Are we ever going to learn?
@pgiblett (6524)
Canada
January 27, 2016 8:24am CST
I remember as a young child my mother asking the question "Are we ever going to learn?" and of course in my innocence I asked "What did I do wrong?"
"Oh. It isn't you." She explained. "it those that control society."
We had been watching the TV news a few minutes beforehand.
I don't watch the news that often but did last night and with one story I asked the question "Are we ever going to learn?"
Well with giving away my (approximate) age it seems during the 40 and more intervening years, those in control seem to have learned nothing at all, they make the same basic mistakes. Do you ever get that feeling that for all the technological advances we make we hardly change at all?
21 people like this
18 responses
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
27 Jan 16
People are very basic in nature and some more basic than others.
It seems as humans, we have not advanced with technology.
2 people like this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
27 Jan 16
Technology has advanced in leaps and bounds, but society is forever playing catch-up. This leads me to something I have been thinking about for some time - the last century may have boon one of technical advance but this one needs to be where we control technology and truly harness it for the betterment of mankind.
2 people like this
@TiarasOceanView (70035)
• United States
27 Jan 16
@pgiblett It would be really something if it could be done for true advancement of mankind Peter, I agree. Someone should put their noggin to work on that.
2 people like this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
27 Jan 16
@TiarasOceanView I have been thinking about it for most of my life, perhaps I need to pen a book about it. To be honest many of the ideas I have will cause us to radically re-think how we live.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
27 Jan 16
There are some things that are constant and greed and power are among those things.
2 people like this
@sherryericha (1806)
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
28 Jan 16
I know I personally have grown with age and circumstances. However, politics remains the same, they still want to focus on the 1%
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
28 Jan 16
But it should not remain the sole domain of the 1%. We, the people, need to take command and free our domocracies around the world from the grip of the politicians. The people need to control what is essential in society, changing those elements that are necessary, the time for representation is over, now is the time for participation, the time for control, the time for true democracy
2 people like this
@sherryericha (1806)
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
28 Jan 16
@pgiblett. I think if we get past having to be democrats or republicans we can make a difference. If we were all independents wouldn't they have to work harder for our vote?
2 people like this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
28 Jan 16
@sherryericha The system needs to change for participation of the people, but I am convinced normal people can work together to resolve problems in every community in a much better way than done by big-party political machines, that are often corrupted by the needs of lobbyists.
2 people like this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
28 Jan 16
I was reading a couple of articles recently describing the attitude of many in their early 20s today in regards to things like the Holocaust in the Second World War, or segregation in America and their attitude should give grave concern to any thinking person because they do not wish to learn the lessons of history.
Thanks for your thoughts.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325693)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Jan 16
@pgiblett That really is a worry. We celebrate Anzac Day on April 25th each year, the anniversary of the day in World War I when so many of our young men were slaughtered at Gallipoli. Although the 100th anniversary was last year, each year has seen larger and larger numbers at the commemorative events. This doesn't mean that lessons are being learnt necessarily but our young people have taken up visiting the war sites, etc in great numbers so perhaps there is still hope.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16533)
• China
28 Jan 16
They tend to make stupid mistakes to the extent of knowing nothing about common knowledge.If you ask me ,their positions of power rule their heads .
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16533)
• China
29 Jan 16
@pgiblett Over here our government has made a lot of inroads into the problems with corruption,abusing power and procedures of decision making ,etc. which gives expression to the demands of the people .
1 person likes this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
28 Jan 16
That is one of the reasons we should question what political leaders do, eventhough that is tough to do in places like China. Everyday people suffer everyday problems and often know how to solve those problems (if they were allowed to), it is the people that need to be empowered to make change.
1 person likes this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
29 Jan 16
@changjiangzhibin89 Tell us more because here in the west the picture painted of China and its government is one of corruption and abuse of power and lack of any listening to the needs of the people.
1 person likes this
@Bluedoll (16774)
• Canada
28 Jan 16
@pgiblett I wish that would be extended to homes as well for people that need to live so close to others. My next door neighbour for example lives the thickness of a bathroom medicine cabinet tin plate away from me. There are two cabinets in the wall back to back. I'm just thankful she is quiet and doesn't smoke.
1 person likes this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
28 Jan 16
@Bluedoll I come from a non-smoking family and believe there should be no smoking in any public place (or on any land adjacent to public land within 100 foot of the public land) and for this purpose any place that employs people or has members of the public regularly visiting it should be classed as a public place.
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
27 Jan 16
I believe that technology should be one of the tools mankind uses for its own betterment. Automation reduces employment, and it is people that are thrown on the scrapheap. We need to reorganise society so that the needs of people are taken more seriously, we should use automation but recognise that every person has a role to play, today there is no need to work 80 hours a week, perhaps 4 days a month is more appropriate.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21737)
• Canada
27 Jan 16
Everything old is new again, is a phrase that comes to mind. Also Solomon stated, ther is nothing new under the sun. Most of the corruption we see is not dissimilar to the corruption of the past. The technology has changed, but human nature has not.
2 people like this
@Shiva49 (26200)
• Singapore
28 Jan 16
We have not changed much at all with regard to our basic behavior from time immemorial.
I think we may not unless we are forced to change by circumstances.
As a society the majority writ does not run as we are manipulated by few with self-interests. I feel platforms like online writing should shed more light for us to change for the better - siva
1 person likes this
@karlmarxx (91)
•
27 Jan 16
it is human nature.making mistakes is fine although when mistakes are repeated it becomes depressing
2 people like this
@alchemistrx (2547)
• Philippines
28 Jan 16
Humans make the same mistakes but still rise up.
1 person likes this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
28 Jan 16
That is precisely the reason why we have to learn the lessons of history, to stop making those mistakes. I am sure no-one wants the return of a regime like that of Marcos in the Philippines, yet I regularly see horrific news reports about the government there.
@GardenGerty (157552)
• United States
12 Feb 16
I actually tend to think we get worse about some things. I will venture that I am older than you. I see quotes from our founding fathers and fearless leaders of the past that condemn the very things we choose to do as a country.
1 person likes this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
12 Feb 16
You may be older, but that shouldn't matter. I think if some of those founding fathers were here today, they may be setting course for another new land to live in.
@vandana7 (98823)
• India
14 Mar 16
The only thing that changes is I become fat, lose some hair and teeth and look aged...:( Rest is as it was...well not quite...I used to carry buckets of water when I was in school for my needs...additional water..now there is no additional water at all..lol
1 person likes this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
31 Jan 16
In my mind this isn't simply a question of technology, or course technology reduces the size of the world and brings more people into contact with one another. The challenge is much wider that technology alone, in part it goes to the heart of how we live.
