Some animals can migrate for generations from and to the same places, keeping an astonishing record. This is the case of some whales, geese and even elephants... Their past teaches them how to live better, as there are some conditions in those places they would take too long looking for in other places.
How much does our past teach us?
As a whole species, reading the headlines and seeing what is happening today, I would dare to say we didn't learn much. We still see nations invading nations, people killing people and humanity destroying nature, and it has been like that for centuries.
But, at least in the last 50 years, our learning has been better. With information technology, stories travel faster and people also react faster. For instance, issues against gender... From one country to the other, it seems people protest for the same reasons. Sometimes, I am not sure to which country this news belongs as they all look the same.
That is what makes past valuable: when we are able to learn. First stage is to have the information and to start to create a new paradigm around that idea. Second stage is when we start to avoid those situations. But the last stage is the main one. It is when we replace habits and customs that we have learnt as wrong with something more elevated and dignified.
I will give you an example. Several women have been affected by acid thrown into their faces. The first stage works quite well and the information starts to travel around very fast. There is however some doubts in relation to its effectiveness as by spreading the news, other people learn about that and they can use it too against their own former wives or girl-friends...
The second stage is needed: laws that enforce the negativity of that behavior. However, that is when things start to get tricky... After a few weeks of acid-throwing acid, news came that a woman threw acid against another woman. What to do in this case, as it is not a gender issue? Later, a young man was also affected. When we restricted our vision to the negative side of the situations, we give power to that and people learn on how to avoid the new laws or the new hate it generates (up to this moment, I did not see comments against the neighbor who threw acid against her neighbor or the affected young man).
The third and last stage so that our past is really valuable is when we start to create a new model of society, where people are entitled to decide on their own destiny, where people who would be attacked feel secure because society approved their decision and those who would be the attackers have a support group or someplace where they can find treatment. In this way, that violence won't happen again?
A dreamer? Let's remember the case of slaves and how we took so long to get into the third stage of equality and normality. Let's also remember the economic effects on the mistakes we make...
But, don't wait for the collective starting to change. Start from your own life. Learn from your past. Avoid the mistakes you have made. Start to create a new life for you; in such a way not only your past won't repeat, but new opportunities emerge.
I am sure you will feel very happy by doing that!
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