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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 author claims that the study of history overstates the effect of some famous individuals, while paying much less attention to groups of people, who contribute much to the events. In my point of view, both the history textbooks and the history teachers do concentrate on a few persons who may be the catalysts for the development of the events, overlooking the accumulation of the evolution made by other trivial people.
No one can deny the importance of great persons who are so brilliant, capable, astute and prudent that they can contribute a lot by means of utilizing the advantages and disadvantages of politics, economy, technology, etc. Archimedes, Greek mathematician, engineer, and physicist, who put forward a series of geometrical formulas, consummates his career by the intense interest in mathematics and the parental influence. Beethoven, the German Composer, who forms a transition from classical to romantic composition, succeed by indefatigable efforts he paid independently, neglecting his physical limitation--deafness.
However, when it comes to the study of history we must take the contributions made by ordinary people into consideration since it is biased to reward all the credit to the famous few. The paramount efforts of Mahatma Gandhi in the liberation of India can not be ignored. Yet, without the sacrifice of the martyrs, who follow Mahatma Gandhi's assertions of Satyagraha and non-violence, he wouldn't have achieved the target. Homeric epic, which is a celebrated collection of numerous narrative poems, is contributed to not only the arrangement and finalization of Homer but also the long-term spread and polish of the verbal folk ballad, which is contribution of dozens of populace.
Plenty of examples enjoin us that we should pay attention to both great man and general people. We should admit that Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of the Chinese dynasty Qin, is shrewd enough to excogitate the bright idea of construction of the Great Wall. Yet, without the sacrifice of numerous workers the Great Wall never exists. So does the Taj Mahal.
In sum, most achievements in the field of science and art were accomplished by the famous few, who sometimes absorb the quintessence from predecessors. In the meantime, some accomplishments in the domain of society were achieved by the collectivities, while some famous individuals dominate. Hence, we should not overlook the importance of both individuals and groups, without who the society can not progress ceaseless. |
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