The Thing About History

ArticleVBlog ^ | July 13th 2020 | Rodney Dodsworth

[Jacquerie]

To many people history is a pain they’ll never soothe. Since knowledge of events from long ago might contradict their feelings and passions, it is best left alone, shunned, and ignored. Besides, we’re the ones we’ve been waiting for, right? Why bother with the dead hand of the past? History can hurt us emotionally, so set it aside like handsome shoes that pinch, shoes that are too good and fashionable to throw away, but end up collecting dust on the closet floor.

The Thing about history is that it subtly questions what we do today. It educates Socratically; it doesn’t indoctrinate. The Classicist Victor Davis Hanson makes, I assume, a good living from a lifetime of reflection on what Greeks, Romans, Venetians, and various generals etc. did in times of crisis. Like Hanson, another great thinker, G.K. Chesterton, in 1929, dealt with history’s lessons in his engaging and conversational style.¹

Along with history, The Thing about laws and institutions is that most people aren’t especially interested in why they came about. Chesterton described the paradox of a fence or gate across a road. Someone built it, and for a reason. A Progressive would say, “I don’t see the purpose of this thing; let’s clear it away.” The more intelligent reformer or conservative stands athwart the fence and responds, “If you don’t see the use of it, I certainly won’t let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it.” In Chesterton’s worldview, conservatives don’t reflexively roll with the radicals. They defend The Thing, the proven ways, until reformers convince them to join in changes.

[Terry L Smith]

To all parents,
Everything that you do with your kids becomes part of their history, and you are history. That includes every good and bad thing, without exclusion. The traditions you teach them, because you were taught them, is keeping history familia alive.