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发表于 2010-5-31 11:02:19
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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."
History as a mirror is used to represent as study of the past – a study helps people live a better life in contemporary society. The historical study not only includes the official research in sociopolitical area and science area conducted by historians but also includes the study of families’ or institutions’ history by citizenry. Whether we human being should continuingly imply the “great people theory” on historical research is worth case-to-case discussion
There are many historical achievements and trends were created by anonymous groups of people instead of famous few as the speaker claims such as one of the most prevailing musical style in the world—blues, which derived from faceless and nameless black slaveries’ working songs. While the study of such musical history, historians usually focus on studying some famous and prenominent composers or singers instead of so called ancestors –the faceless labors. Why does this phenomenon occur? Simply because by contrast of studying anonymous, the research on famous few are more efficient and effective since the material record of famous few are available more than unknown person.
Admittedly, at times, the endeavor of masses buried in oblivion in every fields of our history is undeniable. In military area, success would have been impossible without the sacrifices of the martyrs who adhered to the generals; political reforms require the active participation of large groups of fellow people; and such similar circumstances can also be found in scientific area. YUAN LONG PING, known as the famous father of hybrid rice in the world, whose agricultural achievements dramatically increase the productivity of the hybrid rice per acre which is the main food of eastern people, protect more than 1 billion people from famine. He was not single-handedly responsible for his scientific and technical payoffs that his research team tackle a tremendous work of testing, calculating and modifying. However, if we subject the examples given above into careful scrutiny, we will easily find that though such distinct groups of people make tremendous contribution to the happen of historical event, undue attention only to the efforts and strives of groups tends to obscure the casual relationships with which the study of history chiefly concerned. The generals play the essential role in deciding, management, and controlling that render the corresponding historical events; the technology of soaring hybrid rice’s production was primarily the result of Yuan’s original thought way in his research, which had more to do with his own than with other. Those outstanding figures are who provide the initial impetus of the pivotal historical event though leading, inspiring and inciting faceless groups overcome barriers with their intellect. In other words, anonymous people are important, while famous few are crucial. As recourse scarcity occurs in every fields including historical study, in order to reach optimal allocation of resources, historians should learning of representative famous few rather than forgettable people.
More impressively, when we recall the most profound events and trends in history, we discovered that Revolutionary advances prevail even when forgettable groups’ supporting for certain key individuals was minimal or even negligible. Darwin's research on evolution, Michael Faraday's work on electromagnetism and electro-chemistry, Newton's discoveries of calculus and the laws of motion were all done without others’ grants.
We know that the study of history not only includes the study conducted officially by historians but also contains the study for many fellow citizens, for many Americans, studying the history of one’s own family is the most obvious use of history, for it provides facts about genealogy and family culture which helps people establish and conform their reasonable indentity that can live a better life in contemporary society. In such case, the emphasis of historical study was inevitablely put on faceless and namelees groups in the society.
To sum up, on the study of history leaded by historians,comparing with the nameless, faceless massive groups, the key individuals play pivotal role in shaping the history. Moreover, many incidences can be found in history that famous few accomplish their fruition all by themselves. Under limited recourse, researching those famous few deeply is the sensible approach to reach the best-effort of studying history. While it comes to the historical reaserch on the fellow citizens themselves, study at their nameless famiels could also bring benefits to the society. |
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