“The Past is Not Dead”
Matthew Poteat“I hate that class. All we talk about are things from the past and act like that’s important.” Such sentiments are likely overheard in the corridors of colleges across the nation; however, what is most disturbing is that this person was referring to a history class. While one might reasonably expect some level of dislike of a subject, it is ludicrous to condemn a history class for teaching the past and “acting like that’s important.” Unfortunately this ignorance speaks to a much larger issue that historians are forced to confront each day: history is misunderstood.
Of all the major subjects taught in college, history is arguably the one discipline that everyone thinks they know, yet few can define it. “Stuff in the past,” or “things that happened a long time ago” are common responses. Do biologists, chemists, linguists, or computer scientists have this problem? Historians, it seems, must continually explain themselves (and the discipline) to their students, college administrators, state legislators, and the general public.
Despite the common misperception, history is not a body of facts to memorize. Rather, history is a process by which we analyze the records of the human experience and in the process create ideas, arguments, and information to help explain and understand more fully the problems of the present. The beauty of history is its sheer versatility, which, ironically, is perhaps why some people don’t understand it. If history is a process by which we explain the human experience, well, then, history is anything you want it to be. “Traditional” history is usually confined to the study of politics and military engagements (war is often described as politics with bloodshed), but if humans do it, then it is fair game for historical analysis. Sports, computers, video games, medicine, art, fashion, music, and countless other subjects can be studied and explained. History is a discipline that traces its roots back to Ancient Greece and the original works of Herodotus and Thucydides written in the 5th century BCE. It is a noble discipline that has been a part of the modern humanities curriculum since at least the Renaissance. History majors are found at the highest levels of society in a wide variety of careers in government, private industry, international firms, and education. Historians have become presidents, prime ministers, and CEOs of global corporations. It develops critical thinking skills and informs opinion. Yet despite its pedigree, many students dismiss history as “old and boring” with little relevance in the digital age. This perception is unfortunate, and dangerous.
It is dangerous because of current world trends toward rapid globalization and Islamic radicalization. Most Americans have never been forced to confront their “Americanness” and live in a bubble, unaware of their own past, much less the rich past of other cultures and societies and how the two intersect with and influence each other. Even a cursory reading of history can provide a wider perspective and context to our world and encourage empathy and awareness of peoples not like us. Would more Americans study history, events in the Middle East might very well be different.
History isn’t, and shouldn’t be, confined to “dead white men.” That isn’t to say that we can’t learn from them. Indeed, we all benefit from the experience of others. Sadly, most of us go through life learning from our own experiences with little thought of the vast body of knowledge and wisdom which exists in the experience of others and “in the past.” We would all do well to remember novelist William Faulkner’s observation that “the past is not dead. In fact, it's not even past.” If more individuals would realize the importance of the past, the present might look a whole lot better.