Hey all, I just stumbled across this subreddit and I feel like I found a treasure trove. Really excited to start getting involved, especially as a college student who's been discovering over the last few years a passion for history.
Anyway, here's my question - where’s the line between elitism and intellectualism? I find as I further my own history degree, it gets harder and harder not to feel as if a large majority is pretty damn stupid. That’s not to say I ain’t aware of my own ignorance, and stupidity, and I do recognize that people in general try their best to think intelligently, given what resources and circumstances they have at the time. But as the world slides slowly into crisis, and causes slide into parallel with that of with historical disasters, I feel, on an emotional level, a looming sense of dread, and hopelessness. Or am I steeped in my own bias? I’ve been struggling with this for a while, so much so that at times I find myself reconsidering my love for learning. Do you feel the same? Is there a way to end up positive, or is knowledge really a poisoned chalice?
Apologies in advance for such a long-winded question, I swear I'll get the hang of it over time!
Keep in mind, that everybody on this planet, everyone you have ever met or will meet, knows several somethings that you don't. To use a stereotype, maybe Bubba-Joe thinks the Revolutionary War was fought during WWII, but he could know more about car engines than you ever will.
Or think of people like Hawking or Musk. He also has deep knowledge in his field, with thoughts filled with things you or I might not ever understand. Tesla might also spend his days griping about the future of humanity, but for different reasons. Does his deep knowledge of his field in anyway make your knowledge count for less?
Sorry for the cruddy phrasing, I need to got to bed.
TL;DR: Everyone's knowledgeable in different ways, your knowledge if history isn't superior to another knowledge of cars or black holes.
One of my favorite quotes about history comes from Alexandr Solzhenitsyn, who in Gulag Archipelago writes that there is a Russian proverb that says: "Dwell on the past and you'll lose an eye. Forget the past and you'll lose both eyes." Make of that what you will, but it sums up my opinion pretty well: looking into the past shows you a lot of depressing things, but to not look seems far worse. The things don't go away just because you aren't looking, and a historical approach can help one understand and make better sense of the present world, put it into perspective, give some insights. The present world doesn't go away because you find it depressing, either. If you are going to be an engaged person in the world, you have to pay attention to the present, the past, and think about the future.