Issue103我的第五篇

colin.jolinUID: 2612541

TOPIC: ISSUE103 - "The study of history has value only to the extent that it is relevant to our daily lives."
WORDS: 801


The speaker claims that It(it) is only when studies of history are (relevant) relavant to our daily lives that the studies are valuable. In my point of view, I am clined (inclined) to support this assertion to some extent that learning history benefits our daily lives. However, a further reflection tell(s) me that the speaker ignore(s) that learning history (plays an important role) on cultivating our own cultural and national identity.


First of all, It(it) is true that history, recording the process of social progress, in which women and men worked through plenty of difficulties and complexities, guides our daily lives and teaches us with examples we need. When looking back over a distance of a millennia, one often puts himself into the significant events or embarrassed situations to test his intelligence and improve his sense of the world, life, love. In other words, people read biographies with two reasons. First it is because that the myths and tales attract them, and the other reason is that biographies serves to broaden their interest and open their mind. By learning the lifetime of Harland Sanders, we gain courage and persistence from his attitude towards failures. From the biography of Nelson Mandela, we appreciate the great value of ideal towards an equal society where there lies no privilege for white people and no racism on black people. From this angle, history concerns our daily life because it inspires us with vivid examples which have values all human beings want to learn and share. These values such as humanities, ethics determine that the study of history has its unique value to some extent that it is relevant to our daily lives.

Second, the study of history helps governments and communities avoid duplicating the same mistakes and learn experiences of success of the former, which indirectly has an impact on our daily lives. (In other words, history provides a variety of lessons and experiences for leader of a nation.) Consider the Second World War for example. After the First World War, the victorious countries imposed a severe and cruel treaty on German, which left the potential cause of the Second World War. By learning the lessons from the tragic results, the allied countries help German realize democracy and economic prosperity rather than repeat their mistake. Although these policies and actions are not related to our lives directly, they indisputably promise us to live in a peaceful country without international conflicts. Without these efforts, we may still suffer from wars and conflicts, and lose lives of our relatives or ours. History, in this respective, has better value than inspiration for individuals. As for commodity economy, several similar precedents told Bayer the significance and importance of loyalty and honesty to consumers. Bayer announced to cease production of one of its major products due to the hazardous ingredients it contained, which brought a loss on its profitability, but gained supports and understanding, to contribute to the long-term success of the company. If Bay concealed its mistakes just as Mitsubishi Motors ever did, they will lose the market share of consumers besides the large fees and fines would be left to them. Actually, learning history teaches communities to avoid repeating the same mistake, which protects profits of common people. Thus, history has indirectly influence on our daily lives.

Admittedly, history also helps cultivate the cultural and natural identity of a nation. Every country has its distinctive features which we want our children to know and to understand. That is the one significant reason why nearly every modern country encourages its involvement in the education. By learning the great achievements of our ancestors, we feel proud and a commitment to our country is formed in this way. Patriotism serves a real purpose for a country to become independent and powerful. Before the collapse of Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty in China, there was rare education about history and most people at that time were at a state of numbness under which they care little about politics and the future of their country. But now, the history teaching has been infused through education, from the kindergarten to the college, in order to arouse people’s loyalty to not only their ancestors and families, but the whole nation. Maybe from this point history still has no relevance to our daily lives, but no one can deny its value in maintaining the cultural and natural identity.


All in all, owing to reasons, analysis and as well as examples mentioned above, we can safely draw the conclusion that study of history not only benefits our daily lives, but also contributes to cultivating identity of a nation . In the final analysis, history provides inspirations for individuals and social elites to bring a better society. Moreover, it is also helpful to maintain unique values and pride of a nation.