there are lessons from history (if you look closely)

 

work modify learnings

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“Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; seek what they sought.”

 

 

Matsuo Basho

 

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Well.

 

It sometimes seems like a fine line between being doomed to repeat past mistakes … and actually learning from history.

 

And I say that as a history nut and someone who loves anything to do with the past.

 

Well.

 

Except maybe just doing what was done in the past.

 

Anyway.

 

As I have said I am a collector of moments and I imagine this is just another facet of that warped personal characteristic. When I saw this quote I finally figured out how to explain what I saw in studying the past.

 

There are so many people in the business world (and government) who seem very focused on ignoring history. They almost seem to actively decide to repeat behavior … assuming, I imagine, that it will inevitably generate the desired response. I assume that is based on some warped version of “practice makes perfect” or possibly “we will just do it better than they did.”

 

All I can say for sure is that blind ignorance leads to stupidity.

And maybe what is worse is this is conscious choiceful ignorance.

And, harshly, it seems like it incorporates even a little lazy.

 

But … bottom line … it is silly stupidity because with a little curiosity you can better understand that people in the past were pretty smart.

They often sought the same things we do now. pooh paws truth seek

 

And while the path they chose may not have gotten them there there is value in walking the path to see what they saw.

 

To be clear.

You do not have to do what they did … simply see what they saw.

 

That, in itself, is learning … well … that is … if you choose to see it.

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Written by Bruce