自己修改的I48，求狂拍！！！

liujibin320UID: 2772803

TOPIC: ISSUE48 - "The study of historyplaces too much emphasis on individuals. The most significant events and trendsin history were made possible not by the famous few, but by groups of peoplewhose identities have long been forgotten."


The speaker claims that the study ofhistory pays too much attention on individuals. And the most significant eventsand trends in history were made by groups of people whose identities have longbeen forgotten, but not the famous few. Although I agree with him that thestudy of history indeed places too much emphasis on individuals, which in myview results from two reasons--lack of historical data of groups and leadershipof famous individuals, and the populace was also part and parcel of the mostsignificant events and trends in history. Nevertheless, in my opinion, the mostimportant events in history were made by famous few and groups of people all togetherand lack of any side of them would lead to failure, and the study of historyshould not be biased towards one side.

One reason for my fundamental agreementwith the speaker is that in many meaningful events and trends too much emphasisis placed on individuals, while ignoring the important role of groups of thepopulace. In my observation, on the one hand, it is because that most of therecords of history that have been investigated were related to the famous few. Asordinary groups in the past, editors of historical documents in the past wouldn'trecord too much about them, and even recorded, when some incidents occurred,such as fires or floods, people may spend little effort to try to preserve thosedocuments of populace. On the contrary, as famous individuals, historical dataof them usually had preservation priority. Moreover, they themselves oftenwrote autobiographies, and memoirs consciously, which were conserved by their offspring.Hence, when we try to study the history today, we can only get much record offamous few, but little of common people.

On the other hand, another reason why thestudy of history pays much attention on individuals is that the famousindividuals indeed play a crucial role in making the most significant eventsand trends in history, because of not only they are efficient movement leaders,but also they hold unique ideas, inspiration, and spirit that stronglyinfluenced groups of people who followed them, in other word, they are spiritleaders. History is replete with evidence to demonstrate this point. A notablecase in point is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), who is often referredas Mahatma Gandhi. He is the pre-eminent political and spiritual leader of India duringthe Indian independence movement. Besides, he pioneered Satyagraha and inspiredmovements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Studying leaders likeGandhi and other famous people is not simply to study what movements they ever launchedand what honors they ever achieved, but also study their unordinarycharacteristics that is of great meaning to our current society, and inheritingtheir spirit from generation to generation. In result, this may explain whyhistorians place so much emphasis on famous few.

Another reason why I essentially agree withthe speaker is that groups of people, whose identities have long beenforgotten, also play an indispensible role in history. Without them, anysignificant events and trends would loss their backbone. If nobody trusted,followed, and willed to sacrifice for Gandhi, how could he free the Indian fromthe United Kingdom? If William Gilbert, Otto von Guericke hadn't discovered theexistence of electricity, how could Michael Faraday, Andre-Marie Ampere, andCoulomb achieve great honors in the realm of electricity and make us live morecomfortable and convenient? With dedication of these infamous, even unknownpeople, can political leaders, famous scientists, and other celebrities make asignificant event and trend; can they take great changes into our society.

However, I don't agree with that the most significantevents and trends were made just by groups of people. Society is a combinationof elites and nonelites. Both of them own distinct function in the significantevents and development of society. If regarding the whole society as a man,then elite is the spirit, while nonelite is the body. Without spirit, the manis only a shell; while without the body, the spirit is simply an illusion. Thesame is in our society. Without famous few, society would be short of coregroup of its development; while without the populace, any great ideas or spiritwould result in a fantasy. Just as an old Chinese saying indicates, “All thingsin their being are good for something”. The two profoundly and mutually effectthe development of mankind. Thus the most significant events and trends inhistory were made by both individuals and groups of people, and lack of anyside of them would lead to failure. That is to say, the study of history shouldplace equal emphasis on famous people and the masses.

In sum, I agree with the speaker thatcurrent study of history places too much on individuals partially, and groupsof people also play a positive role in development of society. Nevertheless,the successes of the most significant events and trends in history should beattributed to both of them, and the study of history should give considerationto them.

liujibin320UID: 2772803

自己顶一个，就要考试了，求强人指点啊！！！

liujibin320UID: 2772803

只需高人指点一下写作的思路是否正确就可以了！！！