What did history teach us?

[OneFootInTheGrave]

The history thought us this:

WE ARE AS STUPID AS EVER!

[VetLegion]

Great minds think alike OFITG

[OneFootInTheGrave]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten

Hitory teaches us:
Kill your enemies
Help your friends
Do not screw around with thoses inbetween

Lefty speaks the truth.

I wish all of our EUnuch allies could grasp this simple lesson...

Well sooner or later you will have to kill everyone if this is your motto.

Once you are the last man standing have fun.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

Originally posted by VetLegion
Great minds think alike OFITG

[Lincoln]

History taught us that the lessons learned in one generation are forgotten in the next. Evil dictators are not pacified by peacenicks holding up written agreements with them and saying we will have peace in our time. History taught us that people will believe anything but the truth. We are blinded by optimism. All men are not reasonable.

[patrickjb53]

I believe history should be learned. What I see, is that it's time for the US to bring home all the troops from around the world. It's time to let the rest of the world to handle their problems. The US should stop trying to be the World Police. I’m not saying we should not get involved, but only in cases where the U.N. has asked for our help and only when all other countries are willing to send in an equal number of troops.

[Velociryx]

Well said, Linc!

And for the record, I'm one of the guys in agreement that appeasement *is* a valid lesson to be learned.

Bullies, no matter how big or small, are all the same. You give them an inch, they'll take more.

You give them what they want once, they'll come back and ask for something else. If you don't give, they'll start sabre rattling, and eventually, do something you don't particularly like.

Bullies love brinkmanship. They love pushing to see how far they can go, and how much they can get away with.

No matter how large or small, if you give a bully what he wants, you legitimize him and his tactics. That is a form of appeasement, and it only prompts further demands. It only prompts the bully to further thumb his nose at the world community.

We've seen it time and time again. Eventually, you'd think we'd get the idea.

-=Vel=-

[tandeetaylor]

Originally posted by Kropotkin
Oh sod off!

Seriously. And for good. Go away.

Comparing one situation to another generalizes details, forces, events, people, etc., and makes for a very selective memory that makes analyses based on factors which may or may not have anything to do with current situations.

[orange]

History is Bunk.

Sacrilege from H. Ford

[Velociryx]

I agree tandee, and yet, there is a certain common sensical wisdom to be drawn from similar events.

If, as a four year old child, you carelessly tread through a campfire's embers and burn the hell out of your feet, later in life (say, when you're eight or ten), you reach toward the red-glowing eye of the stove without thinking, you are likely to remember that not-so-pleasant sensation on your feet and pause for a moment.

There's enough of a similarity there that, even though some of the details are different, you're not likely to put your hand ON the eye of the stove just to see if it is, in fact, different in some splendid way.

I think there's a certain wisdom to be found in studying the patterns of history. One thing you can be sure of, no matter what the particulars, bullies all act in remarkably similar ways.

-=Vel=-

[tandeetaylor]

Oh, of course, patterns are an important part of studying history, but what we are talking about here is grossly generalizing and comparing two specific situations, forcing square details of one event into the round specifics of another event. Some of the pieces may fit, but it's important to remember that some, if not most, do not.

Please tell me you're not comparing complex international relations to burning your hand!

[Static Universe]

Originally posted by tandeetaylor

Please tell me you're not comparing complex international relations to burning your hand!

It's an appropriate metaphor. One learns history not to get burned again.

[DuncanK]

How you see history depends on your political bias. For that matter how you write history depends on your political bias. If you take peoples political bias into account (and you follow the money) you will do well.

[Velociryx]

Indeed I am not.... (but, I agree with the above that the metaphore is an appropriate one). Only pointing out that you can see bullies in action on any school yard playground, any day of the week, and their actions are a mirror image of the international bullies we see today (including the leaders of NK and Iraq).

After so long a time exposed to the antics of bullies, one comes to recognize certain patterns of behavior that are universal to all.

Very true that it is important to keep the particulars of each situation in mind, but equally important, I would say, is to remember that a bully is, at the end of the day, just like all the other bullies. They will be the men that they are, and because of that, their actions are at least somewhat predictable.

-=Vel=-

[tandeetaylor]

Originally posted by Static23
It's an appropriate metaphor. One learns history not to get burned again.

Not it's not. Heat = heat, fire = fire. We're talking about different people, different cultures, different background, etc.