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History - is it just me who hates the subject?

(153 Posts)
Luckygirl3 Sat 17-Feb-24 19:20:14

I hated history at school - it seemed to me it was basically just non-stop killing in the name of power trips and religion.

I am just listening to the audiobook by David Mitchell (Unruly) that chronicles England's kings and queens. It is very funny and witty, as one might expect, but it really is just a saga of killing, and then more killing, and then some more.

How is it that some people study history and enjoy it?

It is horribly demonstrative of all that is worst in humanity: the insane pursuit of power over peace; the desire to impose one's religion on others. Would that anything had changed - clearly the study of history does not change human nature if the current world is anything to go by.

Greenfinch Sat 17-Feb-24 21:31:24

That brought back memories Callistemon . I loved that text book. My DH taught history and he is the most tolerant of people. I believe the study of history makes people more tolerant because you begin to understand the dangers of extremism.

petra Sat 17-Feb-24 21:26:19

Love History and Geography. Love looking at maps, too.

BlueBelle Sat 17-Feb-24 21:13:50

I loved history and had the most inspiring history teacher
in my last year of juniors She was very clever and did everything out of her head, no textbook stuff On a Friday if we were good she told us a story again out of her head and she would finish at some intense part of the story which meant we had to be very good to get the next chapter the following week
We used to sit on the edge of our chairs she was a real inspiration

flappergirl Sat 17-Feb-24 20:48:06

I think that's a rather strange angle on history Luckygirl. Yes, of course there's a lot of killing and power struggles just as there is in modern day life. Just look at the world around us and the wars currently taking place. But human endeavours consist of so much more. It also depends what you mean by history. Everything that has already happened is history.

Are you only confining your reading material to Kings and Queens? What about social history and the stories of ordinary men and women who worked on the land, in the mills and factories. What about Neolithic man who lived here before the English Channel was formed. Just imagine what they saw.

What about the pilgrims who went to Canterbury as chronicled by Chaucer. Their loves, their laugher and their fears, all so relatable.

Callistemon21 Sat 17-Feb-24 20:47:18

Deedaa

Callistemon21 I'm pretty sure that was the text book we used. It was a revelation to me because I'd never heard of Ur. History at primary school had pretty much gone straight from the stone age to the Romans.

The cradle of civilisation.
Or it was then!

crazyH Sat 17-Feb-24 20:44:37

Hated History and Geography

Loved Mathematics

Deedaa Sat 17-Feb-24 20:39:37

Callistemon21 I'm pretty sure that was the text book we used. It was a revelation to me because I'd never heard of Ur. History at primary school had pretty much gone straight from the stone age to the Romans.

Callistemon21 Sat 17-Feb-24 20:29:34

Did anyone else have From Ur to Rome as their first text book at Grammar School?

Callistemon21 Sat 17-Feb-24 20:28:14

I wasn't very good at history at school,but in fact it is a most fascinating subject. I did manage to get a good pass at GCE so know the facts!

DH is a history buff and occasionally gives talks and lectures and everyone has said, even though they found history boring at school, they found his talks really interesting.

What did we learn at school? The facts, not the stories and lives of the people behind the facts.
We need to look beyond the dates, the facts and realise how fascinating it can be.

Germanshepherdsmum Sat 17-Feb-24 20:17:44

I adore history - especially social history. Absolutely my favourite subject and always has been. It’s by no means all about wars and monarchs.

TerriBull Sat 17-Feb-24 20:13:24

History has its dark side ridden with horrible happenings, but the fascination of an unfolding narrative of how mankind has evolved is imo fascinating, in fact riveting. It was my favourite subject at school even if we did The Tudors to deathhmm

Marydoll Sat 17-Feb-24 20:10:03

I love history too. For my M.A, I had to choose a science subject in addition to my core subjects. I choose archeology!

Ladyleftfieldlover Sat 17-Feb-24 20:04:57

In another life I would have been a Social Historian. I love history - and politics!

Redhead56 Sat 17-Feb-24 19:57:49

At school we would constantly go over the Bronze Age the Iron Age it was the same every year. We were never taught modern history which would have been far more interesting. I have a better understanding of history only because I studied a it in a broader field.
How it has shaped our lives and societies in good and bad ways. Since even before historical records were written humans have continued to be at war with each other. We are supposed to learn from the past but we have not that is how we have failed and will continue to do so.

Grandma70s Sat 17-Feb-24 19:53:46

I didn’t enjoy history much at school. I think I was badly taught. I’m fascinated by it now, though, but more the history of ordinary people than that of kings and queens. Social history is endlessly interesting.

Siope Sat 17-Feb-24 19:45:01

Well, you could, for example, read about Mary Tudor martyring Protestants, and think evil bloodthirsty woman. Or you could read about her outstanding detailed and effective administrative and financial reforms, and thought what a capable intelligent woman. You could find out about her phantom pregnancies, and weep for her, poor misguided soul.

History is complex and multi-faceted, because that’s what people are, and studying it, formally and informally, is ceaselessly fascinating to me.

Bella23 Sat 17-Feb-24 19:44:38

I love history too.
It's not just killing and war it teaches you to empathise with people. The way they lived and how it reflects on our modern society. I also like political history, especially of other countries.

Galaxy Sat 17-Feb-24 19:42:48

I love history, my history teacher was an eccentric woman who was fierce, smoked Gitanes and was endlessly fascinating and passionate about her chosen subject.

Cabbie21 Sat 17-Feb-24 19:40:05

Sadly history repeats itself as we fail to learn from the misdeeds and mistakes of the past. The pursuit of power and domination is behind many if not all of them.

Casdon Sat 17-Feb-24 19:37:14

I love it too, and have done since childhood - my favourite ever teacher was my history teacher, he made the past alive. I’m really interested in politics too, and I think the two subjects run very closely together - it’s the flashes of the real people behind the masks and what motivates them that fascinates me. Benjamin Disraeli wore his rings over his white and lavender gloves for example - how very strange -and why?

ayse Sat 17-Feb-24 19:34:57

I love history too. Current historical research is looking at the mass of the population and individual experiences; looking at and researching the lives of ordinary people. It’s not all about killing although political history tends to concentrate on those in charge and what they did.

JamesandJon33 Sat 17-Feb-24 19:29:00

I just love history. Learning the ways people lived before us. Hate the phrase ‘back story’ though.

Iam64 Sat 17-Feb-24 19:26:35

They are essential and fascinating. Art music politics - all there to be pondered, always a new angle

Grandmabatty Sat 17-Feb-24 19:25:19

I have always loved history. How can we possibly learn how to progress if we don't know where we came from? The lessons of the past are worth learning

AGAA4 Sat 17-Feb-24 19:24:36

Iam64

I love history.

Me too.