As the study of the events from the often distant past, history might appear uninteresting and pointless to some of the practice-oriented learners of today. In the age of modern technology and high-speed life, learning about the medieval political intrigue or the Nullification Crisis might seem pointless. Yet, such assumption could not be further from the truth, as a better understanding of the past events allows us to re-contextualize the events of the present.
Current affairs are often difficult to fully analyze and objectively examine, as they happen to us in real life. Many people are either too preoccupied with their daily activities to care or are too emotionally involved to think clearly, depending on many factors. History is an opportunity to discover the solutions to modern problems that are not immediately visible today (The School of Life, 2015). It provides you with a new, richer and wider perspective, that can take into account the living experiences of those who came before.
To further this idea, one might look at one of the most disastrous and noticeable modern-day events, namely the COVID-19 pandemic. The parallel is writing itself, with media outlets comparing the virus with the medieval epidemics of plague. During that time, people were forced to leave their homes and burn their cities in the attempts to stop the spreading. Paranoia was on the rise, with everyone looking into each other’s faces for the smallest signs of the plague, which was a certain death sentence. Thankfully, nowadays we are fortunate to have much greater degrees of medical advancement, and burning down cities is far from necessary. Yet, remembering that humanity has been faced with pandemics before is essential to maintain optimism, resolve to uphold restrictions, and compassion to other people.
Reference
The School of Life. (2015). What is History For. Web.