We often see the world through semi-taped lens — tinted, not of rose but rather with a filter for utility. I find it ironic, then, when ‘history’ is swept under the bulging rug of institution. History is a patchwork of memories — some that the world chooses to forget and others that shine under the white light of legacy.
History is, in its truest form, a manifestation of cause and effect, a body of war and peace with innovation throbbing under every artery. It is the sleep that foreshadows our present reality. Despite this, however, it is often undermined in the shade of the shinier.
It makes me, therefore, instantly wonder how our world would stand if we could understand our past as it seeps into the present. Would developing nations foresee weaknesses in superpower policies and eclipse their global primacy? Would extremism amass a following if we recognised the ulterior motives masquerading as religious devotion? Would we conquer discrimination if we identified the roots from which it grew? Would dictators be able to extend their control, unopposed? The answer lies in a study of history.
In high school, history is almost always mocked — as a “worthless subject” and game of memorization. However, I find that history reinforces empathy. At its core, hatred sprouts — almost exclusively — from saplings of ignorance. We draw fear from worlds out of the cusp of our understanding. History weaves isolated events of the world into an overarching network. By giving us insight into an empire seven hundred years ago or countries 18-hour plane rides away, history dissembles barriers of misunderstanding. It takes a boulder to the brick and mortar veil surrounding the foreign. And it is with an understanding of this multi-cultural tapestry that the world becomes less unaware and more empathetic of the different.
As much of a cliché as it is, there is truth to the idea of “history repeating itself.” The actions moulding the shape of global relations are, then, truly reactions perpetuating cycles of upheaval and battle. Society, almost mechanically, seeks a glimpse into the peephole of the future, an understanding of what the world will be. It is, therefore, through learning from the peaks and pits of our past that we can settle out the plateau of our future. In the ideal world, then, a study of history allows us to alter our world — especially if we don’t see the light shining at the end of our timelined tunnel.
In a world where “home” overlaps by coast, history also gives us a sense of identity. It allows us to connect with the people of our past — which we can choose to either grow from the twig of a ripe family tree or fall from the rolled branches of our evil vestige. With history, we can trace the roots our past, and calculate how the world has evolved. As these scaffoldings form, a true understanding of present dynamics is achieved. And, it is in line with this knowledge that we get to know our world a little better. The convoluted task of navigating 21st century waters becomes, by consequence, far easier.
While its resonance is subtle, history is the key to a world that keeps changing the locks.
The writer is a Class 10 student of Oberoi International School, Mumbai, who has found the importance of rhetoric, prose and information in countering social injustice
