Consequences Of Diane Ravitch And T. H. Watkins

In the essay Haunted America, Patricia Nelson Limerick ponders whether or not there is any benefit for society to have historical knowledge. Limerick contradicts herself numerous times in her opinion on the usefulness of history. She implies that there are many lessons that can be learned from history. However, Limerick is disappointed in the human race because it fails to learn from the mistakes of others. She therefore wonders, "What do we gain besides a revival and restoration of the misery?" (Limerick, 473). Based on Limerick's examination of people and history, one can conclude that objectively history is useless, however, theoretically, people would be much better off if they learned from the lessons that the past presents.

Despite the bitter realities, we always search for the silver lining or light at the end of the tunnel. There's always that one key aspect that keeps one motivated to continue on. The value of Hope is proven in Elie Wiesel's memoir Knight as well as throughout The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy. Although the key to survival is maintaining hope, while simultaneously the delusions can be one's Achilles Heal.

To Howard Zinn, history is no more than a looking glass for historians to see what needs to change in the modern world. Zinn explains how historians should see the past and the future in his 1966 essay “Historian as Citizen”. He begins by stating that historians cling too tightly to the patterns of the past and are wrong in using them as a guide to the future. He says, “This necessariness of the past tends to infect our thinking about the future, weighing down our disposition to act” (Zinn 44). Already, Zinn makes a broad statement that counters the aged ways of historians everywhere. He is asking them to let go of history. This is offputting to some but it is his strong voice that makes his philosophy so grand.

History is a remarkable subject that offers and eagles eye view into the past. With textbooks such as, Hist3, a great deal of interesting information can be acquired. However, a common misconception runs rampant through students minds; the idealism that history is useless and that the subject is that of a drag. Who can blame them? Our text books can only do so much in terms of providing the means in educating ourselves when we’re not in a class room and when given the opportunity to appear in class we have the luxury of (hopefully) having and interesting professor to enlighten us on all the side conflicts, affairs, and bloodshed that has happened. Even so, when we as students have exhausted the book and our instructors, we have the privilege

Promising an escape from all the fear and pain; freedom. I once heard that hope kept the living separate from the dead, if so, I am no longer a part of the living. Hope was wrenched from my grasp and shredded like my back as the whip lashed my skin. Each sting branding my body and mind. I was not and am still not strong enough to rebuild the miniscule amount of hope that lay broken at the back of my mind. Hope is more fearful than even them. Hope gives a glimpse of what could be, a deceptive escape from reality, only to drag you deeper into the pits of misery. So I do not and will not hope for a better future. I will simply survive. Not for the false hope for the damp earth beneath my feet, the fresh smell of pine wafting through my nose or the breeze gently embracing my black and orange body. But for the remainder of my pride which lay safely locked away from them. I will not give them the satisfaction of controlling both my life and

The article “History Still Matters” by Bill Moyers expresses some important concerns in our societies over the loss of interest in history. Throughout the article Moyers explains the loss of interest but also shows the reader the subject is crucial for societies to progress. He uses deeper meanings to further understand the importance of history as well as expressing the reasons he thinks cultures have lost interest past events. The author also mentions that although people find no relations to history in today’s world, there are conflicts that can resemble current problems. It is also imperative to realize history has assembled our concurrent world. For those reasons we can have our own outlook and interpretations of history to further understand the progression and stage we are currently in.

Have you ever heard the saying “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” and “We learn from history that we learn nothing from history.”? These quotes come from George Santayana and George Bernard Shaw, these men tell how it’s common for people to repeat past mistakes. However, if people learn to look back and understand history, it’s harder to replicate disastrous actions. History is full of wars and brutish words, yet the source of all these problems come from a single issue: power. Leaders seek power in every crevice they can find. In the book, “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, Napoleon is a cruel dictator who successfully takes over a farm after running off its competitors. Major, an old pig, told the farm of a new way of living. However, after he died, Napoleon steadily took over the farm. Therefore, taking the time to understand history’s past and mistakes can be an effective weapon against repeating the same mistakes. Failure to learn outcomes in a repetition of history, as Napoleon proves, as shown in today’s life, learning from history helps resolve futures issues, and only suffering comes from problematic actions of the past.

Introduction In The Anatomy of Hope, Jerome Groopman defines hope as "the elevating feeling we experience when we see—in the mind's eye—a path to a better future. Hope acknowledges the significant obstacles and deep pitfalls along that path. True hope has no room for delusion" (Groopman, 2004, p. xiv). He also describes hope as "an act of defiance that … permits a person to live his life on his own terms.

“Hope : hōp/ noun-a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen”(google.com). Often times hope is seen as a good thing. It brings people desire, aspiration, ambition, expectation; it makes people wish for a better future. However, hope can be a force of destruction, pain and misery. It can be used as a weapon against people who only have dreams of something better.

As discussed in my first essay, the virtue of hope is “crucial for attaining any other virtue” as well as “the inseparable part of human nature.” However, sometimes a burden of harsh and unpredictable circumstances causes the unfortunate to doubt hope. In that case, according to Mary Wollstonecraft, others should disregard their “ignorance and mistaken self-interest” to help the unfortunate regain the essential virtue of hope (Wollstonecraft, 211). Furthermore, as Niccolo Machiavelli emphasizes, when disregarding their self-interest, the ones helping should not only appear to be hopeful, but also demonstrate hope in their actions (Machiavelli, 203). But how is the virtue of hope demonstrated to others? By looking at the work of Mary Wollstonecraft

Before we go into any specifics, let’s talk about what hope is. Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for certain things to happen within oneself. This, however, is just a definition given in a dictionary which your brain understands. We all know that hope means something much more in our hearts. The hearts of Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Edison, Helen Keller, Susan B. Anthony, and Martin Luther King, Jr. has definitely found the meaning of hope in their hearts.

Famous English poet and playwright William Shakespeare uses “hope” in King Richard III as “True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings: Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings” (Shakespeare). Shakespeare likens “hope” to wings that elevate people during its existence, a power which strengthens people. During my research different sources, from academic writings to visual sources, discussed how the result of an aim is affected by “hope”. The results that I gained from my research have shown that people can’t achieve their dreams in the lack of hope. Hope is the irreplaceable element of success.

While the virtues such as courage, justice, faith, or charity are glorified, the virtue of hope is often times neglected. However, hope is crucial for moving beyond the visible, material world, which is necessary for any kind of virtuous activities in pursuit of wisdom as well as useful for the well-being of a society. Hope steers a person towards the realization that Plato’s “imperishable Idea” exists, giving them trust that our sensations and perceptions could not be all that there is (62). It also meets Aristotle’s criterion for self-sufficiency since it “makes life desirable and lacking in nothing” (118). So how is hope different from other virtues? By looking at the work of Plato and Aristotle as well as the work of other scholars we

The study of history influences our understanding of others and their culture. Like the quote “If we don’t know from where we came, we don’t know where we are going”. Envisage a world where no one knew anything about history; no documentation of any event, place or person. How would anyone be able to 1) avoid repeating past mistakes. 2) know anything of those who came before and all of their struggles, successes, and failures. By learning about history’s participants and events, we can find a source of inspiration from their courage, diligence and leadership styles.

“History is what teaches us about our lives. It reminds us of what we are made of and what we might become, if we are willing to learn from it.” By James Wolfensohn