Is now the best “history” to study?

Listen to the John Meecham Podcast: Hope Through History and see what you think. Hope is what we need, humility and learning are some stepping stones along that path.

Humans either learn from history or repeat it!

Seems to me that we haven’t learned much in the last 400 years. In my “human” page you’ll see discussions on Conquest Consciousness and that seems to be at the heart of our “social evolution” since our species began. All early tribes on the continent we currently call Europe were forever warring with each other to conquer more land and exert power over the existing occupants (human and otherwise). This was done in the name of “growth”, “prosperity”, “strength”? I think it really was ego and insecurity and a complete lack of humility toward our co-existence with all other species on this earth.

Then these tribes decided to test their skill and senses and cross the body of water we now call the Atlantic Ocean. Following the successful crossing those humans waged unprovoked war with the indigenous humans on Turtle Island, what we now call North America, driving out and wiping out as many as possible to take power over the land. Humans continued to attempt land grabs and tribal domination for the next 150 +/- years. (I recognize that our species has done this for millennia on other continents, and we continue to do this in less obvious ways, the focus of this rumination is on our country, USA.)

The next 400+ years of conquering and dominance over the elements of Turtle Island, (aka North America) including enslavement, construction and revision of our governing bodies and documents, abusing and destroying nature’s balance in the name of industry and progress, fueling climate change (pun intended),

Wars during my existence (so far) seem to be “repeats” of those of my parents’ and grandparents’ time. I never appreciated history until I reached an age to put it into perspective and connect it to the present. I wish we could think about it as a prediction of the future unless we consciously choose to respond differently to stimuli and stop reacting violently to diversity and impermanence. Violence should be reserved for the basic elements of Nature’s control - Earth, Wind, Water & Fire. Yes humans are simply a part of nature, and maybe it is our nature to be violent, but maybe, just maybe, we can learn to explore this tendency and evolve more sustainable, effective ways to cope and to live up to the ideals on which our country the USA is founded