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48"The study of history places too much emphasis on individuals. The most significant events and trends in history were made possible not by the famous few, but by groups of people whose identities have long been forgotten."
The wheel of history rolls on through the effort of human. Although did the groups of people whose names have long been forgotten join in the creation of history, it is more meaningful to place emphasis on individuals for their guidance, model effect and even sometimes the whole determination in history.
Admittedly, the groups of people play their unique roles in the establishment and development of history trend. Firstly, the people originate the sociological cause of historical background of an epoch to some extent. It is inevitable for a person who live in an age is unaffected by the public opinion. Studying the people’s opinions provides convincing proof of the historical background of that period. Secondly, the people used to act as the participants and implementers in significant event whose roles are indispensable. Just take American Revolution for an example. Without the joint of groups of people, the United States cannot be liberated. Without the sacrifice of the warriors whose names were unknown in the battle field, the United States probably still be British colonies. Thirdly, in the field of science, groups of people’s acceptance to some techniques are the base of their widely application. The computer today’s popularity is tied to the extensively use by people. Thus, investigating the unidentified mass, if possible, is of great significant in the study of history.
However, it is more attainable and useful to investigate the individuals. As a threshold matter, studying the famous few, who guide the people, help us get a more clear identity about the direction of the progress of history against studying the mass. Are the famous few’ thoughts, in many significant events, influence people’s behaviors and encouraged them to accomplish something important which effects the direction of history. So we can make sure of the social trend by studying the individuals’ view. For instance, the historians always consider Chairman Mao’s notions about the situation of China to research the history at that time. As a military leader, Mao’s military strategies almost determine the Chinese army’s action. He proposed the creative strategy of encircling the cities from the countryside. Corresponding, the army’s focus shit from the cities to the countryside. Hence, it is reasonable to say that emphasis on the famous few offer us a better understanding about the trend of history.
Furthermore, investigation about famous few provides people, comparing to the mass, an easier understandable, more complete and feasible image as a spiritual idol. A very important function of history is giving people edification and people can learn a lot from the spirit of famous individuals. The famous few tend to have high moral characters, even some their unique charisma to be worth learnt. People can learn the indomitable spirit from the America’s founders; know the power of innovation from Bill Gates; recognize the importance of diligence from Da Vinci. Someone might claim that the unidentified mass can also have the virtue the same as the famous few. Although I concede this point, the plain fact is that it is more available to gain the information about famous few than the mass. It is more convenient and cost-saving to set famous few as models to people. If we both set the unidentified mass and the famous few as models, students will fail to tell the difference with them two, leading to the result that the famous few turn into the mass. Hence, it is unfeasible, even impossible, to set the many as idols while the access to the information about them is limited and the better way to set people a model is using the famous few’ story.
The last but not the least, some significant events are totally the results of the exercising of their talent, even by accident. In the field of science, some break-through inventions are the performance of individuals’ genius. We have to admit that if Einstein did not appear, then the theory of relativity might not have been proposed. Without a luckily fault by Alexander Fleming, Penicillin would not have been found at that time. So, in these cases that have nothing to do with the ordinary mass, studying the famous few is our only choice.
To sum up, the history events and trends cannot be separated from the unidentified mass for their contribution to build the history. Obviously, emphasizing on the famous few have certain advantages than the ordinary mass in history trend determination and popular model setting respects. Even, in some situations, it is impossible or useless to study the ordinary mass. |
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