HISTORY AS IDENTITY
SourceI took science classes only in high school cause it was in line with my intended course of study.
The high school I attended did not even offer history as a subject of study, whereas there was government and civic education, which sort of do the job, I guess.
History serves to us as a link between the past and present. It is a link between the people separated by time and space. Through history, the events of long ago can be learned and maybe learned from, in the present, such that it would probably be used as the guiding examples in the present.
Similarly, it is only through history that we learn the lifestyles of those who had been before us, the differences in our traditions and cultures, language, relligious life differences, and all about evolution.
It also is history that retains the actuality of our identity by providing a sense of continuity, belongingness, and heritage. By understanding the experiences, struggles, and achievements of our ancestors and predecessors, we can develop a deeper connection to the past culture and tradition. Moreover, it helps in shaping one's self-perception, values, and worldview, providing a solid foundation upon which to build a strong and confident identity that is deeply rooted to the
tapestry of one's history.
History is about people, culture, and how they evolve and also how the leaders perform. I'd like to say that i think that history is not what you think you study in secondary school about dates and times of events and wars. Those ones are more like trainings of the brain for memory because students don't have the maturity to learn about patterns of life or of basic needs that governments need. They don't even concentrate enough to care. Maybe in the university, their approaches are different.
The issue here is that our whole life is built on history: the history and traditions in your family, patterns of lifestyles, political and religious thoughts, and beliefs.
How could we even question the study of history in any year or time period? History is identity. We always say to trace our ways back to our roots(homes), how else is that possible if that aspect of our history is unknown?
History is memory. And memory is instructive to future action. In the life of an individual, if you accumulate memories, they become your guide in deciding what to do and what not to do. For example, if you trip on a piece of broken sidewalk, you will be conscious of the hazard next time you pass by and be careful not to do it again. Without that much knowledge of that hazard, you just might keep getting into the accident.
Unfortunately, much of the history we learn is simply the who, what, when, and where. Those are often not very important. The how and why are often much more important. This is often left out. We need to learn history in order that we do not make the same mistakes.
If we are true to ourselves, we would agree that many of us think that History is useless because job announcements/adverts don't usually say, "history degree preferred" unless for a position teaching history. That's a very short-sighted view by people who do not understand. Cause, first, we learn, or should learn, from the past. We see how our past affects our present, which then directs our future
Second, the subject requires research and writing to land jobs, which many of us might not quite be given to. Third,historyy is a course for those who like to put puzzles together.
History is not a course that should be scrapped out. It should be learned. Maybe in early classes, it should be made compulsory so students learn a bit of it but overtime, learning it should be a choice for students. Every aspect of life and even other courses taken up in schools have a past which students are expected to know if they tale that path. Isn't that history? Then, why not history itself?
I only think that in the course of telling history, there should be caution to not stir up deceit, neither Discord. That is by trying to eliminate the single story factor in order that we get an unbiased, factual view. But then, it's almost impossible, isn't it?
I hope this answers the question. Thanks for stopping by.
