The Importance of Understanding Culture and History
The eighteenth century writer and philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said, "He who cannot draw on three thousand years is living from hand to mouth." The importance of understanding history is one that is not easily overstated. Not only do we learn where we came from by examining these last three thousand years, but we have a better idea of where we are headed.

One need only look back a handful of generations to see a world where knowledge was one of the most powerful tools a young adult could be endowed with in order to ensure their success in the world. Today, educators and parents have moved away from the importance of developing the mind in lieu of teaching political correctness and tolerance.

It is acknowledged that these two things are a result of studying and condemning prejudices and injustices, but in too many classrooms today, we concentrate wholly on the action itself instead of the reasons for the action. Why do we attempt to embrace other cultures? Because we know that confusion about someone or something unknown to you leads to fear, and fear leads anger, hate, and finally, suffering. The examples of this? The Holocaust, Executive Order 9066 (in which Japanese-Americans were placed in camps during WWII), the American Civil Rights Movements of the 1950's and 60's; all these were results of a lack of understanding of the culture and history of Jewish, Japanese and African-American people, and we are doomed to repeat these conflicts over and over until we know the REASON for learning about other histories and cultures.

Some say that history is cyclical. I agree, but only in part. Overall, history is linear, with a beginning and end, but in that line are thousands of circles of events being repeated over and over in different epochs. A better understanding of culture and history will widen the gaps between these small circles and help prevent travesties like ones already committed from occurring in the near future.