Some individuals are of the opinion that history holds little value for us in this day and age. Others, nevertheless, claim that ancient research of the past gives us a chance to comprehend the present. Although both schools of thought hold merit, I agree more with the latter perspective.
On the one hand, it can be argued that there are two primary reasons why history has little to teach us about this advanced era. In the past, because of the rudimentary tools and limited awareness, the way people dealt with problems was only at a general level. However, with the technological transformation, the issues we face today can be much more complex than those of the past, which makes people focus more on the present in order to deal with problems. Additionally, there would be an intellectual straightjacket because the study of previous civilizations may limit us to previous solutions. For instance, issues such as climate change could be said to be unique to our current age, and will require us to examine our own society.
On the other hand, I am of the opinion that the importance of delving into the prior time must not be underestimated. Mark Twain once said: “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme”. Even though the challenges might not be identical, they are nonetheless fundamentally similar to what previous generations of humans have undergone so that the juniors would not repeat the same mistakes as their ancestors. For example, since the 1940s, we have learnt never to go to war on a worldwide scale again, kicking off a period of unprecedented peace. Another worthwhile benefit is that studying the past helps us understand the root causes of current diseases such as communicable diseases. For instance, while finding the diagnosis of patients, doctors always check their past problems like the history of typhoid fever in previous years.
In conclusion, although I acknowledge that history is useless to our technological life, I would contend that the value of history helps us to understand the present.
However, I believe that delving into ancient eras would be beneficial for the society and future research such as in the medical industry.