History Repeats

Original article from Jawad Mian in Stray Reflections here

On a long enough timeline, history repeats. This much is clear reading Will and Ariel Durant’s The Lessons of History and observing the human experience. As the Pulitzer Prize‐winning husband and wife team write, “The past is the present unrolled for understanding.”

Nothing surprises the student of history. War is constant. Sin flourishes in every age. Men have been dishonest and governments have been corrupt throughout history. Morals deteriorate when religious belief weakens. What about the concentration of wealth? It is natural and inevitable.

Therefore, I must not think that our era is exceptional or that the laws of history don’t apply to us. Though successive generations achieve an increasing dominance over the earth, we are destined to become fossil in its soil. It’s best to live modestly. This abode is temporary.

While I don’t feel pessimistic about the world, I do recognize certain hazardous historical patterns: the fights between capitalism and socialism, left and the right, rich versus poor, race against civilization, religion versus science, freedom versus equality, and man against nature.

By plunging into the epochs, my hope is to learn enough history to bear reality patiently.