeat them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornelius_sulla Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Don't get me wrong I love history(Why would I be here if I didn't?), but the question I would ask is, when in history has anyone ever learned from the past? We as the human race generally make the same mistakes over, just in new ways The people re-making the mistakes probably didn't read enough history! Or, they were arrogant enough to think that the lessons history taught did not apply to them. I think we all must learn from our mistakes; if you don't, then you are doomed to repeat them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adelais Valerius Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Don't get me wrong I love history(Why would I be here if I didn't?), but the question I would ask is, when in history has anyone ever learned from the past? We as the human race generally make the same mistakes over, just in new ways The people re-making the mistakes probably didn't read enough history! Or, they were arrogant enough to think that the lessons history taught did not apply to them. I think we all must learn from our mistakes; if you don't, then you are doomed to repeat them. I totally agree, but liek you said, not enough people are reading and learning about history....and the sadness overcomes me,lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longshotgene Posted March 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 I would have to say we have learned a little from the past. Look at the Iraq War. So many individuals say we should not be over there. Remember the old adage, "My enemies enemy is my ally." It rings true with the war. The American public is so stupid to think that Saddam would have kept the weapons in Iraq. Those things were long gone in Iran. Hence why the U.S. has created a launching platform on either side of Iran. The Romans did the same tactics with countries they conquered. It is called a "Double Pronged" attack. I love history, but I cringe at the individual who calls themselves a "History Buff". What is that exactly? Someone who regurgitates facts at a party to make themselves look intelligent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornelius_sulla Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 I would venture that the American administration has learnt from history - they've learnt which bits of it work best for them. They are also arrogant and stupid all at once. There are lessons in their recent history that could be learnt, but instead are ignored. I'm into history, but I agree that there are many people out there who are just bores. They like the sound of their own voices and the sense of superiority knowing a bit about history affords them. I steer clear of those types at parties! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dianamt54 Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 I had a history professor in college that said history never repeats itself. I was one of those young freshmen that was very timid to argue, but now look out. Anyway, history does repeat itself. The names and times have changed, but the situations are the same. Look at Jerusalem. One of the last lines in the movie Kingdom of Heaven "What is Jerusalem to you?" And the Muslim general says, "Nothing and everything". How many years has that city been in turmoil? I love the quote from Cicero about what to do to avoid the Fall of Rome. I am posting it again, "The budget should be balanced. Public debt should be reduced. The arrogance of officialdom should be tempered, and assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed, lest Rome become bankrupt." Marcus Tullius Cicero I can apply this quote to today. To me, this applies to the USA, now. As far as the question on the board, what was it?? Some call him Emperor, some just call him dictator. I would hope that if a student is interested in learning more about Caesar and Rome, they can research for themselves and come up with their own answer. And of course they have to prove their answers. Sometime in schools, they don't have time to let the students research a question. The school districts here in the USA are only teaching for the assessment tests. I imagine a lot of students say, "Why do I need to know Julius Caesar?? (like me and algebra.) The student who feels the history in their bones will be the ones who can find the answer to this question and many more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adelais Valerius Posted March 21, 2008 Report Share Posted March 21, 2008 thats where I become confused. I don't know how, with all the knowledge we can gather from the books, how we make the same exact mistakes. we should have known going into this Iraq War that it wouldn't be a quick hit and Run take over, that it would be another vietnam esque war. With the amount of turmoil and bad blood in that region, we should have never went there. It didn't make me feel any better about 9/11 when we went into Iraq, so this whole fiasco is bullshit. I'm just tired of learning about history when I can just watch the TV and relive it all(with is false because I love history)...but you guys get my point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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