Why study history…

“The longer you can look back, the further you can see forward,”

— Winston Churchill.

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“Why Study History”

             The question as to why and how we should study history is vital question that has far reaching consequences. With education racing to keep pace with the evolving workforce that is increasingly lending itself to the field of mathematics and science. The peculiar and specific questions of historical research can appear quaint and futile. Additionally, the dramatic swings in cultural norms and standards have exaggerated the distance between today and the period of just a few decades ago, let alone centuries past. These cultural swings have added the intensely pungent demands of social justice that contort history into the skewed spectrum of Marxism. Viewed through this perspective, any moment of the past must be held accountable for the erratic fluctuations in the current atmosphere. These factors add up to create an increasingly volatile environment to study history.

           Yet even under this assault, history remains a popular force in the crowded field of cultural importance. With the popularity of shows like Game of Thrones and Outlander, the past, or more accurately, the imagined past remains a fertile field for movie studios to mine for box office success. This bi-polar relationship with history shows society’s awkward relationship with the past and its sturdy grip upon societies collective imagination. As we close in on the 2020 election, each political party will claim the mantel of America’s true ideal, perfectly embodying the dreams of our ancestors. Simultaneously both parties will attempt to lay the carcass of Americas’ failures at the feet of the other party identifying their rival as the murderer. This battle over America’s past good and evil is additional evidence that while history is under fire, it holds a central location in our national debates. Baring all this into consideration, it becomes increasingly clear that historical research is indispensably essential to our current turbulent times. 

           This summer, in an interview regarding her recent trip to the southern border, New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez proclaimed the importance of studying history “I think we have a unique responsibility to study history.” As she continued to expound upon her knowledge of history, she compared the Nazi Concentration Camps to the Japanese Internment Camps in America during World War II. Hoping to bolster her position, Ocasio-Cortez repeated that “academics and historians” also held her opinion. Ignoring the momentary politics of this incident it forcefully indicates the importance of the question of ‘why study history?” Ocasio-Cortez factually flimsy comparison showcases the current failure of historical scholarship in America. Her moral equivalence of the Nazi atrocities to the ugliness of America’s internment of Japanese- American citizens leaves a lot out of her premise. Most notably left out are the bodies of eleven million people. But her comments also hold all the markings of Marxist theory that currently predominates academia. Additionally, in this short interview, she references historians twice as the trump card to underpin her argument. This comment reveals that while history has increasingly come under attack, historians still hold a significant position in society. The toxic combination of valued members of a society corrupting their vocation to make weak attempts to score temporary political points signifies an erosion of integrity in that field.

           In his hauntingly powerful book, A Free People’s Suicide Oz Guinness examines how previous generations from the Romans to America’s founding generation used history to elevate themselves above being “creatures of their moment.” “Knowing that the power of the past lies in its continuing presence, they engaged their times with success.” Guinness continues in his work to show that previous generations’ reflection on the past imparted on them the transient reality of life. This is in stark contrast to the current environment where a historical perspective is wasted on transient arguments that die before then next news cycle. This lack of perspective and direction cheapens the power of historical research. The supreme goal of historical research is the search for truth. As unattainable as this goal may be, the search proves to be enlightening and impactful on both the research and the researcher. If historians fail to enlighten the world with the light that they find, then they have failed as historians. The perspective gained from historical research places the historian atop centuries of human struggle. It provides a unique vantage point to navigate the travails of modern society. 

           But if politicization and reprobate philosophies pervert historical research, then the question to “why study history” has no solid answer. Therefore, if studying history leads one to have a better understanding of themselves and the others around them, then the answers to why study history are endless. Although we are all different, we are all connected, and the lives of others present a brilliant reflecting pond for our own contemplation.