Most of us have heard some variation of the saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” This version of the phrase comes from George Santayana in “The Life of Reason” from 1905, from the series “Great Ideas of Western Man.” The phrase is commemorated in this 1962 painting by René Magritte, which is featured in the Smithsonian American Art Museum. It’s one of those ideas we know inherently, yet often forget. It’s more evident now more than ever that those who don’t learn history will repeat it, for good or for ill. Yet we can all shape our futures by learning from our history.
This phrase is often used as a harbinger of doom, or as a cynical retort to a dire event echoing a dire event from the past. Yet, it can also be a positive idea. Another great thinker of the 20th Century, Mr. Fred Rogers, said that in times of catastrophe and peril, we should, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
When we know history, we may see dark and dangerous events seem to repeat themselves. Yet we also know from our history how helpers led us out of dark and dangerous times. We can learn from those helpers, those leaders, and put our own skills and knowledge to use in such times.
Here in the Quad Cities, we know the history of floods along the Mississippi River. From a practical point of view, we have learned how to build parks meant to survive such flooding, and we’ve learned how to build stronger barricades to protect homes and businesses. We don’t always get it perfect, but we’ve used our history to learn and improve.
This philosophy can be used across all of history, and all events. We can learn from civil rights leaders across the country, and historical figures such as Dred Scott, who came through the Quad Cities before making history.
In treacherous times, there’s a temptation to think history is a loop of doom. But we know from history we can find and be the leaders and helpers moving us forward to shape a better future.