Another thought-provoking post, Bill. It reminds me of one of your previous posts (https://hwbrands.substack.com/p/why-is-that-statue-holding-a-tennis), as well as one that I hope will be a future post (Law 9 of Brands's Laws https://hwbrands.substack.com/p/the-laws-of-history-165). I feel like a good amount of historical commentators express disdain for the past (especially re: slavery in America), as well as a general doomerism regarding the future. However, as you point out, the direction of history (its "arrow") seems to be pointing more toward human happiness. If we tear down the past, then we can't show our children all the progress that's been made to get us to where we are in the present; and if we look at history, then we can have a reasonable assurance that the future will be a better one
Another thought-provoking post, Bill. It reminds me of one of your previous posts (https://hwbrands.substack.com/p/why-is-that-statue-holding-a-tennis), as well as one that I hope will be a future post (Law 9 of Brands's Laws https://hwbrands.substack.com/p/the-laws-of-history-165). I feel like a good amount of historical commentators express disdain for the past (especially re: slavery in America), as well as a general doomerism regarding the future. However, as you point out, the direction of history (its "arrow") seems to be pointing more toward human happiness. If we tear down the past, then we can't show our children all the progress that's been made to get us to where we are in the present; and if we look at history, then we can have a reasonable assurance that the future will be a better one
Well put, Jake.
Ominous and enpoint.