History is the account of events that have happened in the past, usually recorded in the most objective way possible. Being a subject in schools, colleges and universities, too many people the subject History remains merely something to do with dates, famous people and events that have left some impact or other on mankind, especially warfare. However, to the less ignorant, history studies not only man’s bloody and violent past, but its political and cultural structures, socio-economic policies and, more often than not, history teaches us very valuable lessons that are applied to current life situations. Therefore, it is a great injustice to merely classify History as the study of warfare, as it is a far greater and more diverse subject than the discussion of brutality and bloodshed.
It must be acknowledged that a large number of conflicts and wars that have occurred in the past does take up most of History, especially when studied in tertiary institutions. Destructions and death; the consequences of war and armed conflicts are clear, and the importance to stop this violence is duly imparted to the younger generation. One thing man has learnt from these past conflicts is that war can never be justified because not only do soldiers die in the front line, never mind the fact if they were forced to fight for an ideal they never believed in, but innocent women, children and elderly are caught in the crossfire and are shown no mercy. Many perish, and so the world learns the hard way that war can only be used as a last resort to end conflicts. Diplomatic negotiations are to be used whenever possible as it is seen as a peaceful process of finding a resolution to disagreements between parties that do not involve the massacre of innocents, though its process may be long-winded and inefficient. However, with so much violence and so many wars occurring in the world today, it can be questioned whether the idea of using diplomacy to end conflicts is being passed down to the younger generations at all.
Though this may be the case, this is a very shallow interpretation of what one can learn from History, as it holds far more diversity than mere warfare. The early development of European superpowers can be used as models or examples for developing countries to imitate and follow on their way to prosperity and growth. For example, the British and their Industrial Revolution changed the world from a technological point of view; men using machines as part of our daily lives to be more productive and efficient, as well as making eighteenth-century life more comfortable. From a local context, Singaporeans learn how nationalists David Marshall and Lee Kuan Yew fought for our independence from the British Colonial masters, the hardships our ancestors had to go through during the Japanese Occupation and during the post-independence years. We learnt the importance of racial harmony, for fear of a repeat of the violent racial riots of the past. In doing so, national identity is formed amongst the citizens; a sense of belonging to a country that accepts and respects people of different ethnicity with different religions, languages, beliefs and cultures. Therefore, war is not the only topic that is learnt, but also the political and cultural development of countries too.
Economic booms and recessions make up part of our global history; different strategies and policies employed by countries to survive in an ever-changing economic climate. The development of new large economies, such as India, can show us how the rise of a superpower can effect the global economy as a whole in the coming decade. Measures to avoid or at least prepare for a recession can be put in place by the government as man learns from mistakes and failures in policies employed in the past. Such events like the Great Depression and the Asian Financial Crisis have had severe effects on many people in many countries, and a repeat of such events will want to be avoided at all costs. Referring to Singapore, we learn that its lack of natural resources and its comparative advantage in importing and exporting foreign goods allows the country to strive on the growth of other economies, having such an open market. Therefore, it can be said that there is a lot to be learned from history from an economic standpoint, as it helps new economies develop while avoiding past errors and mistakes.
Above all, history allows us to be better prepared for the future on many levels. In many circumstances, learning from past experiences improves our lives, and can even save them. For example, from the bad experience from dealing with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Singapore is now more prepared, mentally and medically, to deal with such a situation, as shown with the recent cases of the H1N1 virus. After the horrific events in New York on September the eleventh in the year 2001, the world is aware of terrorist organisations, and Singapore has successfully foiled bomb attacks on our soil. With lessons learnt to form the past, we are more aware of our surroundings and are able to use this knowledge to our benefit.
History entails so much more than merely the study of warfare, as shown above. Its study makes us prepared for a future crisis, and therefore makes our lives better and more comfortable.
Month: June 2017
‘Human actions should be based on scientific fact, not religious faith’. How far do you agree with this statement?
Religion has always had an undeniable arm in the world. “God might not be dead, but God sure leaves a lot of people dead” This was one social science professor’s response to Nietzsche’s famous proclamation that “God is dead”. Evidently, he is trying to point out the influence of religion upon our views and decisions in society. Religion affects every society on a personal level because it also affects every aspect of our lives. At the same time, today’s society is also influenced heavily by advanced science and technology. Human actions, if based on either science or religion, may result in grave consequences. However, scientific fact is definitely more trustworthy and reliable than religion for it can explain and manipulate the physical world.
Scientific fact ensures that the decisions we make are rational and always to our best interests after taking into account the cost and benefits of the decisions we are making. Today, we see apps and software with the ability to provide us with the most advantageous or the profitable choice we can make, be it for business level or personal level decisions. Furthermore, we can see the emergence of apps that enables us to make decisions based on our heart. “Choice compass”, an application, use our smartphone’s camera to analyse changes in our heart rhythm while we consider each of two choices: such as ‘buy’ or ‘don’t buy’. It then tells us which of the choices returned heart dynamic associated with positive rather than negative decisions, allegedly tapping into our innate ‘body wisdom’, giving a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘follow your heart’. Another app, “Best Decision” claims to take the emotional agony out of making a decision by helping us arrive at the best conclusion objectively, grading potential outcomes under various criteria. With technology being advanced enough to read our minds and provide us with the most practical solution that will only benefit us, there is no need to base or actions on religion which in today’s context is becoming an out-dated concept.
On the other hand, science cannot explain everything in the universe and it certainly cannot be perceived to be precise when it comes to deciding what the heart wants. Science does not claim to offer a full or complete understanding of the universe but merely hopes to move closer to the truth. Science cannot prove certain things like moral and experiential truth. Science can help us learn about terminal illnesses and the history of human and animal rights and that knowledge can inform our opinions and decisions. But ultimately, individual people must make moral judgements for their own lives like euthanasia. Science helps us describe how the world is but it cannot make any judgements about whether that state of affairs is right, wrong, good or bad.
This does not necessarily mean that we can act based on our religious faith because history has shown us the consequences can be very grave such as genocide. By its very nature, religion can make different groups of people disagree and the quintessence of religion is faith in something that can neither be seen nor proven, cannot be debunked as well. Holocaust and crusades exemplify how desensitizing feelings of hatred can hypnotise individuals and blind them to common sense. In absence of common sense, a Hobbesian nightmare of ‘war of all against all’ does not seem far away if we were to act based on our religious faith. Science, on the other hand, is able to provide us with common sense and the ability to make logical decisions, unlike ones that are heavily influenced by the blind faith of religions.
Religion, however, provides a group of individuals common mortality and decisions made as a form of community-based on religion will not lead to any form of harm as all religions encourage love and kindness. Buddha’s words, “All beings long for happiness. Therefore, the extent thy compassion to all. He, who wishes his own happiness, let him cultivate goodwill towards all the world”. While the Bible reads “Love your enemies. Bless them that curse you. For if you love only those that love you, what reward have ye?” Furthermore, mot believers across the globe belong to one of a few major religions and most of these religions, although practised in various forms preach the same kind of moral values.
‘Kites rise highest against the wind – not with it.’ To what extent is adversity a good teacher?
Winston Churchill once said, in the midst of World War II when British sentiment and morale was at its lowest, “success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts.” Often, when difficult situations arise, and times are tough, the true character and calibre of a person are revealed and it is also through this period of struggling that many of life’s lessons are imparted. Adversity, difficulty and setbacks, on the surface, hinder growth and cut down dreams prematurely, but in the long run, it allows for the cultivation of adaptability and flexibility, strengthens one’s character and brings about community spirit, teaching people how to work together. As such, adversity is a good teacher to a vast majority of people, due to the merits it reaps, and the many valuable lessons it leaves behind.
People who view and believe adversity and trials to be situations which do not give rise to positive impacts posit that these difficult times, at the forefront, hinder any prospect of growth in terms of character. Adversity breeds pessimism and only serves to discourage those who face it, and are in tough situations. When faced with difficulties and challenges which sometimes prove too much to handle, people are stressed out, and they might begin to feel as though their problems would prevail and that they are worthless. By reducing self-worth and pressurising people who are going through a time of brutal confrontation and are struggling, adversity contributes to the build-up of negativity and as a result, a loss of self-worth and degradation of one’s well-being. For example, there are many cases of Singaporean students committing suicide due to a drop in their results and the crushingly negative feelings that come with failure, resulting in unhealthy emotional and mental states. A sobering example would be that of an 11-year-old boy committing suicide due to his subpar mid-year examination results. This acutely reflects how failures and setbacks serve their purpose of literally preventing people from achieving growth as a person, and from accomplishing future endeavours as they drive home the point to them that they are worthless and will always succumb to their weaknesses. Therefore, adversity is not a good teacher, far from one, according to people who believe so, since it does not grant those going through difficult situations any merits. It apparently only provides room for the breeding of negativity and the hindrance of growth, due to reduced self-worth which it inculcates.
Similarly, people who firmly believe that adversity is not a good teacher argue that it inhibits innovation and creativity. They believe that adversity and difficult situations serve as a deterrent against attempts to try out new things and pursue one’s dream. Challenges prove themselves to be stumbling blocks in the lives of many and are thus not situations which give rise to many positive outcomes. For example, many young millennials, Generation Z, are afraid to chase their dreams, out of fear that they would be met with the same rejection their predecessors have. By posing challenges and difficult roadblocks, adversity, unfortunately, prevents potential individuals from pursuing their hopes and aspirations out of fear that the same rejection and hardships would befall them. Adversity therefore hampers and deters passionate and inspired people from doing things they truly enjoy and from daring to take that leap of faith, due to the harsh realities of the difficulties those who went before them had faced being so severe. For example, there is a trend of School of the Arts (SOTA) students and other art students who give up on their dreams and forsake their talents out of fear that they would face the same fate as their predecessors, who have tried and ultimately failed to make a name of themselves due to the lukewarm responses, or lack of appreciation for their work locally. They eventually turn back to conventional desk jobs and ordinary lives. Theatre veteran Ong Keng Sen once remarked in an interview that ‘there is one person, one minister, one civil servant who says something – but in the long run, the other structures in society will actually ensure that these statements, “follow your passion”, really don’t work.’, and this distinctly drives the point that Singaporean society does not make space for artistic talent. Therefore, the fact that these art students are not following their dreams is due to the fact that they have seen the ill-fated nature of the careers their predecessors have faced, and the difficulties they have struggled with in the pursuit of their aspirations. Therefore, adversity and difficulties are not good teachers, as they serve as a blockade and a barrier between individuals and their dreams after they assess the hardships predecessors have faced.
On the other hand, however, difficult situations and setbacks pave the way for people to become more flexible and adaptable, being more open to different ways and routes to doing things. When met with hurdles and walls which seemingly cannot be broken down, it is natural for people to find new ways to overcome them, giving rise to the cultivation of very important skills in the 21st century- flexibility and adaptability. A famous example of someone who did not give up in the face of challenges and instead sought out different ways to work around them, and prevent them from being a stumbling block and getting in his way, is Apple’s co-founder, Steve Jobs. It is remembered that Jobs was a college dropout, but this did not prevent him from becoming one of the world’s most renowned business magnates and from co-founding the Apple, arguably the world’s most influential technology company. By re-assessing his life as a person after dropping out, through a journey in India, and constantly raring to meet his challenges head-on, such as his eventual resignation from Apple in 1985, Jobs exemplified the tenacity and ability to bounce back and try different pathways and alternatives, and he eventually succeeded. His success came in the form of the current prestige and influence that Apple Inc. holds. Therefore, through Jobs’ example, it is clearly reflected how adversity and difficulty provide opportunities for one to be flexible and open to change and become willing to try out different approaches should one fail miserably, or repeatedly. Thus, adversity is a good teacher, in that it is a teacher who inculcates crucial characteristics, as it allows for people to build up adaptability and flexibility, allowing them to become people who can think on their feet, and gain spontaneity.
Furthermore, adversity is hailed as a good and very significant teacher that individuals should not have to go without as it strengthens one’s character and fills them with the strength to overcome any future challenges. It is also through a person’s life and overcoming of adversities when even more people around them are inspired to do the same and find the strength to be optimistic. Rather than purely viewing difficulties as challenges and hindrances, or stumbling blocks, people can instead treat them as learning experiences or hurdles to overcome in order to lead lives happier lives. For example, Jessica Cox and Nick Vujicic are real-life inspirations and are motivational speakers who have overcome their adversities, in the form of physical disabilities as a result of their birth defects. They both do not let their lack of limbs become a lack of fervour and tenacity, instead of pushing themselves to reach greater heights by overcoming their physical disabilities. For instance, Cox is a certified pilot, Taekwondo black belt holder, and Vujicic has done many things even the able-bodied dare not- he has gone shark-diving and embarked on many adrenaline-inducing adventures and activities. Furthermore, Singapore’s Jason Chee recently overcame the tragic loss of his limbs in a Navy accident and the recent loss of his right eye to cancer, to win the gold medal in table tennis at the ASEAN Paralympic Games. These individuals are living testimonies of adversity breeding strength which truly inspires millions of people around the world. As such, adversity is definitely a good teacher, as it inspires change in one’s character and a bounteous increase in tenacity and strength, which goes on to inspire and spur others on.
Similarly, adversity and tough times bring about community spirit and a sense of togetherness, as people begin to learn to put aside their differences and come together, in order to overcome these very challenges. It is through tough times and difficulties that countries have the opportunity to be exposed to standing together in solidarity and unity, which drives and improves cohesion as they teach people to love and care for their neighbours. Adversity and hardships therefore in an unconventional and somewhat ironic way, strengthens the bonds between countrymen and makes way for the overall improvement and building up of community spirit and national identity. For example, after the Manchester Attacks, the bombing which occurred this year, the entire nation and all the people of Britain came together to show their support for each other. They did so through crowdfunding to raise funds for victims and their families who were adversely affected by the attacks and were in need of serious financial aid to tide over following receiving medical help. Furthermore, there was even a concert held following the attack, the We Are Manchester, a charity concert to raise funds for a permanent memorial for the victims of the attack, to gather strength and comfort the entire nation still reeling from the attack. It is therefore through such adversity and difficult situations that community spirit is fostered and tight bonds are formed between communities that exist throughout an entire country. Therefore, adversity plays its part as a good and much-needed teacher, an advocate of community spirit and unity, given that it gives rise to the building up of strong ties and a sense of togetherness which bind people together.
As a whole, adversity and challenges shape multiple things- the emotional landscapes of individuals, and the subsequent hindrance of their growth, and their future aversion to innovation and creativity. However, adversity more significantly allows for flexibility and adaptability to be developed, strengthens one’s character by inculcating tenacity and strength and ultimately teaches people how to overcome their differences and work together for a brighter future. Therefore, adversity is a good teacher for most people, at least more so than it being a bad occurrence and one which does not bring about any positives with its presence. It reaps more benefits than the tiny seeds of negativity it may sow, undeniably. After all, as Churchill said, the “courage to continue” is something adversity gives rise to and provides opportunities for, in contributing to character development and fostering community spirit and cannot exist without hardships which one will definitely face in life.