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I think that history is absolutely fascinating. It helps us understand the present, appreciate the progress we've made, and better understand human nature. It also helps us avoid repeating certain mistakes.
Yet, so many people are not into history at all.
Why do you suppose that's so?
Last edited by VGravitas; 09-05-2013 at 05:50 PM..
History and any other subject. Most American's aren't interested in anything but "Dancing with the Stars", seeing what the Kardashians are up to, updating their facebook account, there next latte at starbucks, and the latest smart phone app.
You need to listen to "Johnny is American" by Trent Reznor.
For starters, this particular history is quite ugly. It's bloody and gory. It's exploitery and full of lies.
Besides, Americans suffer from very poor general education, that does not gear them towards high matter of spiritual or historical nature. If it's not about easy life, or entertainment, or fun - why bother?
Watch Idiocracy.
In a nutshell, because we haven't had Panzers rolling across our frontiers. Aside from the Civil War or our fathers and grandfathers fighting in World War II or Vietnam, history is something that pretty much happens somewhere else.
I think that history is absolutely fascinating. It helps us understand the present, appreciate the progress we've made, and better understand human nature. It also helps us avoid repeating certain mistakes.
Yet, so many people are not into history at all.
Why do you suppose that's so?
1) compared to math and science and PE and computer skills, it's a waste of time
2) you can pretty much learn history on your own
3) history is biased - What's taught is the government version of history approved by politicians (school board) and taught in government schools (WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO KILLED KENNEDY.)
"If people don't want to come to the ballfield, how you gonna stop 'em?"
...Yogi Berra
Yogi's a smart guy, eh? Personally, I don't think we have a culture of 'worrying' about history. If you think about it, relative to other countries in the world, well we are a baby when it comes to having 'years' under our belt. We just do not have the history such as countries like Greece, Itlaly etc. The legacy of ancient history just oozes through in their cultures. Here well we try but honestly it doesn't seem to be inculcated in the young. 'Social Studies' seems as if it's just one more thing to simply get through the semester. hmmm...perhaps a loss. What's the famous quote by the Spanish philosopher Santayana?
'Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it'. History then exists and it is there not to be 'forgotten'.
Not interested in History? Not even interested in TODAY.
Not one person that I know seems to have any idea that our government is considering going to war in Syria.
They can tell you anything you want to know about any current TV show, though.
Most Americans have no control over what happens in Syria, so we don't care. We don't care, we don't vote for the same reason. It's pretty much a waste of time. At least TV provides entertainment and in some cases education.
For example instead of researching the canned and prepackaged election "issues", I'd rather go roller blading at the beach. I research to the extent that I am prepare for the outcomes of elections (how it might affect my investments for example). My one vote won't make much difference. You can have my vote. I don't care.
A government killing a couple thousand people with chemical weapons is worse than the same government killing a couple hundred thousand people with normal bullets and bombs... somehow. Now we can finally go in and have another fun, profitable (for the 1%, anyway) war!
So what else is on TV tonight?
Anyway, not ALL Americans are dumb and oblivious to history... they are just powerless in the face of such awesome stupidity.
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