The present reality of things, as always, lacks meaning without history and without direction (a set course or future). Indeed, why would the now matter if everything blipped into existence and then out again in a moment of time; without context, without reasoning? So I’m thinking: understanding the history of where everything comes from is important for my life in the now; even though I could, as much of America does, simply take things as they are and work with them in order to further my gains and fancies of the moment. But understanding where things have come from, and, often in so knowing, understanding why they are just the way they are, brings light to their future purposes and their value or worthlessness now. Life is so much more enjoyable and adventuresome when everything has purpose and meaning and significance and either helps to shape your character or gives indication of where your character lays now so that you may evaluate it. All of this shapes your culture and relies on the past culture that directly influences the now. Cultures all over the world have been shaped by their past culture, and that’s not to say their past generations didn’t make changes, but it would be naive to think that one could escape such influence: as if this generation can be so much different; the influence continues regardless of personal preference or desire to be ‘different’. I think such desires are foolish in a way: thinking that you can change who your people have made you to be. No, it takes more than determination and one’s own will to change who you are. It takes a total overhaul of the self and the spirit of a man to overcome his past culture, if his past culture is in need of overcoming, that is (in part or in whole). -Only God can do that.
but then take the history of an individual life and you have an entirely different perspective and system of thought, hopes, dreams, schemes.
