issue48

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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 identity have long been forgotten.

outline：
Beginning: Questionàpartly disagreeàreason
Body 1 [reason 1]: study of history does pay too much attention and enthusiasm on few famous individuals
Body 2 [reason 2]: historical study should not get any breakthrough without the study of individuals.
Body 3 [reason 3]: group of people are never forgotten in the historical study.
Ending: repeat the beginning

Does historical study place so much emphasis on individuals that totally forget the contribution of group of people behind them? In my point of view, it is partly true. Based on my personal experience and actual observations, I concede that some studies of history do pay too much attention on some certain famous historic figures. However, I cannot agree with the speaker on the assertion that the identity and contribution of group of people are forgotten for some obvious reasons.

Admittedly, some study of history does pay too much attention and enthusiasm on few individuals. On one hand, they are the focus of the society of that time. They are heroes who are admired by most people. Of course, they become more attractive to the historians than just normal people. On the other hand, they are easier to study. Since they are public figures, they have more information left, especially after a long period of time. There is no denying that sometimes people go too far. Some studies only focus on certain famous leaders, several key figures in the significant events, busy in exaggerating their significance in the history and totally ignoring the contribution of the group of people.

However, historical study cannot attain any breakthrough without the study of few individuals. It is hard to imagine a history without any historical characters. In fact, few famous people in the history do have great influence in the path of history, especially in certain turning point and social crisis. Their talent, courage, morality are admired widely in their time and times after them. They represent the core value of all human being. To study the behavior of such famous people does good to the whole society. Such studies make people acknowledge the heroes in the history and encourage the later generations to learn from them.

In fact, group of people who contribute to the development of society most are not forgotten. Actually they are represented by the so called ‘famous few’. In history any person ? from successful politicians, famous arties to excellent scientists ? who become famous, share almost the same character, that is, reflecting the core value of their group. To some extent, their success is the result of the recognition of the group. Moreover, the groups are never forgotten. They provide the core values of the society, deciding what kind of people become ‘famous few’. Any historian does acknowledge the important role that the majority has been playing, which means they could never been ignored.

To sum up, we have to admit historical study tends to make the mistake of placing too much emphasis on famous few. However, we can never call it history without any historical characters leading the significant events and trends. From what has been discussed above, we may safely draw the conclusion that the in most of the historical studies, group of people are never forgotten. Instead they turn into the core values in their time.