The Importance of History

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The other day I was reading a book by Abraham Eraly, "The Mughal Throne". It gives an interesting account of the Mughal arrival and expansion in the subcontinent. It's very well written in that it has the advantage of an enlightened interpreter in Mr. Eraly. After reading the book, I asked myself a question - does the study of history serve any purpose? 

By studying human development over ages, people have tried to figure out the workings of history. Some have undermined its value for posterity. For some, the study of history warrants attention if it proffers the knowledge of the future course of events. 

If you look at the past generations with the eyes of the present, you notice human progress sometimes slows to a crawl and generations stagnate in the pits of time. But, after tarrying for ages, man takes a giant leap. Certain props that suit his present are accepted and those that grow heavy discarded. Then, follow the periods of assimilation and inward testing. When a whole generation is to be raised on new knowledge, it needs time. Generations are spent in learning lessons, nugatory though. 

It almost feels that there is a mind that assimilates all of humanity's past. This mind has encapsulated the human spirit from time immemorial. It subtly feeds all the other minds with the yesterday of human race and fills a big gap in human knowledge placing man against the backdrop of the past. Imagine man looking at his past and finds it not. What will come upon him? His existence will seem an accident in the abyss of time. 

History speaks to those who listen with awakened sensibilities. It has everything that the spirit in man craves for. It holds secure our roots, our culture and lessons learned from human achievements and follies. In the age of technological successes and social failures, divided opinions and failing consensus, rising IQ and falling EQ, misplaced ambitions and eroding values, the study of history is highly relevant. It makes people realize that the value-system and societal norms imposed on them are not shifty measures but lessons tried and tested since hoary antiquity.

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