Learning from history
After 40 years of our independence, our politicians are still busy quibbling on issues like who the announced independence of the country. Our lawmakers usually spend hours citing history of their leaders in the parliament.
Though I've studied History at the University of Chittagong, my question has always been: why should we study history somebody's story of someone else's past? What is the use of the information that thousand years back, a person owned the land, on which I am now standing, whose right hand was shorter than the left and was squint eyed? Some of my friends asked me: “How would you know from whom you have descended, from where they came and their culture?” My counter is: “Why should I bother? I am what I am and will be what I have to be. Further, when a politician with corrupt record comes to power, you silence his/her critics saying 'past is past; we should look for what s/he does in future.' Then, why should the historians dig up the past and produce juicy controversies?” I have not got the answer till today.
When two cultures clash, the loser is obliterated; and the winner writes the history books books that glorify their own cause and disparage the conquered foe. When this is history, does it make sense? The history of humanity is extremely valuable for redesigning life. One aspect of history is learning from mistakes. We cannot do what is right unless we are willing to learn from the past.
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