[i习作temp] Issue 48 [复制链接]

Jamin_Cheung
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发表于 2010-2-3 10:45:42 |显示全部楼层

ISSUE48 - "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 speaker claims that the most important events and trend in history were created by groups of people whose identities have long been overlooked instead of the famous famous few and from this standpoint, he argues that too much focus are put on individuals in the study of history. I agree with the speaker's view and we should not put so much emphasis on idividuals while so-called nobodies are ignored. However, I think that the famous persons and the unknown ones are of equal importance to the history of human beings. So both of them should be taken into studies.

Once we look back to the history, close scrutiny will reveal that many nobodies had pressed great influnce on the society.
To illustrate the viewpoint, we can observe big events in the history of America. Early to the national independence movement, it would have been impossible for the birth of a new society persuing freedom and equality, if there had been no soldiers who were willing to sacrifice their life to experience fierce battels. And without the consistent efforts of the precedents and colleagues and the strong supports from the public, would Lincoln be able to sign up the abolishment of slavery. Then imagine that what if there were no researchers and scientists who dedicated their time and life into the cause of space techonology? Would we see the beautiful footprint of Armstrong on the moon? The power from the public, the unknown but dedicated people have been protecting the country and devoting to the realization of American dreams.

Though there's no denying that the development of society cannot lack the contribution from those who have been long forgotten as well as the renowned figures, the historians seem usually have forgot to record their names. Take the application of steam engine which leads to the industrual revolution for instance. When it refers to the steam engine, I bet that the first time jumped to you must be the name of Watt. Yet, it was not Watt who invented the machine. What he had done was to improve the qualities of the machine. But only Watt's name have been passed from mouth to mouth without remembering the name of its real inventor and other improvers. Another example may refer to the establishment of the Great Wall in China, one of the wonders in the world. It was undoubtedly the First Emperor of Qin that originated the marvelous project. However, don't you think the Chinese engineers and labours should be given more praise for finishing such an seemingly impossible task? But none of them were written into the history. So it is indeed a pity that the names of groups of people whose contribution was beyond estimated were flooded by time and lost in the end. It is necessay for us to place more emphasis on nobodies.

Meanwhile, it would be irrational to emphasize on the significence of nobodies with the overlooking of the somebodies. We must concede those famous ones have done a lot to push the advancement of the humankind history. For example, we could never forget Martin Luther King, the prominent leader in the African-American civil rights movement. He devoted his life to the sacred cause raising public consciousness of the civil rights movement and established himself as one of the greatest orators in U.S. history. The great contribution from him with his famous speech, I have a dream, were written into books with no doubt.

To sum up, the famous few and by groups of people whose identities have long been forgotten have been making the same effect on the most significant events and trends in history. The focus of historians should be placed on both kinds of people.