4 Powerful Benefits Of Studying History
A blog by Mary Paterson
Studying history is more than facts and figures.
It is understanding where we have come from, acknowledging the cultural drivers that have brought us to today, and giving us insight into what our future may look like.
For these reasons, studying history is one of the most valuable things that we can do.
Helping with decision making relevant today by looking at what happened when certain decisions were made in the past, history is just as much about the future.
History can help us in many ways that you may not have realised.
For example, how much do you know about:
- Australia’s early explorers
- Colonial British leaders
- Australian colonial dance
- Australian musical instruments
Each of these fascinating sections of our national history have the potential to help you better understand your past, present and future.
The following 4 powerful benefits of studying history will take you on that journey through time.
#1 – Better Understand Today
The world we live in has been shaped by the past and there is no way to get around this.
Everything that happened in the past has set what happens today in motion. A law that is in place today is based on what happened in the past. Our entire lives are shaped by the past and if we want to better understand the world today, we need to look at the past that created it.
If you want to get an answer to why there are racial issues today, you need to understand the history of race relations in the country and the world.
Marketer Alexander Porter holds a history degree from the University of Sydney and believes that history can tell us the origins of much of what is around us today. He explains “knowing what started everything will help you understand why your world is structured as it is. It removes confusion of cognitive uncertainty, which can be challenging. Not knowing who you are, or where your society has come from, can make it tough to deal with the results you face today. As a historian, resources like www.historicaldance.au are invaluable in keeping stories alive, and helping explain the world we see today.”
You need to go back hundreds of years to get the full story while looking at different continents as well as social scenes and the politics of the time. International interactions happening today are based on experiences and interactions in the past. To better understand people today, you have to look at people in the past.
History also allows us to follow the evolution of culture throughout the years.
For example, the way Australian dance has evolved since early colonial times to now.
#2 – Avoid Repeating Yesterday
If you never remember that touching a hot stove hurts, you will continue to do this and be burned.
While not putting your hand on the stove seems like common sense, it is based on the knowledge that it is hot and will hurt. Learning from the mistakes made by other people is how you can avoid these mistakes in your own life.
This is another benefit of studying history.
There are many nations that repeat mistakes that other nations have made in the past. If history was studied, these nations would realise what the potential consequences of their decisions will be.
Studying history helps you avoid the mistakes that others have made that have dire consequences.
According to NLP experts, if you are faced with a decision and want to know if it will have positive results, you need to study history. They explain “this will give you better insight into the subject matter and the parties involved. You may also find a decision that will provide better results than the options that you are currently faced with. Past experiences frame future decisions. Which is why studying history can be so valuable.”
#3 – Catch Lies
If you want to know whether a politician is lying, you need to know the facts.
When you know the facts, they cannot lie to you and expect you to agree with them.
History is the same. It teaches you the facts you need to know to understand when someone is lying to you.
History will provide you with an understanding of how people work today and things that could come from the current course of events. When you know this, you will understand politics better as well. A lot of politicians will try to use history to justify comments or actions even when it does not support them.
This shows how an appreciation of history is actually beneficial in a wider sense.
The lies told in history are still carried today. Recognising signs that a person isn’t being honest is highly important today just like the past says life and career coach Eiran Trethowan. “recognising inconsistencies and behaviour patterns will indefinitely highlight the lie being carried and it’s important to understand the ways to identify lies both past and present to avoid future confrontation”.
When you know history, you will know when they are twisting the facts to suit their needs. These politicians rely on people not knowing the history and believing them.
When you study history, you will be better informed.
#4 – Appreciate Lessons Learned
There are a lot of lessons you can learn when you study history.
You will know what happens when certain groups of people are treated in a certain way. You will also be able to determine how the public will react to certain actions.
As an ever-evolving flow of information, history is the roadmap along which communities, societies and countries travel
By appreciating what’s happened in your own backyard, you can look to a positive future knowing how far you’ve come, and how far you could yet go.
Ultimately, history will help you deal with the present.
Do you have any reasons to love history?
Let us know in the comments!
