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We Must Know the Past
American Thinker ^ | 26 Dec, 2022 | Jeffrey Folks

Posted on 12/26/2022 5:06:50 AM PST by MtnClimber

The wisdom of the past is precious because it stands as a bulwark against the rule of the mob today.

Michael Grant, the well known interpreter of classical Greece and Rome, begins his classic book The Ancient Mediterranean by stating that "we cannot understand our past, and cannot therefore understand ourselves, unless we know something of the Mediterranean sea and coasts that made us what we are."

University studies, now dominated by the destructive teachings of woke thinking and critical theory, would not just reject Grant's thinking but would ridicule and condemn anyone who holds such views. A key goal of critical thinking is that the past is "the record of man's injustice to man," to paraphrase the poet Shelley, and so must be erased from memory.

Certainly, there were plenty of crimes committed by the ancient Greeks and Romans, as there were by Europeans and Americans in later times. But these crimes were less severe than what was taking place in other civilizations. No one would argue, for instance, that the ancient Persians were more humane than the citizens of Athens, despite the large population of slaves living in the Greek city at the time. In the same era, China entered a condition of constant warfare known as the "Warring States Period," with all the bloodshed and suffering that the phrase implies. Other areas of the world were governed by brutal monarchs who practiced slavery, genocide, and human sacrifice. By comparison, our cultural ancestors, the Greeks and Romans, were significantly more humane and democratic.

In America, many of our Founding Fathers were slaveholders, but they were also highly educated men who sought to establish a lasting democracy based on their realistic assessment of human nature. No other world civilization has brought so much opportunity, safety, order, and wealth

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Education; History; Society
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 12/26/2022 5:06:50 AM PST by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

And it is the collectivist mob today that wants to rewrite history to justify their goals.


2 posted on 12/26/2022 5:07:31 AM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

yup


3 posted on 12/26/2022 5:48:16 AM PST by Recovering Ex-hippie (The 2020 election Trump victory determines the fate f America and Freedom.)
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To: Taxman

Ping


4 posted on 12/26/2022 5:51:45 AM PST by Taxman (SAVE AMERICA! VOTE REPUBLICAN IN 2023 AND 2024!)
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To: MtnClimber
There could only be the appearance of any justification for those goals with their intended consequences being what they are.
5 posted on 12/26/2022 6:27:04 AM PST by equaviator (There's nothing like the universe to bring you down to earth.)
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To: MtnClimber

.


6 posted on 12/26/2022 6:43:13 AM PST by sauropod (2000 miles - Proof that Chrissie Hynde can sing the phone book and it sounds fantastic.)
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