0910AW 同主题写作第十四期 ISSUE103 by flyoverroses

flyoverrosesUID: 2607023

issue103"The study of history has value only to the extent that it is relevant to our daily lives."




     When we use the phrase "has value" to describe something, we mean it is of benefit to our life and society. When the study of history is relevant to our daily lives, it is beneficial, as well as when it is far from regularly life.

       That the significant role historical research plays in our daily lives does three things mainly. The first one is to guide us to make better choice. “History teaches by examples.” These positive examples tell stories about successful people and provide effective way to deal with troubles, while the negative ones give lessons. It is a common example that because those who reached outstanding achievement in history were usually diligent, many people will choose to possess the same quality if they want to be distinguished. The other thing historical study does is to contribute to our moral understanding. Every society's moral standards are built in a long-time history. By studying history, we can find the best way to deal the relationship with people around. For example, after reading the history of the State he is going to work, one finds out that that area has an ingrained sense of hierarchy between superior and inferior. Then in the future work, it would be better for him to be prudent and respectful facing his superior instead of calling him "brother". And the last, the study of history provides us identity. It means that taking a look at origin and evolvement of one's family, company, city, or country helps strengthening one's sense of belonging to a certain group. Just like many parents would like to tell their children the history of their family name (maybe it inherited from a noble clan of old Europe) to reinforce their sense of honor to family.

      Even if the research has no direct relationship with our everyday life, it also performs an import function to society. When it is said that the historical study is "inappropriate" with daily lives, it often means what historians investigate is too remote in time, too broad in region, too abstract in concept to have business with common people's existence. But study of these three respects does benefit our society:

      To start with, research on remote past creates many meanings on other subjects beside history such as geography. Certainly, everyone can question what the exactly merit it is except fulfill curious of historians to study the period dinosaurs lived. Yet no one can deny such exploration’s great contributions to geographic analysis of stratigraphic and structural factors, which is so crucial in seeking oil and other minerals.

      Also, study history of the region much bigger than where we live gives us a wider scope. If a developing country read the world history, it will find that developed countries’ experience of success is worth to transplant and the fault developed countries had made can be forbidden. And if one want to understand the issue between Pakistan and Indian or the Palestinian-Israel conflict, it is very necessary to search the historical reasons that formed the political patterns there. Such wisdom is important especially for our political leaders to handle the domestic and foreign affairs.

      In addition, by delving inside the history of something people think is abstract, like economic and social system, historians may discover some law of development of human society which can help us to prevent some disasters or limit losses to the lowest. To talk the finical crisis just happened this year. In fact, historians had found that finical crisis occur periodical. To prevent the recurrence of Great Desperation (1929-1933), governments in most countries reinforce the control to free market. The finical tsunami of this year has caused great damage, but it is undoubtedly without the history cognition the losses would be much bigger.

      In sum, the study of history relative with our daily lives plays more effects on individuals while the research out of that extent is an important force to promote the development of our society. Bacon once said," History makes men wise." Wise people live in a wise society must be wonderful.