History

What was your favorite subject in school?

Trouble is it’s scaring me now.

I took history to degree level, where I learned that it isn’t about the past, it’s about applying the lessons of the past to the present to understand what’s going on, and predict the future as accurately as possible.

One professor told us exactly what would happen if Saddam Hussein was deposed by the West. He called him the true embodiment of the lesser of two evils. He was suppressing an extremely violent sect of the Islamic religion. He said we wouldn’t be safe in our streets if he went. Hence 9/11, London, Bataclan, and so on.

Looking at our history now, mainly with my head in my hands and the word stupid reverberating in my mind over and over again, I’m far from happy. Millions of people will agree, it doesn’t take a history degree to see the pattern.

Nevertheless, history is still my favourite subject, because it does show us the way forward too. Or the potential thereof.

What if the people of Gaza and Israel held mass protests demanding peace for all? What if the people of the West held mass protests demanding an end to the Ukraine war? None of it will work because the hatred in this world is to strong. But what if billions used their voices?

There are billions the world over in complete disagreement with all violence. Pele just want to live safe happy lives, but people are also apathetic. We’re trained that the governments and the cowards with the weapons rule and we don’t. We need to change that. But we won’t unless we send out an overwhelming set of personal messages saying no.

We have the means. We have social media. I wrote some posts. Only a couple of shares.

So I see the potential for a great world where everyone can thrive. History tells me that the people will stand back and watch their society crumble. But I know that a great way forward does exist.

We will have to get out of the I and into the We to do it. It’s not okay of you’re okay if other people aren’t okay.

Get that and the world changes.

Deb xx