I was a bit taken aback by the comment. Indeed I have always believed in History as a subject and a discipline. History is so ingrained in me - so great a part of my identity - that I cannot foresee how one can ever perceive it to be contrary to what I see to be ‘meaningful’ and ‘relevant’. Questions aroused in me following his comment and it did take me quite a few weeks to settle down and get over his comment and properly pen (or type) this entry down and post it here on my blog.
So what is it in History for me?
I can think of two.
First, History arms one with many ‘Windows to the World’.
And second, History is simply… ‘Humanity Education’.
History has indeed been my “Windows to the World”. These many windows journeyed me to the world of the past and it transported me to the world outside my own country today. If I was once stripped off any cash and travelling was out of the question, History could enlighten and enrich me nevertheless. It certainly makes my world a colorful one.
To put it simply, History transforms me into a little child, curious and hungry for knowledge without any preconceived notion of what I am about to learn/ discover. These windows which I mentioned are like a playground for my exploration and discovery of fellow humans together with their beliefs and cultures. It is a pretty humbling experience if you ask me for it is an avenue for me to appreciate the way of life of others. It certainly could make one less ‘sino-centric’ or ‘ethno-centric’ - thinking that the world revolves only around oneself or worse, thinking that one’s world is indeed the Universe itself.
Through History, one reaches the understanding that human beings are similar and different at the same time and that the differences are something that is a cause worthy of appreciation and respect (i.e. there’s nothing wrong with being different…in fact that differences should be celebrated upon for it creates a world with a plethora of vibrant colours). Failing to appreciate the value of History could create people or worse, leaders who are seriously obnoxious - going around with their nose up high and claiming loudly without even blinking their eyes that their ethnic/racial genes are far superior to others. History makes one less judgmental, more inclusive, educated in a ‘refined’ way and most importantly prevents one from making a mockery of oneself.
In addition, I too believe that History makes one more of a ‘human’ who thinks and empathises. I refer to Aristotle’s wise words below:
“If you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development.”
Many conflicts continue to exist today due to the world leaders’ inability to understand the root cause of the conflict/s (i.e. history itself). People fight not because of what just happened a moment ago but due to growing memories of events and the pain and violation that have been inflicted upon them, their close ones and their ancestors and heritage over years, decades and sometimes centuries. History makes one think and search deeper in trying to find the reasons behind problems and the value of human lives. It is a real subject. It is explicitly real in portraying the capabilities and hubris of being human – blatantly acknowledging the good and the evil that reside in each and every human being, myself included. Actions – good or bad – that were done up by historical figures became a mirror for us, a reflection of our own potential, making us more conscious of our identity and our actions which could bring about consequences to our surrounding. Such emotive understanding of events and people around us makes History even more an advocate of humanity by championing humane actions and understanding.
So why History? I say the discipline, rigor and the tedious process of studying History, asking deep questions on one’s own principles and values in analyzing events and the process of penning it down into words and sentences nurtures Humanity. If one says that History is the past and is henceforth long dead, one then seems to imply that Humanity has long been dead and the world today has no place for Humanity. Has humanity long deemed as irrelevant and impractical in this seemingly ‘modern’, technological and scientific world? Isn’t the main purpose of education to make one a refined humane being? Or have we long abandoned all that for the paper-chase, power, money and the superficial accolades. At the end of the day, one is bound to perceive History differently in terms of its relevance today - but perhaps for those who view it as relevant, they probably have gotten themselves some really sophisticated and refined education to have reached such a deep and intense level of understanding. For those who have not seen the light yet, waddle on, keep on going and hopefully you will see some light.
