kris
18th February 2010, 09:30 PM
I have decided to start this thread, which has history its title, in a forum that that has current events in its title. This is so because history, like karma, follows us in time. History in a sense is as much about the present as it is about the past. History is never a complete story. History is a cumbersome sentence (pun intended) that does not punctuate itself with a period, but with an unending sequence of commas.
The thread "nazis won world two" was about the problems that history leaves behind in its wake. Unlike that thread, in this thread, I wish to discuss, in more general terms, the problems that the world faces today due to mankind's past behavior, without confining the topic to the issues of indigenous peoples. Another recent thread is about those issues(A Contemplation on the Indigenous Peoples). I also hope this thread will not become a playground for anyone to wallow in self-righteousness.
I think any review of history must start by admitting that human history is not wholly pretty. I think there is more ugliness in history than most like to admit, the more so in portions of history that partisans usually refer to as "our" glorious past.
I think there are two ways in which we can deal with the problems created by history. One approach is to pass over the causes of the problems - why such history - and work to redress the mess we find ourselves in looking only forward. There is much to recommend this approach as it avoids any recriminations that usually lead to more disagreements and conflicts. On the other hand, not understanding why such history leaves open the possibility that we will keep repeating the mistakes of the past and create more problems for the future. The second approach then calls for analysing the causes that lead to the ugliness in history. This approach is bound to be uncomfortable for most if not all inheritors of histories. Personally, I think we should attempt to understand the roots of evil in history while we try to mend evil in the present.
For example, since Nazism was invoked in that other thread, "nazis won world two", as a cause for the plight of indigenous peoples, it would be helpful for us to understand what motivated Nazism. This is one topic has has been given short shrift by most students of history or in any case it has been approached with trepidation and fear that such an examination will force us to see some of the most cherished bits of our history in entirely new light. For now, I will leave you with this look at history (http://www.nobeliefs.com/Hitler1.htm).
The thread "nazis won world two" was about the problems that history leaves behind in its wake. Unlike that thread, in this thread, I wish to discuss, in more general terms, the problems that the world faces today due to mankind's past behavior, without confining the topic to the issues of indigenous peoples. Another recent thread is about those issues(A Contemplation on the Indigenous Peoples). I also hope this thread will not become a playground for anyone to wallow in self-righteousness.
I think any review of history must start by admitting that human history is not wholly pretty. I think there is more ugliness in history than most like to admit, the more so in portions of history that partisans usually refer to as "our" glorious past.
I think there are two ways in which we can deal with the problems created by history. One approach is to pass over the causes of the problems - why such history - and work to redress the mess we find ourselves in looking only forward. There is much to recommend this approach as it avoids any recriminations that usually lead to more disagreements and conflicts. On the other hand, not understanding why such history leaves open the possibility that we will keep repeating the mistakes of the past and create more problems for the future. The second approach then calls for analysing the causes that lead to the ugliness in history. This approach is bound to be uncomfortable for most if not all inheritors of histories. Personally, I think we should attempt to understand the roots of evil in history while we try to mend evil in the present.
For example, since Nazism was invoked in that other thread, "nazis won world two", as a cause for the plight of indigenous peoples, it would be helpful for us to understand what motivated Nazism. This is one topic has has been given short shrift by most students of history or in any case it has been approached with trepidation and fear that such an examination will force us to see some of the most cherished bits of our history in entirely new light. For now, I will leave you with this look at history (http://www.nobeliefs.com/Hitler1.htm).