How ignorant that would be. Everything we have or are is based on history. The South African Department of Education, recently brought this idea to the table. I have followed the responses of the public at large and have found many irresponsible people said yes, ditch it. Rather learn about Life Skills, which is a curriculum subject. It made me think and ponder this suggestion and found such a response severely foolish.
Why do I feel so strongly about the learning of history?
Because history encompasses everything, including Life Skills by the way. It's history that brought us to this point in our lives. Consider the following : stone age, iron age, ice age. Before these ages and after, implements were developed that improved during each era. That which we won't know if our ancient ancestors have not paved the way. History was made in heaven when there was a war between Christ and His followers and Satan and his followers. To know the history of religion is of utmost importance. The Bible and other religious books are history books that without we would have no religion or religious guidance.
Consider the following : The Vikings, Normans, Franks etc. Where did they settle? Why did they settle in certain areas? Once again, they paved a way for us today where settlements existed and towns, cities and farms were established. Archeology is history. Building styles changed as our ancestors sought better lives. Science, Mathematics, Language, Geography, Biology are all built on history. Imagine if these remarkable individuals did not have the motivation to give us light, refrigeration, telephone, flying, electricity, sailing, protection from those who want to fight, music, trains, areas found where gold, diamonds, coal etc could be mined and in the process be of great value to man.
Hygiene, finding that if hands were clean and hospitals were clean, fewer people died, antibiotics, other important medicines, study of the universe, satellites, banking, television sports, keeping epidemics at bay, finding cures by inoculation, clothing, the birth of nations, learning of mistakes by looking at the past and every aspect of existence.
What about us?
We may not ever be famous for inventing something or be known for remarkable discoveries. The thing is that all of us have a history. We need to write down our own history from birth and all we can remember so that our posterity can benefit from our mistakes and we can be remembered. As I was writing about our own history, the following came to mind : computers, cell phones, i—pads, geology, careers etc.
History cannot be erased and will never end. Think of Art and the influence of so many individuals who changed our future : Pythagoras, Jung, Freud, da Vinci, Columbus, Copernicus, Newton, but to mention a few. The Oxford Dictionary describes history as past events, a methodical record of these, something memorable.
History is and will always be the foundation on which the present is built. I have just heard that the Education Department has decided to make History as a subject, compulsory. A very wise choice to enrich the youngsters and help with the solving of problems. As for our older people, choose a topic that is of interest to you and read about it and enrich your knowledge and understanding.
Sources : Own content, Oxford Dictionary, Pixabay.