History in the Present

One form of evidence for evolutionary thought are the pieces of the past perserved in the present beings and places. This evidence is found through things such as vestigal organs, to the coal found in the icy lands of the Antarctica. I feel, though, that it encompasses more than just that.

Have you ever studied psychology? I haven't really too much, but at times I find myself to be rather vouyeristic. I'm intrigued by studying the behavior of others'. There's so much you learn about them. Especially when you learn their history - then their behavior makes sense.

A lot of times, you notice that people's behavior perserves their past. Maybe their more conservative when they're older to cover up the lack of respect they had for themselves. And sometimes the lack of respect they have for their selves comes from the home in which they are raised. And the home from which they are raised comes from the home in which their parents are raised, and the experiences their parents went through. A lot of hobbies and talents come that way, too. Natural abilities and tendencies that a closely related relative have we emulate. I look at myself - I have my mother's love for music, and writing. I have my father's passion for hard-work. I have my grandmother's love for reusing and making art. I have my grandfather's love for nature and traveling. I have my other grandmother's simplicity, and her husband's interest in economics. I am pieces of every distant relative, through behaviors and interests. Whether in a positive way or negative way, I believe that our past affects who we are today. Even when we try to be extra good to undo the mistakes our parents made, we hold in us a part of them - the motivation to do better than them. They still influence us. They still affect us. Therefore, they are preserved in us.

I believe, then, that it is crucial to learn the past. I feel it brings us a better understanding of the present, and of our tendencies. Maybe it brings into sight behaviors and hang-ups we weren't even aware of - or places we're heading that we wouldn't want to go. But I feel that understanding our past makes us better people. I'm not sure that we'll ever be able to eliminate its presence - and I think that's okay. It gives us the ability to understand the now and move forward from the now. Without understanding where you've come from, you can't possibly understand where you're going. And everyone wants to know that.