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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.

Caleo Thu 22-Feb-24 13:50:19

Undine, I agree there is need for history. We often like to know who we are and seek to learn this from reliable sources.

We as individual also like to think about what it felt like to live in for example the Stone Age and the Bronze Age, as you say. I now this feeling .

Caleo Thu 22-Feb-24 13:52:27

Lucygirklwhile I am every bit as pessimistic as you I find happy events in history such as the Scottish Enlightenment.